Phil Lesh turned 75 on March 15th and "is entering his 15th year of playing with a rotating mix of Friends, both old and new. Phil began playing under the moniker Phil Lesh and Friends in 1998, after he’d returned to performing following the death of his friend and bandmate Jerry Garcia in 1995. With a varied mixture of some of the best performing musicians in the live music universe, Phil has kept his musical journey fresh by constantly and consistently putting together bands featuring dynamic, exciting musicians and singers working together toward keeping the music of the Grateful Dead moving forward into the future.
Musicians who have joined Phil Lesh and Friends over the years include a who’s who of performers: Trey Anastasio and Page McConnell of Phish, Jorma Kaukonen, David Nelson, John Molo, John Scofield, Greg Osby, Ryan Adams, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, Joan Osborne, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Bill Payne and Paul Barrere of Little Feat, Chris Robinson… and the list goes on and on. Phil is continuing the journey with some more recent friends of the past few years: Joe Russo, Jackie Greene, John Kadlecik, Jeff Chimenti and Adam MacDougall. With the opening of Terrapin Crossroads in 2012, Phil has signaled his intent to keep playing with friends old and new for many years to come."
Besides the 50th Anniversary concerts in July with The Grateful Dead, on May 14th he will be at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD for Dear Jerry - Celebrating the music of Jerry Garcia with a band called Phil Lesh's Communion. In the fall he has 4 shows with Phil & Friends in Portchester, NY at The Capitol Theater. He also shows up at his venue Terrapin Crossroads periodically.
Big River
Phil Lesh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Taught the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
Tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you big river
And I'm a-gonna sit right here until I die
I met her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota
She tore me up everything I heard her drawl, that southern drawl
Well I heard my dream went back downstream, cavorting in Davenport
I taught that weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
Taught the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
Tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you big river
And I'm a-gonna sit right here until I die
Well, I followed her down to St. Louie, later on down the river
Trader said she's been here but she's gone, boy, she's gone
Well, I followed her down to Memphis but she just walked off the bus
She raised a few eyebrows and she went on down alone
I taught that weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
Taught the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
Tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you big river
And I'm a-gonna sit right here until I die
Well, I've gotten on down to Baton Rouge, River Queen roll on
Take that woman down to New Orleans, New Orleans
I give up, I've had enough, followed my blues on down to the gulf
She loves you big river more than me
I taught that weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
Taught the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
Tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you big river
And I'm a-gonna sit right here until I die
Well, I taught that weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
Taught the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
Tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you big river
And I'm a-gonna sit right here until I die
Yeah, I'm a-gonna sit right here until I die
Yeah, I'm a-gonna sit right here until I die
The song "Big River" by Phil Lesh is a melancholic ballad about a man who follows a woman down the Mississippi River, his journey ending in heartbreak. The lyrics are essentially a series of anecdotes about his pursuit of the woman, with each verse describing a different location he went to looking for her, and with each failed attempt, his heartache grows larger. The song has a mournful quality to it, with the repetition of "I taught that weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry" and "Tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you big river" emphasizing the singer's deep sadness over losing the woman he loves.
One interpretation of the song is that the river symbolizes the passage of time and the constantly-changing nature of life. The man's futile pursuit of the woman down the river stresses the point that, no matter how hard we try, we cannot turn back time, change the past, or possess that which cannot be kept. The stormy clouds and the weeping willow are symbolic of the singer's emotional state, with the former representing his anguish, and the latter representing his grief.
Overall, "Big River" is a poignant reflection on the human experience, touching on themes of loss, longing, and the passage of time. The repetitive structure of the song emphasizes the futility of the singer's efforts, but at the same time, the emotive delivery makes it apparent that there is something deeply tragic and beautiful about the fact that he is unable to let go.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I taught that weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
I was so emotionally devastated that I transformed nature to reflect my pain, even teaching a tree to appear as though it was weeping.
Taught the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
My sadness was so profound that it obscured the beauty of the natural world around me.
Tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you big river
The sorrow and heartbreak I experienced because of this woman will ultimately overcome even a massive body of water like a river.
And I'm a-gonna sit right here until I die
I am so consumed by my grief that I cannot move on from this spot, and am resigned to remain here until the end of my days.
I met her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota
I encountered this woman by chance while in St. Paul, Minnesota.
She tore me up everything I heard her drawl, that southern drawl
Her alluring southern accent captivated and emotionally overwhelmed me.
Well I heard my dream went back downstream, cavorting in Davenport
I heard rumors that my ideal future with this woman had been lost and was now moving further away, possibly in a town called Davenport.
And I follow you big river when you called
I was so enraptured with the idea of being with this woman that I followed the river in the hope of finding her.
Well, I followed her down to St. Louie, later on down the river
I pursued her to St. Louis and then continued down the river after her.
Trader said she's been here but she's gone, boy, she's gone
I was told that she had been in the area but had already left, which led me to feel increasingly defeated and hopeless.
Well, I followed her down to Memphis but she just walked off the bus
I went all the way to Memphis to try to find her, but she left the station before I could catch up with her.
She raised a few eyebrows and she went on down alone
Her behavior caused a stir and drew attention from others, but she continued on her way to her destination without me.
Well, I've gotten on down to Baton Rouge, River Queen roll on
I continued my journey down the river to Baton Rouge, where I boarded a riverboat called the River Queen.
Take that woman down to New Orleans, New Orleans
I imagined introducing her to the vibrant culture of New Orleans, but realized that it was unlikely to happen given our current circumstances.
I give up, I've had enough, followed my blues on down to the gulf
I reached a breaking point and decided to give up on chasing this woman, instead continuing on my melancholy journey down to the Gulf of Mexico.
She loves you big river more than me
I came to the painful realization that this woman's bond with the river was stronger than the connection she shared with me.
Yeah, I'm a-gonna sit right here until I die
I am so consumed by my grief that I cannot move on from this spot, and am resigned to remain here until the end of my days.
Well, I taught that weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
I was so emotionally devastated that I transformed nature to reflect my pain, even teaching a tree to appear as though it was weeping.
Taught the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
My sadness was so profound that it obscured the beauty of the natural world around me.
Tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you big river
The sorrow and heartbreak I experienced because of this woman will ultimately overcome even a massive body of water like a river.
And I'm a-gonna sit right here until I die
I am so consumed by my grief that I cannot move on from this spot, and am resigned to remain here until the end of my days.
Contributed by Kylie B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ben Walden
love the meandering solos by Sless and Scofield. not as unhinged as the Dead, but truly masterful improvisation nevertheless.
Robert Coggin
Just burnin'
stonecrowes
Is the whole show video taped? This was a great show
Mynrkeys
it was, though I don't have it. Maybe you can contact someone on this thread if you want a copy, though it's been inactive for some time http://www.thetradersden.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19493 (you have to make an account) Maybe you can message the taper "Less Than Face Productions" on facebook. They're still active on youtube.
stonecrowes
@Mynrkeys thanks!
Jonny Bigginz
ty Jim NL ct.