Mayer recounts that in 2011 he was listening to Pandora and happened upon the song "Althea" by the Grateful Dead, and that soon Grateful Dead music was all he would listen to. In February 2015, while Mayer was guest hosting The Late Late Show, he invited Grateful Dead guitar player Bob Weir to join him in a studio performance. A bond developed between the two, and while Weir and the other three surviving core members of the Grateful Dead were preparing for their 50th anniversary shows, dubbed Fare Thee Well, Mayer began practicing the band's large catalog of songs. That August, Mayer and original Grateful Dead members Weir, Hart, and Kreutzmann formed the band, along with keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and bassist Oteil Burbridge. Mayer expressed a particularly strong enthusiasm toward playing with the new band.
Phil Lesh, the bassist for the Grateful Dead, did not join Dead & Company. Instead he continued to perform with his band Phil Lesh and Friends. Mike Gordon of Phish briefly auditioned for the bassist role but had to withdraw due to being too busy with other matters.
The band has not released any studio recordings, but all of the concerts from their 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 tours have been (or are being) released on CD, iTunes, streaming services, and through their Livedead.co website.
https://deadandcompany.com/
Black Muddy River
Dead & Company Lyrics
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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
When the last bolt of
Sunshine hit's the mountain
And the stars start to splatter in the sky
When the moon split's 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 got another side
Roll muddy river, roll muddy river
Black muddy river roll
Black muddy river roll on forever
I don't care how deep or wide
If you 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 start 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
And sing me a song of my own
"Black Muddy River" by Dead & Company is a song that explores themes of solitude, coping with loss, and finding solace in nature. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a person who is going through a difficult time, symbolized by the imagery of the last rose of summer pricking their finger and the hot sun chilling them to the bone. This juxtaposition of sensations represents the emotional turmoil that they are experiencing.
The song suggests that the singer is unable to find comfort in external sources, as they can no longer hear the song for the singer and can't even tell their pillow apart from a stone. Therefore, they turn to nature as a source of solace. The black muddy river becomes a symbolic place where they can find peace and escape from their troubles. Walking alone by the river, they can sing their own song and be free from the expectations and influences of others.
The lyrics also touch upon the passing of time and the inevitability of change. The imagery of the last bolt of sunshine hitting the mountain and the moon splitting the southwest horizon suggests a transition from day to night, symbolizing the cycles of life. The mention of stones falling from their eyes instead of tears further reinforces the idea of emotional burden and the loss that they have experienced.
Line by Line Meaning
When the last rose of summer pricks my finger
When all the beauty and joy in life cause me pain and remind me of my mortality
And the hot sun chills me to the bone
When even the warmth of the sun fails to bring me comfort
When I can't hear the song for the singer
When the distractions of the world prevent me from truly understanding and appreciating the essence of a song
And I can't tell my pillow from a stone
When my emotions and thoughts become so tangled that I can no longer distinguish reality from my own imagination
I will walk alone by the black muddy river
I will find solace and solitude in the presence of nature, represented by the black muddy river
And sing me a song of my own
I will create and express my own unique thoughts and emotions through music
When the last bolt of Sunshine hit's the mountain
When the final burst of light and hope fades away, leaving only darkness and uncertainty
And the stars start to splatter in the sky
When the once beautiful and orderly universe becomes chaotic and fragmented
When the moon split's the southwest horizon
When even the celestial bodies exhibit signs of tension and disarray
With the scream of an eagle on the fly
With the piercing cry of an eagle, symbolizing a sense of anguish and despair
And listen to the ripples as they moan
And find solace in the gentle sounds of nature, represented by the moaning ripples of the river
Black muddy river roll on forever
Let the black muddy river, a symbol of the constant flow and cycle of life, continue indefinitely
I don't care how deep or wide
I am indifferent to the challenges and obstacles presented by life's journey
If you got another side
If there is another aspect or perspective to the river, I am willing to explore and embrace it
Roll muddy river, roll muddy river
Continue your course, black muddy river, and carry away the burdens and troubles I face
When it seems like the Night will last forever
When darkness and despair engulf my world, and there appears to be no end in sight
And there's nothing left to do But count the years
And when all that remains is the passing of time, with no purpose or meaning
When the strings of my heart start to sever
When the ties that bind my emotions and feelings begin to break and unravel
And stones fall from my eyes instead of tears
And when my sorrow becomes so overwhelming that it feels like stones are falling from my eyes
And dream me a dream of my own
I will create and envision my own dreams and aspirations, separate from the harsh reality
And sing me a song of my own
I will find solace and express my innermost thoughts and emotions through the power of music
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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