Now a here is a set-opening staple: The Music Never Stopped.
The thing that jumped out at me with this particular version was the solid playing over the main verse chords. It’s almost as though the spacey jam section is an afterthought, where elsewhere it could be a vehicle for some serious exploration.
I think TMNS is also a good example of a Grateful Dead song that benefited greatly from Ms. Donna Jean. Her call and response with Weir in the second half of the verses is the real deal. I tend to prefer Donna’s melodic singing in these sections over the almost spoken-word variant that Bobby applied at various points. Brent’s singing on this song always seemed more complementary to me than the counterweight that Donna provides. Really getting in the upper register makes a huge difference to my ears.
A staple of the Dead’s repertoire since it first debuted in 1975 (with 234 plays to its credit) it’s clear that indeed, the music never stopped.
Phil’s bass kicks off the song and Garcia’s dancing guitar line kicks in. The mix sounds a bit thin here but, Jerry and Donna are on point with their vocal parts. Clearly this was rehearsed quite a bit before taking it on the road. Jerry’s playing after the “everybody’s dancing” once again sounds like his fingers are literally dancing around the fretboard. It’s amazing how his playing can mimic a verb in such a way. Phil and Jerry join each other on a jaunt to the upper register before the third chorus. The time signature change is very short, and the jam on E hardly lasts a few measures before it’s back to the main chord progression. That’s ok in my book though because it’s bouncier and gives Jerry a chance to resume his dancing fingers trick. It sounds like Bobby tries to end the song before Jerry wants to, but clearly Jerry got the message after another run through the chords, and the band brings this number to a close.
Complete Setlist 6/18/76
Previous TMNS DFAY Selections
Don’t have this release Lunchbox, but probably will sooner or later. Do love this song and agree wholeheartedly that Donna’s role was never replaced for my satisfaction. Everyone once and a while a version w/ Donna that tends to be a highlight of that show for me. I get the Donna bashers, but she added a great deal to many nights that really got my attention. Love the Deal from the Egypt release. She hits a whole nother octave level a few times that is unbelievable. Without a good stereo though, most might not pick it up. My Blue ray player really provides the goods needed to hear her, where my car stereo, w/ the CD’s just can’t do it justice.
Usually have just enough time to read your post each day and miss posting, but thinking about a comment or two without the opportunity to post. My latest thought was picking your favorite Dead tunes thru the years. Not a rating, just songs that truly got your attention and had you obsessing a little more than other tunes.
My list would include my first love Eyes of the world and would include, The Music Never, He’s Gone, Sugaree, Franklins, Morning Dew, Comes a Time. Sing me back Home and of China/Rider. There are others, but I find myself usually rating a release on the quality of these songs versions and then consider the others. The love or passion varies often and others have special spots as well, especially Slip\Help but the above are my go too’s.
Any thoughts
Really enjoyed your description of Donna’s role here, Lunchbox. I’ve always thought of it as not quite a duet but more than just backing vocals. “Counterweight” seems like a good choice of words. This is one of my very favorite Bobby tunes when Donna is in the lineup and still pretty darn good in the years that followed, just not quite as high on my list.
I only bought one of the download series, the Hampton ’88 show, and it’s good but those little pauses between songs are annoying, mainly for songs that are connected: Space>pause>So What?>pause>Sugar Magnolia.
It’s not as bad as the shows I’ve downloaded from the archive but it’s still noticeable. Is there some setting to avoid this? I have a PC, not a Mac, and use windows media player.
RE: the playback issue. There are a couple of possible factors at play. Are you listening to mp3 or FLAC? Does WMP support gapless playback? I believe mp3s have a bit of padding at the end of the file that can ruin seamless changes unless the player software has the ability to correct it. I would assume most would, but I’m on a Mac and iTunes works fine in that regard for me. I’d look for a gapless playback setting and see if that needs to be toggled.
Joe, not sure exactly what you mean by thru the years, but I’ll take a shot. Eyes was the song at my first show that made me want to come back for more and, not coincidently, Estimated became an early favorite too. Comes a Time from 5-9-77 is the song that blew me away the first time I heard it and got me to delve into ’77 GD. It didn’t take long for me to love that era (and I became a bit of a Dancin’ junkie for a long time, digging the late 70s versions but then also getting into the early versions as well as those from the mid 80s). China Cat>Rider is what really got me into 73/74 and looking for more of that brought me back full circle to what I discovered to be the very best versions of Eyes.
Eventually, the thematic jams like MLBJ, Feelin’ Groovy jam and Spanish jam as well as that jam between CCat and Rider really turned me on (and I shouldn’t forget the Stronger Than Dirt jam since I’ve mentioned Eyes twice).
Thanks for the thoughts Mike. Liked your linking a song played in that year that excited you. I really wasn’t thinking about linking a song with a year specifically, just songs thru our own years of listening to the dead. However, while throwing a few out there, I definitely had a year in mind of the version that caught my attention and many of them are similar to yours. The 73/74 China Rider for sure. Eyes from 76 and Comes a Time from Barton Hall are all impact versions for me as well. Dancin from Barton Hall is another one of my fav versions. Maybe just maybe the dead can swing a release of Barton next year. The tape must be on it’s death bed, so either the owners find a way to get it back to the band or Betty or it’s lost forever.
If you are the owner and am reading this post, you might want to think of finding some folks to help you make this happen.
I think I’ve mentioned it now and again in various posts, but there are a number of songs that when I see them on a setlist or a release I go “ooh! I can’t wait to listen to that!” In no particular order, I’d say that list would include:
Help/Slip/Frank
Uncle John’s Band
Crazy Fingers
Alligator
Caution
The Eleven
Any number of Jerry ballads
Hey Pocky Way
Shakedown Street
Bertha
Let It Grow
Bird Song
Cumberland Blues
Dire Wolf
Scarlet Begonias
Jack Straw
Terrapin Station
Of course pretty much any Dark Star makes the list, and The Other One from the late 60s through 1974ish tends to intrigue me. Anything else that jumps out at me is just gravy.
LunchB,
Agree w/ most of that list as well and as soon as you point a few I missed I kinds feel shitty (thanks a lot) that I didn’t include. No brainer a from your list is Uncle’s, Bird Song, Shakedown and Ole Crazy fingers along w/ a good Ship of Fools which always seemed to be in short supply. Not really a Dark Star, Caution, Eleven, Alligator lover. Like them, but I usually wander off brain-wise during these (ADDH) issues I’m sure. Do like them and get excited to hear a great one, just have a hard time maintaining the stamina to listen all the way thru on revisits (STAMINA) issues.
On the negative side Hey Pokey goes against my upbringing and could never be a high light. Tortured at way to many parties by adults to do the hokey pokey and way too many emotional scars to ever consider that one a keeper.
Same here, Joe, but for different reasons. Hey Pocky Way only comes in one flavor for me and that is the one provided by the Meters. The Dead just are not qualified to deliver a song with that level of funkitude. God love ’em for trying, but please. Once you have heard the real deal, there is no reason a bunch of hippies should touch that.
Yes. The Meters’ is THE version. But I do enjoy Brent’s B3 and vocals on the Dead’s take. I would never say it’s better, but I still find it enjoyable.
Ha, ha, I never cease to get a kick out of how so many of us can agree so strongly about so many Grateful Dead topics yet strongly disagree about others.
Hey Pockey Way is a big favorite of mine. It had a big impact on me at my first show because it was the first time I discovered how Brent could energize the crowd. I’ll check out the Meters, though, this weekend.