Almost everyone has used Elmore James’ version as a template for their cover – it’s more of a standard 12-bar blues song than Tampa Red’s earlier composition – and the Grateful Dead were no exception. But they played it slower than most and, as ever, their interpretation is not just the singer and lead guitar over a formulaic blues backing.
Despite Pigpen’s deteriorating health (he died a year later), he makes a valiant attempt to emulate his bluesmen heroes and plays some decent harmonica on this performance from Wembley on April 8th, 1972. Garcia set a much slower pace for most of the later versions on the tour, causing poor Ron to hold those harmonica notes even longer, but this is just about right, I reckon. The overall performance is subtly understated, delicate even, and what Ron’s voice lacks in power is made up for by the excellent tone and dynamics of the instrumentation.
The blues is such a simple structure but that makes it even more difficult to be really creative or different, but I really love the Deads version of this track.
I think it must be one of the most popular blues numbers and I have heard several versions but I think the original you posted and the Dead version are really great ! ! !
Thanks for sharing it ! ! !
And thanks to you once again, Sakura, for listening and taking the time to comment.
Sounded pretty good to me too!
Dead’s version was ace. Maybe would have rather heard Bob on vocals, dunno. But still awesome playing.
Yeah, poor old Pig can’t quite manage the vocals, can he? But he does make a good stab at them and he does sing ‘wrong wid you’, which I love. And Bobby couldn’t do the blues harmonica (he may also have been tempted to get a bit dramatic at the end).
The playing is, as you say, awesome from everyone. Bobby’s not-chords are just gorgeous. Why doesn’t everyone fall in love with this beautiful music??!!
Why doesn’t everyone fall in love with this beautiful music??!!
Why do people hate the Stones? Vive la difference, i say. I don’t like Abba. Big world.
Jery was #13 on Rolling Stones’ 100 greatest guitarists list. But Prince didn’t even make the list so i can’t take that list too seriously. The man can wank an axe.
and Sir Mick would have killed the harmonica on that one. Whatever you may think of him.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again .. the Dead lost something (which they never regained) when PigPen passed away. OK, some of his ‘talking blues’ are frankly outrageously chauvinist/sexist by today’s standards, and his voice more authentic than accurate some of the time, but he tied them into the blues and rock ‘n roll that lies at the heart of so much of their music. Football commentators seem to use an odd phrase about ‘keeping them (i.e. a team) ‘honest” by which I have always understood that they mean keeping them focussed on doing what they do well, simply, and not trying to be what they’re not, and maybe that’s what he did for the Dead.
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