Grateful Dead Music Forum

My band is going to be working on a new set. Mostly we play blues and some classic rock. I have had to back door a couple of tunes like Hard to Handle, The harder they come, midnight hour attributing them to other bands and not that the dead covered those songs. The guys I play with are not dead heads or even fans but they are a great group of people. They never said anything bad about the dead either.

Of course I want to play some real dead. I know I can get one tune in now. Even if they didn't like it they would do it to make me happier.

So if you could get only one tune in what would your selection be? I have a few in mind but wanted your opinions.

jackr -

Hey man. Sounds like the tunes you have introduced already, covers though they may be, are all what I would call "beat" tunes. I.e., they have good rhythm, back beat and are danceable. I might get flamed for this, but something like Mr Charlie would seem to fit right in, if you got the beat and the soul. You have sneaked in a Pig song already, congrats. That is one I think could fit in well with the others you have mentioned.

$.02



Dave

For me if it was one song it would have to be a Jerry tune. I am also not a fan of super slow shit or somber numbers unless I'm at a concert. Then again, I have left to pee every time I saw Phish play Wading in the Velvet Sea.

If we are talking about shows at a club or bar, I'd stick to shit people can dance to. I am sure someone here will slam me for saying this, but I don't think bringing a bar down to a whisper so I can hear a band trash Stella Blue is a great idea. If you are a dead cover band then it's part of the show, but if we are talking a bar band (and I love me some bar band) then take the Stella's the Comes a Time's the Dew's (non '60's versions) and the Wharf Rat's off the table.

Keep it lively, keep it Jerry. It would have to be Loose Lucy for me.

I would probably go with Althea myself, I absolutely love that song. If the guys can master the groove that is a real dancer right there. Maybe even go a little bit up tempo on it, make it swing.

"Sugar Mag" or "Goin' down the road"

I got a guy on keys I play with to turn on to the dead with GDTRFB, now he has dancing skeletons on his car!

Scarlet Begonias. It's upbeat, danceable, musically interesting and a ton of fun to play.

Seeing as you guys have a blue streak
1) DEAL - simple easy can get away with one vocalist
2) WEST L.A. FADE AWAY - kinda new school Dead but a BLAST to play
3) U.S. BLUES - easy to learn fun to play
4) BERTHA - not bluesy but fun
5) Mr Charlie - As Mr.Dave Dude said .... this is fun and easy too

These vvvv

Tennessee Jedi wrote:Seeing as you guys have a blue streak
1) DEAL - simple easy can get away with one vocalist
2) WEST L.A. FADE AWAY - kinda new school Dead but a BLAST to play
3) U.S. BLUES - easy to learn fun to play
4) BERTHA - not bluesy but fun
5) Mr Charlie - As Mr.Dave Dude said .... this is fun and easy too

Easy Wind!

My band is the same way. Our drummer is a jazz guy who only got into rock and roll after hearing Hendrix. He doesn't like to jam endlessly on something, but rather likes a clean start/finish, etc. The only Dead song we do is Casey Jones because we do it like the album version and he enjoys it. We tried Beat it on Down the Line a few times but he wasn't thrilled. One suggestion that worked in another band: I played them Loser from Cracker's CD Low and they dug it and we covered it! Never knew it was a Dead tune.

I am liking a bunch of suggestions. I thought I would not want to do something real popular like, US Blues, Truckin, Casey Jones, sugar mag or Uncle Johns.

I also thought that later I could sneak in Scarlet Begonias because Jimmy Buffet covers it. (of course there are tons of parrot heads here in FL)

So far I think I like Bertha and Mr Charlie best from the suggestions. That being said as I was typing that I thought , how can loose lucy, deal etc not be on top. but anyway its not so easy to narrow it down. Maybe what I'll do is give them 2 or 3 choices so that it looks like it was their decision and I am happy just to be playing anything by the dead. (I am partial to the Jerry or Pig tunes btw) As you can probably tell from my avatar, I loved Pigpen.

The more I think about it, Bertha is a pretty solid choice. Easy, a blast to play and definitely recognizable for the non head fan, but not quite as mainstream as other tunes like Sugar Mag, et al.

If indeed you go the Bertha route, play it 71 or 72 style. Personal favorite is the 8/27/72 (i think) version from the Field trip show.

Jerry was feeling the wah pedal, and a whole lot of other shit that day.

Jerry Rockers:
Alabama Getaway
Might as Well
Mystery Train*

Pig Blues:
Next Time You See Me*
Aint it Crazy*
Good Mornin School Girl

Phil Metal:
Passenger

Bobby Pop:
Good Lovin*
Promised Land*
Minglewood Blues

*covers

deadguise wrote:
Phil Metal:
Passenger

Really depends on what your singer is up for. Bertha is a good choice but if you want to slide a second one in on the down low then try Catfish John as only heads will know that it's a garcia band tune. Easy chord progression for the band to pick up in a hurry and the jerry lead kicks ass and is not hard to learn as it is played out of the of the chord shapes (caged).