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Black Muddy River Lyrics

When the last rose of summer pricks my finger,
And the hot sun chills me to the bone,
When I can't hear the song for the singer,
And I can't tell my pillow from a stone,
I will walk alone by the black muddy river,
And sing me a song of my own,
I will walk alone by the black muddy river,
And sing me a song of my own.
When the last bolt of sunshine hits the mountain,
And the stars start to splatter in the sky,
When the moon hits the southwest horizon,
With the scream of an eagle on the fly,
I will walk alone by the black muddy river,
And listen to the ripples as they moan,
I will walk alone by the black muddy river,
And sing me a song of my own.
Black muddy river, roll on forever,
I don't care how deep or wide, if you've got another side,
Roll muddy river, roll muddy river, black muddy river, roll.
When it seems like the night will last forever,
And there's nothing left to do but count the years,
When the strings of my heart begin to sever,
And stones fall from my eyes instead of tears,
I will walk alone, by the black muddy river,
And dream me a dream of my own,
I will walk alone, by the black muddy river,
And sing me a song of my own, sing me a song of my own.
Song Info
Submitted by
itsmyownmind On Dec 22, 2001
5 Meanings

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Cover art for Black Muddy River lyrics by Grateful Dead

Hunter wrote this song for Jerry durings his late 80's diabetic coma...

Cover art for Black Muddy River lyrics by Grateful Dead

This was also the last song that Jerry ever sang in concert. It was part of a rare (for the Grateful Dead's later years) two-song encore at their last concert in Chicago. The other song in the encore was "Box of Rain," with the sadly appropriate final line "Such a long time to be gone and a short time to be there."

Cover art for Black Muddy River lyrics by Grateful Dead

And if you listen very closely to the bootleg of the concert when he is supposed to sing "black muddy river" the first time he actually sings "last muddy river"

Cover art for Black Muddy River lyrics by Grateful Dead

eminent death kinda sucks but when its my turn ill deffinently play this tune

Cover art for Black Muddy River lyrics by Grateful Dead

Through life's roughest moments, like grief, no matter how much those we love try to help, we "walk alone by the black muddy river".

Some of us have been there when those we love die. My son did not seem to die "alone". I'm sure of that.

By I "walk alone" in grief."

That's my interpretation.

My Interpretation
 
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