Jerry Garcia Band employs many of the same elements and similar style to the Grateful Dead, such as rock influenced by blues, folk, country, and jazz.
Over the years, the lineup of the Jerry Garcia Band changed a number of times. The one constant member besides Garcia himself was bassist John Kahn. Melvin Seals had the next longest tenure, serving as keyboardist from 1980 onward. Seals became band leader following Garcia's death and changed the band's name to JGB.
Dear Prudence
Jerry Garcia Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day
The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you
Dear Prudence won't you come out to play
Dear Prudence open up your eyes
Dear Prudence see the sunny skies
that you are part of everything
Dear Prudence won't you open up your eyes?
Look around round
Look around round round
Look around
Dear Prudence let me see you smile
Dear Prudence like a little child
The clouds will be a daisy chain
So let me see you smile again
Dear Prudence won't you let me see you smile?
The song "Dear Prudence" by Jerry Garcia Band is a tribute to Prudence Farrow, who was the sister of American actress Mia Farrow. Prudence Farrow was present during the Beatles' stay at an ashram in India and became withdrawn and secluded, spending most of her time meditating in her room. John Lennon, who wrote the original version of the song, wrote it as an invitation to her to join in the ashram's activities.
In Jerry Garcia's version, the song is a gentle and warm invitation to Prudence Farrow to come out of her seclusion and enjoy the beautiful world around her. The lyrics evoke a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world and the joys of human connections. The lines "The wind is low the birds will sing, that you are part of everything" emphasizes not only the interconnectedness of all things but also Prudence's place within it.
The repeated "look around" lines encourage Prudence to take a closer look at the beauty and wonder of the world. The song ends with the simple request to see her smile, to break out of her seclusion and embrace the joys of life once again.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play
Calling out to Prudence, asking her to come out and have fun.
Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day
Asking Prudence to welcome the new day.
The sun is up, the sky is blue
Describing the weather as sunny and beautiful.
It's beautiful and so are you
Complimenting Prudence's beauty.
Dear Prudence won't you come out to play
Repeating the request to have fun together.
Dear Prudence open up your eyes
Asking Prudence to observe her surroundings.
Dear Prudence see the sunny skies
Urging Prudence to take notice of the clear blue skies.
The wind is low the birds will sing
Pointing out the calmness of the environment with bird chirping.
that you are part of everything
Reminding Prudence that she is a part of nature and the world.
Dear Prudence won't you open up your eyes?
Asking again for Prudence's attention.
Look around round
Encouraging Prudence to take a good look at her surroundings.
Look around round round
Adding emphasis to the request to look around.
Look around
Repeating the request once more.
Dear Prudence let me see you smile
Asking Prudence to smile.
Dear Prudence like a little child
Asking Prudence to smile like a carefree child.
The clouds will be a daisy chain
Visualizing the formation of clouds in a daisy chain like pattern.
So let me see you smile again
Requesting to see Prudence's smile once more.
Dear Prudence won't you let me see you smile?
Final plea to see Prudence's smile.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Eightrock2
Wonderful sentiment. I saw Jerry beginning in 77 so I missed the early shows. I am a trained musician and big fan. Jerry was legendary musician; right up there with the other greats that started in the 60ties and 70ties. The music will endure.
That said, as you pointed out, tapes dont lie! While Jerry had a nice folksy voice, he and the others had major issues with intonation and phrasing. Their singing was far far below their instrumental skills, and I've often felt that if they could have sung as good as they played, they'd have opened up a whole new audience. They'd have been thought of as one of the best bands EVER! (I still think they were) I heard Wilco cover Ripple from Port Chester (on UTUBE) last year: what a great rendition, especially because as a vocal song, they could sing IN TUNE.
Perhaps a less understood side of Jerrys greatness was his respect for the individual fan. What I mean is that in the early years, when the psychedelic period was happening, and the band had a more personal connection with the audience (not an arena show!) you had thousands of fans whose souls were WIDE OPEN at shows, due of course to LSD. In those times, Jerry showed his utter class s a musician and more importantly as a person. He had open access to the minds and souls of thousands. I would venture to say that most of us would agree that he NEVER used his access in a selfish or sloppy way. If you can understand this, (perhaps you've had a psychedelic experience, at a concert!) Jerry was the coolest guy there was; in the best sense of the word cool. He never messed with you when he so easily could have. He didnt push his trip on us; he went with the Boys, and was happy if you came along.
Thats what I miss the most. There are very few folks I want in my head besides me (and thats questinable at times!) Ole Jer was top of the list.
@washdog
In the summer of '79 I hitchhiked from Seattle down to Berkeley just to see what that was like.... and went to see The Jerry Garcia Band play at the Keystone Tavern. I hung around with the sound tech before the show (being in recording school at the time} and at some point he pointed me at the light board, cuz the lighting tech didn't show up that night. I had the most fun saturating the band in deep but soft colors ("No bright lights in Jerry eyes!" was the only instruction I got, from Parrish). Betty Cantor showed up to record that night, it was Merl Saunders and "Cats Out Under the Stars" time. But "Dear Prudence" was my favorite song of the evening. Everything noted below and more...
@chrisstiles7943
My first experience with the dead was a Jerry Garcia concert in 1984 at the Wiltern. He played Dear Prudence and turned me on and my life around. Thank you Jerry. ❤
@lornebailey1568
I saw Jerry at Caldwell College in i think was 1983 , of course I had no ticket and as we were walking around someone lifted up the fence , me and my 2 buddies went for it along with dozens of others. about 2 seconds after that security was pouncing on people coming under. It was a general admission show and we went straight to the stage but didn't stay there long once the show started ( it was disgusting) so we worked our way back and climbed some tree next to a campus building , we watched just about the whole show from about 40 feet up in an oak tree. Needless to say , we didn't do much dancing but it was fuckin' cool none the less , the scariest part was driving down the mountain after the show in my 64 Econoline , I had almost no brakes and was as high as six mother fkrs. What a night !
@razorfistforce1
It's a shame that in the early years of the Grateful Dead's existence some critics, etc. were merciless in their critiques of Jerry Garcia's voice. I believe us as fans often viewed Jerry as immune to criticism (especially from the music industry). However, I feel that in the back of his mind Jerry may have been a bit insecure about his vocals which was a TRAGIC shame because he was blessed not just with incredible guitar abilities but also a very unique, mournful, moving, beautiful voice as this cover of the classic Beatles' tune demonstrates. Even though he's gone I thank the cosmos that I was able to share a time and space where I was able to enjoy all of Garcia's artistry. I wish I was a bit older so I could've seen the Dead, etc. live, but the tapes don't lie...Garcia was a one of a kind musical magician who never even fully unleashed his powers. Maybe in another times forgotten space the four winds will bring our paths to a crossing.
@MrAschiff
razorfistforce1 Yes, Jerry has a nice voice!!!
@andrewptob
+razorfistforce1 His singing ability is okay, but nothing special. That hardly matters, though, because many of the best rock singers such as Dylan, Jagger, Lou Reed, etc etc, didn't have great singing voices. What they did have, though, was great vocal abilities, the ability to make their voices communicate feelings in a beautiful, moving way. Jerry Garcia was able to use his voice as a great expressive instrument in that same way.
@Eightrock2
Wonderful sentiment. I saw Jerry beginning in 77 so I missed the early shows. I am a trained musician and big fan. Jerry was legendary musician; right up there with the other greats that started in the 60ties and 70ties. The music will endure.
That said, as you pointed out, tapes dont lie! While Jerry had a nice folksy voice, he and the others had major issues with intonation and phrasing. Their singing was far far below their instrumental skills, and I've often felt that if they could have sung as good as they played, they'd have opened up a whole new audience. They'd have been thought of as one of the best bands EVER! (I still think they were) I heard Wilco cover Ripple from Port Chester (on UTUBE) last year: what a great rendition, especially because as a vocal song, they could sing IN TUNE.
Perhaps a less understood side of Jerrys greatness was his respect for the individual fan. What I mean is that in the early years, when the psychedelic period was happening, and the band had a more personal connection with the audience (not an arena show!) you had thousands of fans whose souls were WIDE OPEN at shows, due of course to LSD. In those times, Jerry showed his utter class s a musician and more importantly as a person. He had open access to the minds and souls of thousands. I would venture to say that most of us would agree that he NEVER used his access in a selfish or sloppy way. If you can understand this, (perhaps you've had a psychedelic experience, at a concert!) Jerry was the coolest guy there was; in the best sense of the word cool. He never messed with you when he so easily could have. He didnt push his trip on us; he went with the Boys, and was happy if you came along.
Thats what I miss the most. There are very few folks I want in my head besides me (and thats questinable at times!) Ole Jer was top of the list.
@NickLandess
There are many performances of Jerry singing that I think are quite wonderful, but it is very much the case that he learned to be a good singer while on stage. There are many early performances of the Grateful Dead where Jerry's voice sounds flat out terrible.
I love the man, and think his singing, for the most part, got better and better over the course of his life, but the criticism of his singing - particularly early on - was not unjustified.
@MrVinman711
He conveyed emotion through his singing and playing better than any other musician I can think of.
@ChiTwnLink
Dear Prudence is one of my all-time favorite Beatles song and I absolutely love Jerry Garcia and what an amazing cover I'm so happy I found this