Gratefully Dead

Eric Burdon and the Animals – Gratefully Dead

Stumbled on this rare slice of psychedelic acid garage punk funk rap whatever and still can’t stop listening to it. Released as the B-side to San Franciscan Nights in the UK only. Can’t find any lyrics. Can’t find any other info on it online. No idea what the overlapping vocal track is. What i do know – thanks to this article courtesy of our intrepid Dead expert (thanks, Chris) – is that Eric and the Animals took the stage and did a set with the Dead’s equipment on March 26, 1967, and this song seems to be recorded soon after that show. I can’t imagine why they didn’t give this song a wider release, it’s the best thing i’ve ever heard in my life. Any further info on the song very welcome.

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25 thoughts on “Gratefully Dead

  1. I haven’t found out anything more about this from the Deadfiles in my possession, amy, and it’s a bit odd that the first gig where the Animals & the Dead played on the same bill was almost exactly a year later (March 22, 1968).
    But the first Human Be-in was held in Golden Gate Park on Jan 14, 1967 and the Dead’s first album was released on March 17, so it’s easy to understand what would have been going through Burdon’s brain (and bloodstream) at the time. Although LSD had been made illegal in California the previous October, it didn’t have much of an effect on consumption levels in San Francisco.

    • Chris -

      I checked out that song “Monterey” mentioned in those blog comments that namechecked the Dead and Jimi, and also a song called “Yes I am Experienced”, an answer to the Hendrix song. Both seem a bit crap, especially compared to this one. I do wish i had some lyrics.

      Bish, Sakura -

      Glad you liked! Was Paco Rabanne the dude that made those tiled mirrored type mini dresses? Rings a bell. I always think of Mary Quant for the 60′s.

  2. Got my groove on, got MY silver Paco Rabanne Carnaby Street knock off (hat tip TFD) mini dress on, got my silver Stead and Simpson go-go boots on, got my Vidal Sassoon (copy courtesy of Shirley of Curl Up and Dye) do on. Where’s the party?

    Oh the track. This is in my top 10. How do I get a copy of it?!

    • If no-one else can help, SR, ask me again later, and I’ll rip the audio from the youtube vid for you. Can’t do it now, gotta take the girls to their band/choir practices.

  3. Well done, amy: JonD A-listed it! wtf it’s got to do with the afterlife I really don’t know but he was obviously bowled over by it.

    Is gf our Zelig?

  4. Whoooo Hoooo! #7 with a bullet on the JonD list. Well done Amy & I too am looking for the song. Amazing how something 44 years old can sound so fresh. Lost classic for me.

    • It was RipThisJoint who nommed it:

      23 May 2011 1:52PM

      @Chris

      Ok. But i’m still not sure if it fits the rubric or not, and i can’t find any lyrics online. They’re not especially intelligible either. But what a great song, Eric totally throws down on this one. Title supposedly a nod to his mate Pigpen.

      Eric Burdon and the Animals – Gratefully Dead

      _________________________
      I must confess I never saw it or I would have donded it!

      • SpottedRichard -

        I am aka RTJ :)

        Glad everyone enjoyed, and thrilled to come home to an A-Lister for this one!

        As to gettting ahold of the track – i’ve only found it on an Animals compiliation album – but not availiable as a single for download. I r***ed it from the tube of you, but as i was afraid of, Bish couldn’t get it to play in the player or on his iPod. Maybe you can get a better rip than i could.

        (I also r***ed the Devendra Banhart tunes in my other post, those play just find in the player).

        GF-

        That Dead show at the Avalon that the Animals played a set on had QMS as the opener.

        Reading on that linked Dead blog that the Animals toured exhaustively all over the states and never played a song the same way twice, i’m kind of sorry that the concerts weren’t archived as the Dead’s were. I gave a cursory web search but couldn’t find anything, but there are some songs from shows on youtube.

        Gotta fly out again, see you all MFF time!

      • SR – not sure if you’ve been formally introduced yet but our resident Martina Navratilova look alike’s full name is AmyLee Prunus Ripthisjoint. It’s conceivable she also has other disguises but as I’m becoming convinced she’s actually Valerie Plame I won’t go into that.

      • *Blushes scarlet*
        Well now I know – Hi Amy Lee [Insert Other Aliases Here] RipThisJoint!

        Is there a Who’s Who on the Marconium? ;-)

      • Fintan -

        Work for our government? Shirley you jest. I want to be as far under the radar and unknown to them as possible.

        SpottedRichard -

        When i first came on the Spill i figured i’d use something a bit closer to my real name as i was hoping i’d get to know RR’rs as people more than just avatars. But of course everyone wanted to know who i was over there. And thanks for having my back though, the thought counts!

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