Four Grateful Dead Songs You Know
The only GD songs that got extensive radio airplay
If you are not a Deadhead, these are probably the only Grateful Dead songs you can identify. Maybe, if you can name any other GD song, you are a Deadhead! Sugar Magnolia, anyone?
Truckin’ (1970)
Truckin’ got my chips cashed in
Keep truckin’ like the doodah man
Together, more or less in line
Just keep truckin’ on
Arrows of neon and flashing marquees out on Main Street
Chicago, New York, Detroit and its all the same street
Your typical city involved in a typical daydream
Hang it up and see what tomorrow brings
Dallas got a soft machine
Houston too close to New Orleans
New York got the ways and means
But just won’t let you be
Most of the cats that you meet on the street speak of true love
Most of the time they’re sitting and crying at home
One of these days they know they gotta get going
Out of the door and into the street all alone
Truckin’ like the doodah man
Once told me “Gotta play your hand
Sometimes the cards ain’t worth a dime
If you don’t lay them down”
Sometimes the lights all shining on me
Other times I can barely see
Lately it occurs to me
What a long strange trip it’s been
What in the world ever became of sweet Jane?
She lost her sparkle you know she isn’t the same
Living on reds and vitamin C and cocaine
All her friends can say is ain’t it a shame
Truckin’ up to Buffalo
Been thinking you got to mellow slow
Takes time, you pick a place to go
Just keep truckin’ on
Sitting and staring out of the hotel window
Got a tip they’re gonna kick the door in again
Like to get some sleep before I travel
But if you got a warrant I guess you’re gonna come in
Busted down on Bourbon Street
Set up like a bowling pin
Knocked down, it gets to wearing thin
They just won’t let you be
You’re sick of hanging around, you’d like to travel
Get tired of travelling you want to settle down
I guess they can’t revoke your soul for trying
Get out of the door, light out and look all around
Sometimes the lights all shining on me
Other times I can barely see
Lately it occurs to me
What a long strange trip it’s been
Truckin’ I’m a going home
Whoa, whoa, baby, back where I belong
Back home, sit down and patch my bones
And get back truckin’ on
Lyrics By: Robert Hunter
Music By: Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh
Casey Jones (1970)
[chorus] Driving that train, high on cocaine
Casey Jones you’d better watch your speed
Trouble ahead, trouble behind
And you know that notion just crossed my mind (note 1)
This old engine makes it on time
Leaves Central Station ‘bout a quarter to nine
Hits River Junction at seventeen to
At a quarter to ten you know it’s travelling again
[chorus] Driving that train, high on cocaine
Casey Jones you’d better watch your speed
Trouble ahead, trouble behind
And you know that notion just crossed my mind
Trouble ahead, the lady in red
Take my advice you’d be better off dead
Switchman’s sleeping, train Hundred and Two
Is on the wrong track and headed for you
[chorus] Driving that train, high on cocaine
Casey Jones you’d better watch your speed
Trouble ahead, trouble behind
And you know that notion just crossed my mind
Trouble with you is the trouble with me
Got two good eyes but we still don’t see
Come round the bend, you know it’s the end
The fireman screams and the engine just gleams
[chorus] Driving that train, high on cocaine
Casey Jones you’d better watch your speed
Trouble ahead, trouble behind
And you know that notion just crossed my mind
[chorus] Driving that train, high on cocaine
Casey Jones you’d better watch your speed
Trouble ahead, trouble behind
And you know that notion just crossed my mind
And you know that notion just crossed my mind
This is the Hunter/Garcia original, not to be confused with the traditional song Casey Jones, which the Dead also played, as did Jerry with some of his other bands. The latter is normally called “The Ballad Of Casey Jones” in setlists.
(1) Mike Mehan suggested to me [not me Lannie Rose — this note is from www.dead.net] that Jerry sometimes sang “And you know that notion just cost my mind” — I like the thought!
Lyrics By: Robert Hunter
Music By: Jerry Garcia
Uncle John’s Band (1969)
Well the first days are the hardest days, don’t you worry any more
’Cause when life looks like easy street, there is danger at your door
Think this through with me, let me know your mind
Wo-oh, what I want to know is, are you kind?
It’s a buck dancer’s choice my friend, better take my advice
You know all the rules by now, and the fire from the ice
Will you come with me, won’t you come with me?
Wo-oh, what I want to know, will you come with me?
God damn, well I declare, have you seen the like?
Their walls are built of cannon balls
Their motto is “don’t” tread on me”
Come hear Uncle John’s Band, playing to the tide
Come with me or go alone
He’s come to take his children home
It’s the same story the crow told me, it’s the only one he knows
Like the morning sun you come and like the wind you go
Ain’t no time to hate, barely time to wait
Wo-oh, what I want to know, where does the time go?
I live in a silver mine and I call it beggar’s tomb
I got me a violin and I beg you call the tune
Anybody’s choice, I can hear your voice
Wo-oh, what I want to know, how does the song go?
Come hear Uncle John’s Band, by the river side
Got some things to talk about
Here beside the rising tide
Come hear Uncle John’s Band, by the river side
Got some things to talk about
Here beside the rising tide
Lyrics By: Robert Hunter
Music By: Jerry Garcia
Touch of Grey (1987)
It must be getting early
Clocks are running late
Paint by numbers morning sky
Looks so phony
Dawn is breaking everywhere
Light a candle, curse the glare
Draw the curtains, I don’t care
’Cause it’s alright
I will get by
I will get by
I will get by
I will survive
I see you got your list out
Say your piece and get out (note 1)
Yes I got the gist of it
But it’s alright
Sorry that you feel that way
The only thing there is to say
Every silver lining’s got a
Touch of grey
It’s a lesson to me
The Ables and the Bakers and the C’s
The A B C’s
We all must face
And try to keep a little grace
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It’s even worse than it appears
But it’s alright
Cows are giving kerosene
The kid can’t read at seventeen
The words he knows are all obscene
But it’s alright
I will get by
I will get by
I will get by
I will survive
It’s a lesson to me
The Deltas and the East and the Freeze
The A B C’s
We all think of
And try to keep a little love
The shoe is on the hand it fits
There’s really nothing much to it
Whistle through your teeth and split
’Cause it’s alright
Oh well a touch of grey
Kind of suits you anyway
That was all I had to say
And it’s alright
I will get by
I will get by
I will get by
I will survive
We will get by
We will get by
We will get by
We will survive
(1) the original lyrics were “Say your piece and piss off” but Hunter said that Jerry wanted him to change “piss off” to “get out” to give it a better chance at airplay (quoted by Bob Clinton in ‘The Deadhead’s Taping Companion Vol 2'). But it seems Jerry sang the original lyrics anyway on at least one occasion (eg 18 March 1992 — thanks to Doug Reddick for this).
Lyrics By: Robert Hunter
Music By: Jerry Garcia
Spoilers: He did not survive. Guitarist-extraordinaire Jerry Garcia died in his room at a rehabilitation clinic on August 9, 1995. The cause of death was a heart attack, according to Wikipedia. I’d always heard it was a heroin overdose.
Lyricist Robert Hunter did also not survive. He died on September 23, 2019, of causes possibly related to a recent surgery.
Bassist Phil Lesh did survive — but only until October 2024.
In addition, The Grateful Dead went through keyboard players the way Spinal Tap goes through drummers.
Honorable mention
I remember this song getting some airplay when the album came out in ’78. Maybe you remember hearing it. Deadheads scoffed that the band was trying to get on the disco train. In retrospect, however, I think it is a pretty good song. A lot better than Touch of Grey!
Shakedown Street (1978)
You tell me this town ain’t got no heart. well, well, well, you can never tell.
The sunny side of the street is dark. well, well, well, you can never tell.
Maybe that’s cause it’s midnight(1), in the dark of the moon besides.
Maybe the dark is from your eyes, maybe the dark is from your eyes,
Maybe the dark is from your eyes, maybe the dark is from your eyes,
Maybe the dark is from your eyes, maybe the dark is from your eyes,
You know you got such dark eyes!
Nothin shakin’ on shakedown street. used to be the heart of town.
Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart. you just gotta poke around.
You think you’ve seen this town clear through.
Well, well, well, you can never tell.
Nothin here that could interest you. well, well, well, you can never tell.
Its not because you missed out on the thing that we had to start.
Maybe you had too much too fast. maybe you had too much too fast.
Maybe you had too much too fast. maybe you had too much too fast.
Maybe you had too much too fast. maybe you had too much too fast.
Or just over played your part.
Nothin shakin’ on shakedown street. used to be the heart of town.
Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart. you just gotta poke around.
Since I’m passing your way today. well, well, well, you can never tell.
I just stopped in cause I want to say, well, well, well, you can never tell.
I recall your darkness when it crackled like a thundercloud.
Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart.
Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart.
Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart.
Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart.
Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart.
Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart.
When I can hear it beat out loud!
Nothin shakin’ on shakedown street. used to be the heart of town.
Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart. you just gotta poke around.
(1) Jerry sang “Maybe because it’s sunlight” on 15 April 1983.
Lyrics By: Robert Hunter
Music By: Jerry Garcia
