The Grateful Dead was founded in the San Francisco Bay Area amid the rise of the counterculture of the 1960s. The founding members were Jerry Garcia (lead guitar, vocals), Bob Weir (rhythm guitar, vocals), Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (keyboards, harmonica, vocals), Phil Lesh (bass, vocals), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums). Members of the Grateful Dead had played together in various San Francisco bands, including Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions and the Warlocks. Lesh was the last member to join the Warlocks before they became the Grateful Dead; he replaced Dana Morgan Jr., who had played bass for a few gigs. Drummer Mickey Hart and non-performing lyricist Robert Hunter joined in 1967. With the exception of McKernan, who died in 1973, and Hart, who took time off from 1971 to 1974, the core of the band stayed together for its entire 30-year history. The other official members of the band are Tom Constanten (keyboards; 1968–1970), John Perry Barlow (nonperforming lyricist; 1971–1995), Keith Godchaux (keyboards; 1971–1979), Donna Godchaux (vocals; 1972–1979), Brent Mydland (keyboards, vocals; 1979–1990), and Vince Welnick (keyboards, vocals; 1990–1995). Bruce Hornsby (accordion, piano, vocals) was a touring member from 1990 to 1992, as well as a guest with the band on occasion before and after the tours.
The name "Grateful Dead" was chosen from a dictionary. According to Phil Lesh, "[Jerry Garcia] picked up an old Britannica World Language Dictionary ... [and] ... In that silvery elf-voice he said to me, 'Hey, man, how about the Grateful Dead?'" The definition there was "the soul of a dead person, or his angel, showing gratitude to someone who, as an act of charity, arranged their burial". According to Alan Trist, director of the Grateful Dead's music publisher company Ice Nine, Garcia found the name in the Funk & Wagnalls Folklore Dictionary, when his finger landed on that phrase while playing a game of Fictionary. In the Garcia biography, Captain Trips, author Sandy Troy states that the band was smoking the psychedelic DMT at the time. The term "grateful dead" appears in folktales of a variety of cultures.
Live performances
The Grateful Dead toured constantly throughout their career, playing more than 2,300 concerts. They promoted a sense of community among their fans, who became known as "Deadheads", many of whom followed their tours for months or years on end. Around concert venues, an impromptu communal marketplace known as 'Shakedown Street' was created by Deadheads to serve as centers of activity where fans could buy and sell anything from grilled cheese sandwiches to home-made t-shirts and recordings of Grateful Dead concerts.
In their early career, the band also dedicated their time and talents to their community, the Haight-Ashbury area of San Francisco, making available free food, lodging, music, and health care to all. It has been said that the band performed "more free concerts than any band in the history of music".
With the exception of 1975, when the band was on hiatus and played only four concerts together, the Grateful Dead performed many concerts every year, from their formation in April 1965, until July 9, 1995. Initially all their shows were in California, principally in the San Francisco Bay Area and in or near Los Angeles. They also performed, in 1965 and 1966, with Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, as the house band for the Acid Tests. They toured nationally starting in June 1967 (their first foray to New York), with a few detours to Canada, Europe and three nights at the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt in 1978. They appeared at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and the Festival Express train tour across Canada in 1970. They were scheduled to appear as the final act at the infamous Altamont Free Concert on December 6, 1969 after the Rolling Stones but withdrew after security concerns. "That's the way things went at Altamont—so badly that the Grateful Dead, prime organizers and movers of the festival, didn't even get to play", staff at Rolling Stone magazine wrote in a detailed narrative on the event.
Their first UK performance was at the Hollywood Music Festival in 1970. Their largest concert audience came in 1973 when they played, along with the Allman Brothers Band and the Band, before an estimated 600,000 people at the Summer Jam at Watkins Glen. They played to an estimated total of 25 million people, more than any other band, with audiences of up to 80,000 attending a single show. Many of these concerts were preserved in the band's tape vault, and several dozen have since been released on CD and as downloads. The Dead were known for the tremendous variation in their setlists from night to night—the list of songs documented to have been played by the band exceeds 500. The band has released four concert videos under the name View from the Vault.
In the 1990s, the Grateful Dead earned a total of $285 million in revenue from their concert tours, the second-highest during the 1990s, with the Rolling Stones earning the most. This figure is representative of tour revenue through 1995, as touring stopped after the death of Jerry Garcia. In a 1991 PBS documentary, segment host Buck Henry attended an August 1991 concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre and gleaned some information from some band members about the Grateful Dead phenomenon and its success. At the time, Jerry Garcia stated, "We didn't really invent the Grateful Dead, the crowd invented the Grateful Dead, you know what I mean? We were sort of standing in line, and uh, it's gone way past our expectations, way past, so it's, we've been going along with it to see what it's gonna do next." Furthermore, Mickey Hart stated, "This is one of the last places in America that you can really have this kind of fun, you know, considering the political climate and so forth." Hart also stated that "the transformative power of the Grateful Dead is really the essence of it; it's what it can do to your consciousness. We're more into transportation than we are into music, per se, I mean, the business of the Grateful Dead is transportation." One of the band's largest concerts took place just months before Garcia's death — at their outdoor show with Bob Dylan in Highgate, Vermont on June 15, 1995. The crowd was estimated to be over 90,000; overnight camping was allowed and about a third of the audience got in without having purchased a ticket.
Their numerous studio albums were generally collections of new songs that they had first played in concert. The band was also famous for its extended musical improvisations, having been described as having never played the same song the same way twice. Their concert sets often blended songs, one into the next, often for more than three songs at a time.
Tapes
Like several other bands during this time, the Grateful Dead allowed their fans to record their shows. For many years the tapers set up their microphones wherever they could, and the eventual forest of microphones became a problem for the sound crew. Eventually, this was solved by having a dedicated taping section located behind the soundboard, which required a special "tapers" ticket. The band allowed sharing of their shows, as long as no profits were made on the sale of the tapes.
Of the approximately 2,350 shows the Grateful Dead played, almost 2,200 were taped, and most of these are available online. The band began collecting and cataloging tapes early on and Dick Latvala was their keeper. "Dick's Picks" is named after Latvala. After his death in 1999, David Lemieux gradually took the post. Concert set lists from a subset of 1,590 Grateful Dead shows were used to perform a comparative analysis between how songs were played in concert and how they are listened online by Last.fm members. In their book Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn From the Most Iconic Band in History, David Meerman Scott and Brian Halligan identify the taper section as a crucial contributor to increasing the Grateful Dead's fan base.
After the death of Garcia in 1995, former members of the band, along with other musicians, toured as the Other Ones in 1998, 2000, and 2002, and the Dead in 2003, 2004, and 2009. In 2015, the four surviving core members marked the band's 50th anniversary in a series of concerts that were billed as their last performances together. There have also been several spin-offs featuring one or more core members, such as Dead & Company, Furthur, the Rhythm Devils, Phil Lesh and Friends, RatDog, and Billy & the Kids.
Cassidy
Grateful Dead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Silver stream i can tell by the mark he
Left you were in his dream
Ah, child of countless trees
Ah, child of boundless seas
What you are, what you're meant to be
Speaks his name, though you were born to me
Born to me cassidy
Lost now on the country miles in his cadillac
I can tell by the way
You smile he's rolling back
Come wash the nighttime clean
Come grow this scorched ground green
Blow the horn, tap the tambourine
Close the gap of the dark years in between
You and me cassidy
Quick beats in an icy heart
Catch-colt draws a coffin cart
There he goes now, here she starts:
Hear her cry flight of the seabirds
Scattered like lost words
Wheel to the storm and fly
Fare thee well now
Let your life proceed by it's own design
Nothing to tell now
Let the words be yours, I'm done with mine
Flight of the seabirds
Scattered like lost words
Wheel to the storm and fly
The lyrics to Grateful Dead's song "Cassidy" are filled with vivid imagery and metaphors. The opening lines describe the wolf sleeping by the silver stream, indicating a sense of peacefulness and tranquility. The mark left by the wolf suggests a connection or encounter with the natural world. The next lines, "Ah child of countless trees, ah child of boundless seas" reinforce this theme of nature and its vastness. The following lines are addressed to "Cassidy," who may be a metaphor for the listener or a specific person. The lines "What you are, and what you're meant to be / Speaks his name, though you were born to me, / Born to me, Cassidy," suggest that the person's destiny is already predetermined, and there is a larger force guiding them.
The middle section of the song shifts gears, referring to a person traveling in a Cadillac, likely leaving the countryside behind. The smile of the person conveys a sense of longing, longing for that nature that they left behind. The lines "Come wash the nighttime clean, come grow the scorched ground green. /Blow the horn, and tap the tambourine," suggest a sense of renewal or cleansing. The last lines of the song capture the theme of letting go and moving on, suggesting that everyone has their own journey to pursue and that it's time for the lyrics' narrator to let go.
Line by Line Meaning
I have seen where the wolf has slept by the silver stream.
I have witnessed the wolf resting by the glistening river.
I can tell by the mark he left, you were in his dream.
The evidence left behind by the wolf suggests that he was dreaming of you.
Ah child of countless trees, ah child of boundless seas.
You are a product of an infinite world encompassing vast oceans and trees.
What you are, and what you're meant to be Speaks his name, though you were born to me, Born to me, Cassidy.
Your true identity aligns with his. Though you are my child, the essence of who you are is tied to him.
Lost now on the country miles in his Cadillac.
You are with him, traveling far from home.
I can tell by the way you smile, he is rolling back.
Your facial expression reveals that he is coming back to you.
Come wash the nighttime clean, come grow the scorched ground green.
Renew and restore the current state of your surroundings.
Blow the horn, and tap the tambourine.
Make some noise and bring forth some music.
Close the gap of the dark years in between You and me, Cassidy.
Eliminate the distance and time that has separated us.
Quick beats in an icy heart, catch colt draws a coffin cart, There he goes and now here she starts, hear her cry.
Fast heartbeats from a cold body as a young horse pulls a carriage, as one person has died and another is being born.
Flight of the seabirds Scattered like lost words Wield to the storm and fly.
Birds flying in all directions, while words keep being lost. Yield yourself to the storm and spread your wings.
Fare thee well now, let your life proceed by it's own design.
Goodbye and good luck, let your life unfold according to your own intentions.
Nothing to tell now, let the words be yours, I'm done with mine.
I have nothing more to say, the words you choose to use are yours to speak.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mikeneidlinger8857
Beautiful song. This is my first time hearing this song. The Dead move and groove my trip. Thanks for putting these on YouTube. I support by buying tie dye.
Martial Dance!
Here’s your answer to the Y in the World
I twirled around with blades
Got this hit aim
On fame for famous blame this for my blindness
Behind this I have fun rewind this with gun
I Sun on Rays for it stays playing
What I’m saying is like ray gun
Space Age to get it laid back
I stayed stack of Cash relax and maximum
I tax you hung back and rung
I brought a action to satisfaction
This rhyme can attack and then
We back again
Rhymes wrap and send
I lent a coin to a boy who’s a toy in the flame
I aim the same as squad name
Got to have it the blame falls on wallet but I call it martial
I’m partial to heart full of soul
Rock and Roll
Stroll through Cold bold to told you so I blow 30 below zero
I G like this my mic itch ripe my hero
I Psych lead the lane on strike I got the shade in hype
All types of drugs all types
I hugged in the rug rolled up snug
I a bug with the plug pulled
Wool in the socket leads to clock it
Don’t stop it I mock it
With rob rich in the stitch
Sopping wet
Cool your jets
I could scratch off keys
Or get down on my knees and beg please
Don’t kill me, loot me, pollute me
All groovy listening to Deadhead
The movie is instead of The Head Heat
The medics make it complete to unseat
The deed done is spun off the Sun
I gunplay murder in the way
Conscious I bomb hits the charm is wet
I infest your garments bled into you colors I sultry culture word
I’m a bird so I nerd out
I got a route I take and bake
I like to make it great so I skate
I wait and take the bait on the date
I hate to take it as fate and release the state
Let’s not bet gamble and ramble on until dawn
My lawn grew I puke when I nuke the song drew me in
I trip so let’s begin I sin a little bit I fiddle split the riddle get
Middleman wet with profit to top it I wish they’d stop it
I pop it and rock it lock it to shock the mix bag of tricks
I mock it all of it to shotgun drawn
On the calm seas you could sail feel the cheese
And rail off pale with the cost to be the boss I grow stale
Way I’mma mail in the check you gotta respect capitalism
In prison with the tech pointed at my head
I said can’t we all get along and listen to Grateful Dead?
I don’t support murder
But I heard a Gangster further than far out
I shout out to the sets that live in Peace
My set fully released I grease the heads up
Still some gangbang
It’s a hell of a thang to stang like that in rap you bet
I step to the rep drew down and crowned the town
All around I see down Gangsters found I lounge toward the sword I play
Stay laid back stack a act that strapped
I’m tired of meth
Meth heads with no trip is serious
Trouble fear it gets in the eye
Wonder why
I seen a gangbanger cry and try to make up for lost time
I known a lot of gangsters blown on the phone the microphone
Is shown to be a device I so treed up I dice ice twice too
Out of the blue so sue me
I tune in for free to the Scooby Doobie
Cartoon movie
I rule heat on the street
Compete competition let’s listen
To a gangbanger take position
On a mission
I glisten while rank and file pile on backwards to stack Gold and Platinum swords
Of course the force be with you I real glue in the track
Murder came back you heard uh rap music
Most tune out don’t know what’s going on and smoke a bong
I grew up in Los Angeles and that’s as deadly as the Gangster Sets get
I breeze on trees again one died Sativa Tropical Sun Ray
Opium pipes
Hypes in Opium Dens make friends with microphones
Dwelling on hell in the selling telling the tale without fail
I bailed got an injection in the section with Fentanyl at the hospital
Vicodin profitable it’s possible
To stop and fully pull heat down
Lounging scrounging up the ounces
My mind pounces on types of strikes the juice fountain is all mine
In time I rewind stop on a dime recline and find
A new groove
Sooth the smooth move with lube I choose
Chose to found it flows grows
I knows this without rollin’ down the list
For a twist I exist on the existence
I rinse knives in the kitchen
People didn’t listen to the system thumping rip and a drug thing
I must hinge on bet forget the step and X out
Read a route doubtful to allow pull
My mic is dull I hype up wool
Psychic like it until the strike liken into the null and void
Avoid toys on the street beat my feet on the trails bicycle
My type did hail
Check is in the mail
Or I’m goin’ to jail
The way all say strong is the reckless to check this way ya’ll
Move in it tunes don’t sweat the Dead Show was better than the fold
Music sold me on an old G Cold be the sold keys
All ill in the trashcan
I puffed nuts scan with the suntan in the land to jam
On the fam I killer I type to fill up hype
Who’s iller than Mike?
The ripe what it’s like yo?
I ring in control
Sold my soul to be solid Gold with wool
Did it skidded
Ridden a horse of course I come different
You figure it
I take a swig of the nut brew to run true
How do you do?
In this life I’m screwed
The tune I sing is of the ruin and I could sting
But I don’t won’t sho nuff
Platinum did it back at me I hit up the big sacks of mushies
That’s mushrooms to trust soon
Like a spoon of dope I cope with it
Broke sifted through the land to stand tall
And proud out loud I service with a smile all the while
Retile my bathroom some attack soon
Whose moon is it tonight on sight with the right wing?
I think Donald Trump might bring the nukes
To shoot at people he sound evil
He might be feeble minded
I rewinded the tape to play it safe
I know some people got raped
Like an icicle the Mike will full up
Run a truck move in the groove
Heavy Truckers
At the intersection I saw the reflection
Learned my lesson
Never stress in this life
My ice came at a heavy price
I shot twice
And rolled dice
@gratefuldead
"From 1976 to 1995, Cassidy was an always welcome addition to Grateful Dead's first sets. After its initial appearance on Bob Weir's first solo album, Ace, in 1972, it was finally played live by the Dead two years later, on 3/23/74 at the debut of the Wall Of Sound. It was immediately put away again, not to be played again until June 1976." - David Lemieux
@draz0909
it would go on to appear in at least 2 second sets, once in ‘93 sandwiching around Uncle John’s Band, and at the final Boston Garden concert of ‘94.
This is a particularly tasty rendition, a great addition to the “All the Years” series.
@Youssef51
A song about a man who will be remembered for many, many years because he was remembered by his friends.
@hashburystumble8808
The song is titled after Cassidy Law & both she & Neale are referred to in the lyrics. Bobby was sitting in the corner composing the tune as Aileen Law gave birth to Cassidy.
@Kirbysbelt
Barlow wrote it
@hashburystumble8808
@@Kirbysbelt Barlow only wrote the words. Bobby composed the music.
@user-zn7xd7lg5k
My birthday is 10/16/67 Bob's 10/16/47 and John's is 1016/77 y'all do the MATH 😂
@user-zn7xd7lg5k
John Mayer is our Soul brother Too!!
@Kirbysbelt
Ahhhhh Brent! Miss that guy
@Thetoneman77
Brent was such a great harmonizer! Beautiful❤️❤️