[tigerstrat]

With their nods to most of the classic rock gods of the 60's-70's, including covers of Beatles, Stones, The Who, I always wished they would do just one Zeppelin song. And the song I pictured in my head was "Misty Mountain Hop", as a Bob/Jerry duet... although now that I think of it, it could easily have been a Phil/Brent or even a Phil/Vince duet.

Other groups that could have provided very interesting fodder:
Nirvana,
Soundgarden,
Talking Heads,
Flaming Lips,

and I actually like the TLC suggestion! One sunny May Day a few years back, my band was playing at an actual May Pole dance in a gorgeous forest glen in the Coast Range near Corvallis OR... anyway, during the setbreak while we were getting ready to come back on, this beautiful little blond-haired girl of maybe 9 years approached the stage and asked to play the keyboard... her name was Oceana. So she starts playing this pretty little theme with a fluidity that caught the rest of us offguard! We joined in on guitar and drums and an incredible little 3-pc jam ensued. At the end of several minutes, Oceana took the mic and announced that what we had been playing had been a TLC song (I forgot the title immediately) and she dedicated it to Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopez, (who had been killed in a car wreck a few days before). So touching. What an impressive kid...

[shakedown_04092]

Previosu ideas I have agreed with:

What I Got - Sublime
Sunshine of your love - Cream

anything by Nirvana or Talking Heads, esp. TH considering Bobby had already brought Take Me To The River to the table. Other TH's covers I could see the Dead do:

And She Was (Bob)
Burning Down The House (Bob/Vince/Jer)
Once In A Lifetime (Bob)
What A Day That Was (Bob)
Life During Wartime (Jer or Bob..maybe everyone, ala Maggie's Farm?)

would've been remarkable. Can you picture the Dead doing any of those awesome TH songs? Sweeeeeet!

But I also think the natural graviation to some Phish cover would've been bound to happen. Maybe:

Bouncing 'Round The Room (everyone)
Wolfman's Brother (Jer)
Bathtub Gin (Jer)
My Sweet One (everyone)
Chalkdust Torture (a slowwwwwed down version, though...we all saw what happened to Bob when he joined Phish @ Shoreline)
Free (bob)
Get Back On The Train (Jer or Bob)
Sample In A Jar (Jer/Vince)
NICU (hmmmm?)
Sleeping Monkey (Jer...what an awesome encore this would've been at a Dead show!)
Tweezer (everyone)

Good topic.

As for other bands, probably more Beatles and Dylan, as someone else stated, as well as a few more tunes from the Rolling Stones.

EDIT:

Also....maybe Hook or Run Around by Blues Traveler w/ Jerry singing it? I can hear him whaling on the solo, making it sound like John Popper's harmonica! Yeah!

[BlobWeird]

Talking Heads would have been perfect for them. There are a few from Nirvana Unplugged that I could definitely see them doin. Someone mentioned What I Got by Sublime and I really dont see how that is even thinkable. To me that song doesnt fit into ANYTHING the Dead have ever done. And even though they have went out of their element a bit on some that is too farfetched I think. And who would sing it? Jerry couldnt. And at the same time neither could Bobby. Just wouldnt fit.

[tigerstrat]

"Take Me To The River" is an Al Green/Hodges brothers song. Although GD and Annie Lennox took stabs at it, Talking Heads had already burned that joint down!

[tigerstrat]

I've also long held the opinion that Garcia & Grisman Quartet could have done a great acoustic "Spirit of Radio" by Rush... although I wouldn't be surprised if someone like YMSB or HBR has hit that at least once by now.

[BlobWeird]

Yeah Talking Heads definitely burns it down with Take Me To The River. Love that song.

[IamDocWatson]

i think with the bulshit floating around the "music industry" today the grateful dead would revert back to roots and classic american tunes to show everyone what good music was....
i would liked to see bob playing some jazz stuff for jerry to take flight on

[justcoophere]

OK. Very interesting topic here. I have given this some thought over the years. I think Jer would stick with his guns and we would have seen more new songs from him. However, Vince...there is no telling what he would be singing. Tubes covers? Stevie Wonder? The eagles. Picture Jerry adding chorus to Hotel California "Such a lovely place". Don Henley's Heart of the matter first set closer. or worse yet how about as an encore.
There is no telling what could have been. What if Brent were around til '95? GNR's Sweet Child O' mine?
I'm just glad I took in what they had to offer over the years.

Here' a twist: Other artists covering GD tunes
Michael Jackson: Throwing Stones
Michael Bolten : Ripple
Kenny G: Way to go home
Def Leppard: Sugar Magnolia
Aerosmith: Truckin
Rush: China>Rider That would be interesting

[d-v-s]

Someone mentioned What I Got by Sublime and I really dont see how that is even thinkable. To me that song doesnt fit into ANYTHING the Dead have ever done. And even though they have went out of their element a bit on some that is too farfetched I think. And who would sing it? Jerry couldnt. And at the same time neither could Bobby. Just wouldnt fit.

When did not being able to sing a song stop the Dead from playing it?? I think it's safe to say that nobody in the band could really sing "In the Midnight Hour" the way Wilson Pickett did it, but that doesn't mean that they didn't do a rippin' version of it.

It's not like ANYTHING the dead did?? It's basically Lovelight in D instead of E. I don't think it's that much of a stretch.

[BlobWeird]

Im not talkin about the beat. Im talkin about the lyrics obviously

Early in the morning, risin' to the street
Light me up that cigarette and I strap shoes on my feet
Got to find a reason, a reason things went wrong
Got to find a reason why my money's all gone

I got a dalmation, and I can still get high
I can play the guitar like a mother fucking riot
Life is (too short), so love the one you got
Cause you might get runover or you might get shot

Never start no static
I just get it off my chest
Never had to battle with no bulletproof vest
Take a small example, take a tip from me
Take all of your money, give it all to charity
Love is what I got
It's within my reach

And the Sublime style's still straight from Long Beach
It all comes back to you, you'll finally get what you deserve
Try and test that you're bound to get served
Love's what I got
Don't start a riot
You'll feel it when the dance gets hot

[CHORUS]

(That's) why I don't cry when my dog runs away
I don't get angry at the bills I have to pay
I don't get angry when my Mom smokes pot
Hits the bottle and goes right to the rock
Fuckin' and fightin', it's all the same
Livin' with Louie dog's the only way to stay sane
Let the lovin', let the lovin' come back to


There is nooo way the Dead would sing this. Like "try and test that your bound to get served"? yeah no it wouldnt happen.

[shakedown_04092]

I disagree too, I can see Bobby singing those lyrics and laughing, flubbing them. You know.....having a good time with them!

[LazyLightnin]

i wouldve like to see the dead do:

cocaine blues - cash - bobby of course
she said she said - fab4 - jer
all apologies - nirvana - bobby
verse chorus verse -nirvana - jer
dumb - nirvana - bobby
pigs (3 diff ones) floyd - jer (that intense ending jam omg!)
a hard rains a gonna fall - bobbyD - bobby
inhebreated stroll - Waits - Bobby
roses are free - ween -jer
dont get 2 close 2 my fantasy - ween -Bobby
fearless - floyd - bobby
astronomy domine - floyd -jer
you never give me your $ -beatles - Brent/Bobby
mean mister mustard>poloythene pam>she came in thru the
bathroom window - beatles Phil/Bobby/Jer (in that order)
i dig a pony - beatles - Bobby
Born to be wild - steppenwolf - Donna (thats right donna!)
gimmie all your lovin' - stones - jer
ruby tuesday - stones -Donna (again!)
one - u2 - brent (i know he had passed already)
ophelia - the band - jer
midnight ravers - the wailers - bobby
when your well runs dry - peter tosh - jer
bumbo klaat - tosh - brent
spanish bombs - the clash - bobby
wrong 'em boyo - the clash - jer (features the stagger lee drama)
earache my eye - Cheech and chong - anyone!
goin to california - zep - bobby
tangerine -zep - jer


i could go on and on and on!

[BlobWeird]

I disagree too, I can see Bobby singing those lyrics and laughing, flubbing them. You know.....having a good time with them!

But keep in mind this post was what would Jerry cover if he was still around, not Bobby. And I still couldnt agree with Bobby either. Just too hardcore and corrupt I guess. I dont know cant think of the words here but I couldnt see it.

[BlobWeird]

Oh and Ophelia woulda been a great one! good call Lightnin

[Trystine]

How 'bout some Ottis Redding? I had a dream one time where Jerry was sing "Sittin' On The Dock of The Bay". It sounded good.