Grateful Dead Songs

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Iconic Grateful Dead

Grateful Dead songs are known and played world wide. I remember hearing of Jerry Garcia passing while living in Italy. All around me I heard their music, saw merchandise covered with the Grateful Dead Bears and posters of their art pop up in his honor, in Florence of all places. They had a large, far reaching influence.

I was introduced to the Grateful Dead's music in high school when I went through my hippie - bohemian phase, which still lingers a little to this day.
I wanted to write an article as an ode to that wonderful time in my life and share some of my favorite Grateful Dead songs.

Image Source - http://retrorebirth.wordpress.com

My First Grateful Dead Song

Truckin

Truckin was the first Grateful Dead song I ever heard. More appropriate would be to say the first time recognized the music as the Grateful Dead. I remember sitting in my friends old beat up Volkswagen when she popped this into her tape deck. Still one of my favorites.
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Grateful Deads 30 Years of Music

Grateful Dead came into being in 1965 in which they pretty much lived on tour non stop until the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995. They had one 20 month break from October 1974 to June 1976.

Casey Jones

Live Version from 1971

And you know that notion just crossed my mind....
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Casey Jones is Truckin to iTunes

Download these greats here

Track Artist Album  
Truckin' Grateful Dead American Beauty (Bonus Track Version) [Remastered]
Casey Jones Grateful Dead Workingman's Dead (Bonus Tracks)

The Culture of The Grateful Dead

One of the things that fascinates me about the Grateful Dead is the culture they created. The dead heads that would travel the states following them concert to concert. Their music is not the only contribution, they have had an impact in clothing and art as well, with their dancing bears, skull and roses and steal your face images.

Let us not forget Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor Cherry Garcia yum!!

Photo credit - http://icecreamsnob.blogspot.com

Origin of The Grateful Dead Bear

The Grateful Dead bear also known as the dancing bear or the Jerry bear is a symbol of the fun-loving ease and peace of the band and its fans. It became popular after Bob Thomas created the album art for "History of the Grateful Dead Vol.1 (Bear's Choice)". It is featured on the back cover as shown in the picture above.

At first look you may not notice but if you look at the outer ring of the circle it is filled with multicolored dancing bears. They can be found as plush toys, stickers, buttons, on t-shirts and more.

Image source -http://www.dead.net the official Grateful Dead site.

Grateful Dead Bears

Plush Toys

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More Grateful Dead Songs

Here we have Scarlet Begonias, Friend of The Devil, Fire on the Mountain.
Grateful Dead - Scarlet Begonias
by copperdome89 | video info

3,356 ratings | 1,436,006 views
curated content from YouTube

Reincarnation of Scarlet Begonias

In 1992 the popular ska punk band Sublime did a cover of Grateful Dead's Scarlet Begonias.

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Grateful Dead Clothing

Get Your Groovy Threads Here

Jayli is an awesome online store that sells an official line of Grateful Dead clothing. Not only does Jayli have a wonderful Grateful Dead clothing line but I love all of their hippie-bohemian clothes. All of their products are made and traded fairly, which is important to me.

Touch of Grey

Touch of Grey is the Grateful Dead's most commercially popular song and the only one in which they made a music video of. The music was written by Jerry Garcia, lyrics by Robert Hunter. It is often debated over the meaning of this song. Some believe it is about Jerry's illness (as he had just come out of a diabetic coma), others that it is about getting old.

Image source - http://www.recordrevolution.com

Touch of Grey Video

VH1 Pop Up

This is a fun version of the official Touch of Grey video as it is filled with pop ups, fun facts about the Grateful Dead. Enjoy!
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What Does Touch of Grey Mean to You?

Based on the lyrics what do you think the song is trying to tell us?

Do you think Touch of Grey is about

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Jerry overcoming his illness "I will get by, I will survive."

Getting old "Every silver linings got a touch of grey"

 

What Did You Learn?

The video was full of fun little facts, where you paying attention?

Download More of Your Favorites Here

Track Artist Album  
Fire On the Mountain Grateful Dead The Very Best of Grateful Dead
Scarlet Begonias Grateful Dead From the Mars Hotel (Expanded) [Remastered]
Touch of Grey Grateful Dead The Very Best of Grateful Dead
Friend of the Devil Grateful Dead American Beauty (Bonus Track Version) [Remastered]

A Few More Grateful Dead Hits

I Couldn't Resist

Samson and Delilah, Ramble on Rose, Bertha
Grateful Dead - Samson and Delilah (10-30-1980)
by friscobay01 | video info

334 ratings | 88,587 views
curated content from YouTube

Add These to Your Collection

Track Artist Album  
Bertha Grateful Dead Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) [Remastered]
Ramble On Rose Grateful Dead Europe '72 (Live) [Remastered]
Samson And Delilah (Live At Oakland Coliseum Stadium, Oakland, Ca, October 9, 1976) Grateful Dead Dick's Picks, Vol. 33: Grateful Dead (Live At Oakland Coliseum Stadium, Oakland, CA, October 9 & 10, 1976)

Grateful Dead Movie, Lyrics and Live Concert

The Grateful Dead
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Vote For Your Favorite Grateful Dead Song

I know there are many more wonderful songs the Grateful Dead contributed to the world of music feel free to list it here. I have started it off with the songs featured on this lens.

Scarlet Begonias

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Truckin

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Samson and Delilah

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Ramble on Rose

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Casey Jones

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Touch of Grey

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Fire on the Mountain

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Friend of the Devil

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Bertha

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Image source -www.livedownloads.com

Are You a Grateful Dead Head?

  • Loulie Apr 23, 2012 @ 10:54 am | delete
    Terrapin!
  • rauspitz Mar 30, 2012 @ 8:39 am | delete
    I always liked the Dead. Super lens!
  • MaryStuart Mar 12, 2012 @ 11:13 am | delete
    I really like "Foolish Heart," one of their later songs (ca. late 1980s).
  • AnthonyAltorenna Feb 27, 2012 @ 10:06 pm | delete
    I've been listening to the Dead for as long as I've been listening to music. 'What a long, strange trip it's been!'
  • TTMall Feb 25, 2012 @ 10:31 am | delete
    Great Lens with great resources!
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SophiaStar

I enjoy writing on a broad range of topics and subjects. For me, writing is not only an expression and extension of myself but my gateway to exploring... more »

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