This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Old man down
Way down, down, down by the docks of the city
Blind and dirty
Asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee
I got no dime but I got some time to hear his story
My name is August West, and I love my Pearly Baker best more than my wine
More than my wine
More than my maker, though he's no friend of mine
Everyone said
I'd come to no good, I knew I would Pearly, believe them
Half of my life
I spent doin' time for some other fucker's crime
The other half found me stumbling 'round drunk on Burgundy wine
But I'll get back on my feet again someday
The good Lord willin'
If He says I may
I know that the life I'm livin's no good
I'll get a new start, live the life I should
I'll get up and fly away,
I'll get up and fly away, fly away
Pearly's been true
True to me, true to my dyin' day he said
I said to him
I said to him, "I'm sure she's been"
I said to him, "I'm sure she's been true to you"
I got up and wandered
Wandered downtown, nowhere to go but just hang around
I've got a girl
Named Bonnie Lee, I know that girl's been true to me
I know she's been, I'm sure she's been true to me
Way down, down, down by the docks of the city
Blind and dirty
Asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee
I got no dime but I got some time to hear his story
My name is August West, and I love my Pearly Baker best more than my wine
More than my wine
More than my maker, though he's no friend of mine
Everyone said
I'd come to no good, I knew I would Pearly, believe them
Half of my life
I spent doin' time for some other fucker's crime
The other half found me stumbling 'round drunk on Burgundy wine
But I'll get back on my feet again someday
The good Lord willin'
If He says I may
I know that the life I'm livin's no good
I'll get a new start, live the life I should
I'll get up and fly away,
I'll get up and fly away, fly away
Pearly's been true
True to me, true to my dyin' day he said
I said to him
I said to him, "I'm sure she's been"
I said to him, "I'm sure she's been true to you"
I got up and wandered
Wandered downtown, nowhere to go but just hang around
I've got a girl
Named Bonnie Lee, I know that girl's been true to me
I know she's been, I'm sure she's been true to me
Lyrics submitted by itsmyownmind
Wharf Rat [Live At Fillmore East, NY, April 26, 1971] Lyrics as written by Robert Hunter Jerry Garcia
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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Punchline
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Page
Ed Sheeran
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I always thought it had something to do with a pearly baker being a crack pipe, and the wharf rat trying to quit and get back on his feet again. Thats why they called the sober deadheads "wharf rats" at concerts back in the day.
i doubt it. i could be considered a wharf rat, even tho i dont consider myself one. but it is most likely used in that context all because of the folling lines (and that is all).... The other half found me stumbling around drunk on Burgundy wine<br /> But I'll get back on my feet again someday<br /> The good Lord willin', if He says I may<br /> I know that the life I'm livin's no good<br /> I'll get a new start; live the life I should
I think this is the one of the saddest stories ever told. Like the person above me said, purley baker is a double entendre, referring to both the woman in the song and her relation to the wharf rats alcoholism. I dont know why but I always assume the pleas at the end of the song are in vain. The last two lines are the story teller showing that he was quite shaken by his experience, and thus he is reassuring himself that his woman has been true to him. Anyhow this one of the most beautiful, epic tales ever told. REST IN PEACE JERRY.
I think there is a strong correlation to On the Waterfront (Marlon Brando, dir. by Elia Kazan)
Also the Rev. Purley Baker was the head of the Anti-Saloon League of America. This group lead the fight for prohibition in America.
Could draw a strong correlation to alcoholism struggles
Could this be the greatest story ever told?
This song made me love the dead. anyone know where wharf rat comes from though???
@BeYourOwnGirl wow this is late replying to your comment. i hope you see it. But when I went to Sanfrancisco back in the late 90s . I saw a lot of homeless and just street people on the wharfs that were on the bay. I thin that must be what Jerry meant when he talked about the wharf rat..there are so many of them .. I actually think the Dead were a much better band then people think.. They werent just a bunch of hippies .. There music and lyric were poetry.. heavy at times.. I rediscovered them when listening to this song.. great band..RIP Jerry
@BeYourOwnGirl wow this is late replying to your comment. i hope you see it. But when I went to Sanfrancisco back in the late 90s . I saw a lot of homeless and just street people on the wharfs that were on the bay. I thin that must be what Jerry meant when he talked about the wharf rat..there are so many of them .. I actually think the Dead were a much better band then people think.. They werent just a bunch of hippies .. There music and lyric were poetry.. heavy at times.. I rediscovered them when listening to this song.. great band..RIP Jerry
Wharf = dock/pier; Rat: as in someone always hanging around; referring to the old man mentioned. that's where the name comes from. my fav. dead song <3
when the narrator says "I know she's been, I'm SURE she's been true to you..." you know he's telling the derelict a harmless lie. He doesn't really believe she's been, but this guy is so near the end, he's gonna throw him a beautiful dream as he checks out of his existence. and then he's wandrin' around, thinking, I don't even know that for my own self. I'm in as dire straits as this guy. We're all the same and we don't know how to find out what we think we need to believe in. Truly epic song.
@orphan_yachts you hit the nail on the head my friend.. .. beyond EPIC..this song got me rediscovering the Dead.
@orphan_yachts you hit the nail on the head my friend.. .. beyond EPIC..this song got me rediscovering the Dead.
@orphan_yachts you hit the nail on the head my friend.. .. beyond EPIC..this song got me rediscovering the Dead.
This is my favorite Dead tune.
floppywoknoodle is right, Purley Baker is indeed a double entendre. Rev Purley Baker was head of the anti-saloon league in the days of prohibition.
Jerry Garcia did a charcoal artwork entitled "August West:" arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/garciawharfrat.jpg
The image is as haunting as the song itself.
It only took me a hundred times listening to this that I realized the narrator is in the same boat as the wharf rat. "I got no dime, but I got some time to hear his story", "wandered downtown, nowhere to go but just to hang around". He assures the wharf rat that his girl has been true to him because he has to believe that his own girl has been true to him.
fanTASTIC. i think so too : )
The Wharf Rats are still going strong... they meet at intermission of every Furthur show. Great tune...I always thought the fellow gets sober in the song but after reading the previous comments I now think that like most addicted people, they say they will get clean but never do.