Origins: Grateful Dead Songwriters

Subject: RE: Origins: Grateful Dead Songwriters
From: gillymor
Date: 05 Oct 21 - 03:53 PM

I have to agree, Cassidy was an ever-evolving warhorse for the Dead across several decades.

Subject: RE: Origins: Grateful Dead Songwriters
From: voyager
Date: 05 Oct 21 - 03:32 PM

When I go back to JP Barlow's credits I see I confused 'Shades of Grey' with Hunder's 'Touch of Grey' (lol). Top of the charts for me on Barlow's list would be Cassidy (grate tune).

Subject: RE: Origins: Grateful Dead Songwriters
From: gillymor
Date: 05 Oct 21 - 03:10 PM

No sweat, it's good to see the Dead mentioned on these pages.

Subject: RE: Origins: Grateful Dead Songwriters
From: voyager
Date: 05 Oct 21 - 03:05 PM

gillymor -

thanks for sorting me out on this one.

Subject: RE: Origins: Grateful Dead Songwriters
From: gillymor
Date: 05 Oct 21 - 02:56 PM

Actually Hunter wrote the lyrics for Touch of Grey. I thought he was an excellent lyricist and complemented Garcia well. Barlow referred to himself as the "junior varsity" songwriter for the Dead and I think he may have been overly kind to himself. For me there is a deep quality chasm between the Garcia/ Hunter compositions and the Weir/ Barlow output, it almost sounds like a different band at times when Weir is performing his songs. IMO the most noteworthy aspect of the band's songwriting is, by far, all the wonderful music that Jerry created. Just my 2 cents.

Subject: Origins: Grateful Dead Songwriters
From: voyager
Date: 05 Oct 21 - 02:13 PM

Watching this week 'Long Strange Trip (review), I was struck (yet again) by the songwriting talents of Robert Hunter and John Perry Barlow, two talented songwriters who sparked the GD musical engine. Here are the comparative song lists -

John Perry Barlow Grateful Dead songs

Robert Hunter Song Repetoire

In the compare / contrast of these poet's songwriting talents, it's worth noting that 'Touch of Grey' (Barlow) was the only GD song that every made the Top 40 charts (lol). On the other side of the coin, it was a 'cosmic surprise' when I learned that Robert Hunter had family ties going back to Scotland's Poet Laureate, Bobby Burns.

As a side note - August 9, 1995 I was throwing darts with BT friends, at the Feather's Pub in Felixstowe when the news that Jerry Garcia had died was announced.

fare thee well
voyager