| Grateful Dead – Eyes Of The World Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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based on liner notes from Wake of the Flood's 50th Anniversary Edition: Wake of the Flood was the band's 1st album since American Beauty and their 1st to be recorded at The Dead's own studio called The Record Plant. Prior to recording, the band lost members Pigpen and Mickey Hart. Thoughtful observers noted wakes followed both floods and deaths and much of what the band recorded August 1973 would also honor their fallen friend Pigpen. The Wake of the Flood album weaves the fabric of the Dead's history into its themes in ways that highlight its ambition and achievement. There is a sense of hope that permeates the album which took its name from a line in "Here Comes Sunshine". "Here Comes Sunshine" proclaims optimism is both an obligation and a birthright as the next song "Eyes of the World" later explores. Hunter's lyrics got a deeper set of truths including the sense of promise that followed the great flood in the book of Genesis. God ended the cataclysm with a new covenant and Rick Griffin drew on that story for the cover with not only the water on the front cover but also with the raven on the back cover which symbolized the raven sent out by Noah to see if the flood was receding. The bird also evoked that context; it came from the old card game Rook, marketed as a Christian alternative to traditional playing cards. Learning in retrospect where the band was coming from at this time gives an additional layer to their amazingly timeless songs from this period. Adding 10 additional musicians added so much texture to this brilliant album which lives on.......... ------------------- |
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| Grateful Dead – Here Comes Sunshine Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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based on liner notes from Wake of the Flood's 50th Anniversary Edition Wake of the Flood was the band's 1st album since American Beauty and their 1st to be recorded at The Dead's own studio called The Record Plant. Prior to recording, the band lost members Pigpen and Mickey Hart. Thoughtful observers noted wakes followed both floods and deaths and much of what the band recorded August 1973 would also honor their fallen friend Pigpen. The Wake of the Flood album weaves the fabric of the Dead's history into its themes in ways that highlight its ambition and achievement. There is a sense of hope that permeates the album which took its name from a line in "Here Comes Sunshine". "Here Comes Sunshine" proclaims optimism is both an obligation and a birthright as the next song "Eyes of the World" later explores. Regarding "Here Comes Sunshine" the Vanport Flood of 1948 made a deep impression on Hunter as a child and he drew on that for lyrics, though he confused the year, writing '49. However, it was a revealing slip: '49 invoked the Gold Rush of 1849 which transformed San Francisco and made California a state. The silt from gold mining prompted the construction of the bay model to study possible solutions. Even if Hunter conflated dates, his lyrics got a deeper set of truths including the sense of promise that followed the great flood in the book of Genesis. God ended the cataclysm with a new covenant and Rick Griffin drew on that story for the cover with not only the water on the front cover but also with the raven on the back cover which symbolized the raven sent out by Noah to see if the flood was receding. The bird also evoked that context; it came from the old card game Rook, marketed as a Christian alternative to traditional playing cards. I can personally add that in my youth Wake of the Flood was the 1st vinyl rock album I every purchased (most likely in 1974). I was mesmerized by the cover and I initially enjoyed several tracks on the album but I quickly connected to "Here Comes Sunshine". Years later and after getting the remastered 50th Anniversary Edition, the entire Wake of the Flood album has become my favorite Dead album (I also list American Beauty as a favorite too) as I find Wake of the Flood simply flows perfectly from one track to the next. Learning in retrospect where the band was coming from at this time gives an additional layer to their amazingly timeless songs from this period. Adding 10 additional musicians added so much texture to this brilliant album which lives on.......... ------------------- |
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| Grateful Dead – Stella Blue Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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based on liner notes from Wake of the Flood's 50th Anniversary Edition Wake of the Flood was the band's 1st album since American Beauty and their 1st to be recorded at The Dead's own studio called The Record Plant. Prior to recording, the band lost members Pigpen and Mickey Hart. There are plenty of biblical references throughout the songs on the album. Hunter's lyrics got at a deeper set of truths including the sense of promise that followed the great flood in the book of Genesis. God ended the cataclysm with a new covenant and Rick Griffin drew on that story for the cover with not only the water on the front cover but also with the raven on the back cover which symbolized the raven sent out by Noah to see if the flood was receding. The bird also evoked that context; it came from the old card game Rook, marketed as a Christian alternative to traditional playing cards. Thoughtful observers noted wakes followed both floods and deaths and much of what the band recorded August 1973 would also honor their fallen friend Pigpen. The Wake of the Flood album weaves the fabric of the Dead's history into its themes in ways that highlight its ambition and achievement. Jerry Garcia's brilliant lines imbue the album with a pastoral feel giving Stella Blues a wistfulness that brought out every phrase of his vocals and every nuance of Hunter's lyrics. As the song Row Jimmy marks a journey as a metaphor for life, Stella Blue describes loss being the accompaniment and inevitable end of that journey affirming the power of belief and determination in the face of tragedy. Garcia was especially proud of Stella Blue which he described as having a very slippery harmonic thing that works nicely. ------------------- |
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| Grateful Dead – Row Jimmy Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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based on liner notes from Wake of the Flood's 50th Anniversary Edition Wake of the Flood was the band's 1st album since American Beauty and their 1st to be recorded at The Dead's own studio called The Record Plant. Prior to recording, the band lost members Pigpen and Mickey Hart. There are plenty of biblical references throughout the songs on the album. Hunter's lyrics got at a deeper set of truths including the sense of promise that followed the great flood in the book of Genesis. God ended the cataclysm with a new covenant and Rick Griffin drew on that story for the cover with not only the water on the front cover but also with the raven on the back cover which symbolized the raven sent out by Noah to see if the flood was receding. The bird also evoked that context; it came from the old card game Rook, marketed as a Christian alternative to traditional playing cards. Thoughtful observers noted wakes followed both floods and deaths and much of what the band recorded August 1973 would also honor their fallen friend Pigpen. The water imagery in Row Jimmy marks the journey as a metaphor for life. Hunter expressed surprise when listeners found the words obscure, but that sense of hidden directness, a clear sense of purpose that lay just beyond the immediately accessible, was integral to what made the song so successful. "Don't hang your head let the two-time roll" sounded as if it could refer to the embezzlement of Lenny Hart or perhaps the frustration with the record industry, but the gentle lift of the song underscores the power of action, the refusal to succumb to anger or bitterness and simply move on, even when the destination is not entirely clear. Despite their loss of Pigpen who was their fulcrum and anchor for so many years, as the haunting couplet suggested: "Broken heart don't feel so bad/Ain't got half of what you thought you had". The easygoing pace of the song made it easy for listeners to grasp, but that belied the complex way the rhythm worked: its "slight reggae groove layered over a ballad" gave it a supple, mesmerizing bounce, as Kreutzmann explained "Rhythmically, the lengths aren't traditional...it's deceiving." The Wake of the Flood album weaves the fabric of the Dead's history into its themes in ways that highlight its ambition and achievement. Mesmerizing is a perfect term to describe how this song takes me in. ------------------- |
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| Grateful Dead – Let Me Sing Your Blues Away Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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based on liner notes from Wake of the Flood's 50th Anniversary Edition Wake of the Flood was the band's 1st album since American Beauty and their 1st to be recorded at The Dead's own studio called The Record Plant. Prior to recording, the band lost members Pigpen and Mickey Hart. There are plenty of biblical references throughout the songs on the album. Hunter's lyrics got at a deeper set of truths including the sense of promise that followed the great flood in the book of Genesis. God ended the cataclysm with a new covenant and Rick Griffin drew on that story for the cover with not only the water on the front cover but also with the raven on the back cover which symbolized the raven sent out by Noah to see if the flood was receding. The bird also evoked that context; it came from the old card game Rook, marketed as a Christian alternative to traditional playing cards. Thoughtful observers noted wakes followed both floods and deaths and much of what the band recorded August 1973 would also honor their fallen friend Pigpen. "Let Me Sing Your Blues Away is member Keith Godchaux's sole songwriting contribution to the album." Keith worked with Hunter for his song. The song evokes the healing power of music and the timelessness of the blues. The lyrics could be read as a homage to Pigpen (someone who lived the blues and understood their power to console even as they confronted the worst that life offered). The Wake of the Flood album weaves the fabric of the Dead's history into its themes in ways that highlight its ambition and achievement. The upbeat melody is awesome on this song which truly gives homage to the blues. Martin Fierro's soulful sax goes right through you! The layers of percussion add so much to the song. ------------------- |
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| Grateful Dead – Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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based on liner notes from Wake of the Flood's 50th Anniversary Edition Wake of the Flood was the band's 1st album since American Beauty and their 1st to be recorded at The Dead's own studio called The Record Plant. Prior to recording, the band lost members Pigpen and Mickey Hart. There are plenty of biblical references throughout the songs on the album. Hunter's lyrics got at a deeper set of truths including the sense of promise that followed the great flood in the book of Genesis. God ended the cataclysm with a new covenant and Rick Griffin drew on that story for the cover with not only the water on the front cover but also with the raven on the back cover which symbolized the raven sent out by Noah to see if the flood was receding. The bird also evoked that context; it came from the old card game Rook, marketed as a Christian alternative to traditional playing cards. Thoughtful observers noted wakes followed both floods and deaths and much of what the band recorded August 1973 would also honor their fallen friend Pigpen. "Mississippi Half-Step reads like an allegory, a story that revolves around fate and ends in transition, crossing a river that defines America and symbolizes hope for those who cross it." The Wake of the Flood album weaves the fabric of the Dead's history into its themes in ways that highlight its ambition and achievement. In one line of this song, the narrator loses his boots in transit which is a veiled reference to the 1961 car crash that took the life of Jerry Garcia's friend Paul Speegle Jr. Garcia always called that accident a turning point, "the slingshot for the rest of my life" as he put it. "It was my 2nd chance and I got serious." This was not a well known story back in 1973, but it was an allusion that resonated deeply with everyone in the band's inner circle who also saw the new label and studio as a 2nd chance for the band. There are so many other elements covered by the lyrics on just this one song that require a deeper dive. Generally some can feel stuck in what they were handed in life or just let ones' past and connections to negative thoughts GO by philosophically sealing them away in a silver mine and setting a powder charge to let them all GO away and next taking a small dose of medicine "half cup of rock & rye" and "nailing retreads to your feet" and pray for good weather as you journey on with a new sense of optimism. ------------------- |
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| Jethro Tull – No Lullaby Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| @[ThreeSongRule:40373] excellent perspective | |
| Jethro Tull – No Lullaby Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| per Ian Anderson on Heavy Horses 40th Anniversary: New Shoes Edition "I wrote this song for my son James when he was a tiny baby. I would put him to sleep and read him a story to send him to sleep. I\'d be going through all this BS that everything was fine, but in fact it\'s scary stuff. So I wrote this anti-lullaby which invites the child to stand up and face up to the demons and bogeymen and the other scary things of the night (come out charging with rattle in hand). " | |
| Jethro Tull – Acres Wild Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| @[JosephWolf:40372] Heavy Horses | |
| Jethro Tull – Acres Wild Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| per Ian Anderson from Heavy Horses 40th Anniversary Set: New Shoes Edition "very much a Scottish song. The chorus invites you to \'Come with me to The Winged Isle\' which is the Isle of Skye and it was written in the context of the wilds ( think wilderness) of that area of Scotland." From my perspective, I see this tune as the anthesis of Velvet Green from Songs from the Wood in that the characters meeting in Velvet Green have no cares of their esteem, their reputation, and the consequences of August\'s thrills 9 months later in April. Here in Acres Wild, I sense a breathe of fresh air, innocence, and invitation of love in all \'good places\'. You sense a breeze and an invitation to experience something more pure and natural \'where the dance of ages is playing still\'. | |
| Jethro Tull – Acres Wild Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| @[BoultersCanary:40371] agreed | |
| Jethro Tull – ...And The Mouse Police Never Sleeps Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| the line "Window-box town crier;" reminds me of observing my own cat when chipmunks or birds come on our deck and he watches from our sliding glass door as he makes instinctual sounds indicating he is powerless to do anything unless the slider is opened so he can pursue now. \n\nthe line "warm-blooded night on a cold tile." suggests Ian is comparing their actions to hunters that wait on a tree stand in the cold for prey. | |
| Jethro Tull – ...And The Mouse Police Never Sleeps Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| @[offhand:40360] agreed. This is the first song I remember Jethro Tull doing that celebrates the hunting instincts of cats. Awesome song. Ian Anderson reveals alot about this song in the Heavy Horses 40th Anniversary set: New Shoes Edition. | |
| Jethro Tull – ...And The Mouse Police Never Sleeps Lyrics | 3 years ago |
| Per Ian Anderson within the Heavy Horses 40th Anniversary Set: New Shoes Edition "this is a song about the hunting instincts of cats, and is a celebration in spite of the fact they\'re pretty vicious as killers of birds, snakes and other wildlife..." he writes of his young kitten Mistletoe who got credited on the album as a cat that would go hunting with him on his shoulder and acted like a gun-dog. There was a symbiotic relationship during their mutual hunts. | |
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