The Dead - Big River


Posted On: Saturday - July 6th 2019 6:28PM MST
In Topics: 
  Music  The Dead  Geography

The Grateful Dead played plenty of cover songs, along with their great original music. This one was written and sung by Johnny Cash way back in 1958. Now, Johnny Cash is one of my favorites, and though good lyrics aren't what makes for a great song, these are great lyrics, as the narrator tries to catch up with the girl, going from St. Paul down to New Orleans, down the mighty Mississippi. This is another in Peak Stupidity's very short list of Geography songs starting with #1 Stand, by REM, and ending, for now, with #2 here.

As much as I like Johnny Cash, there's no way he could have sung this one, played it, and jammed on it like this All-American Band. That's Bobby singing this one, and he does a great job:

Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry,cry,cry.
I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
The tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you, Big River.
Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die.




Why all the black and white old videos of the band, when they played through 1995 when there was plenty of color footage? To me, this was their best sound, in the 1970's, in general. (Nope, I wasn't there, sigh...) There's at least one Peak Stupidity Dead-Head commenter who could correct me, if need be.

Note that this show was only a month and a half after that show with the US Blues we featured on the 4th - and every July 4th.

Comments:
Moderator
Wednesday - July 10th 2019 12:14PM MST
PS: Thanks. I will give it a listen shortly.
Ganderson
Tuesday - July 9th 2019 8:40PM MST
PS Here you are sir:
https://archive.org/details/gd77-03-20.sbd.kempa.257.sbefixed.shnf

It was a great weekend- I went Friday and Sunday; missed Saturday as we went to a French restaurant, but that was a fun night too.

Your spot in cyberspace has become one of my regular stops! Thanks for what you do. Ganderson
Moderator
Tuesday - July 9th 2019 6:47AM MST
PS: Dead-bait, bitchez! I could only find the 12/30 show of that year, Ganderson - on youtube, that is. If you have a link, please paste it in a comment. (It won't work like a link, but I'll just copy/paste it into the browser.)

I thought I might have the money and inclination to follow the Dead around, maybe for a month or something, back in the mid-90's, but that was right before we lost Jerry.

Thanks for reading, and listening, Mr. G.
Ganderson
Monday - July 8th 2019 6:08AM MST
PS. Click bait for yours truly! Great song; always been a favorite of this old St. Paul boy.

I was lucky enough to see the band in the Spring of 1977 (3 times, no less, back before traveling to shows was a thing) They were absolutely at the height of their creative powers- I’d argue their peak was ‘71-78.

I always though covers were a big part of their charm- the Dylan tunes, country songs like Big River and Mama Tried ; and lets not forget Sing Me Back Home; and old folk numbers like Pretty Peggy O and Jack a Roe.

Achmed- if you want a treat check out the US Blues from 3/20/77 at Winterland. I was lucky enough toe be there, I think it’s the best show I saw live!
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