More on Tonal Unity in the Modal Approach of Dead & Company Jamming and Concert Ordering of Songs

 Some (ethno-)musicological reflections on the Dead & Company Final tour at the Kia Forum in Inglewood (Los Angeles) …

 

I made this “rough cut” of highlights of videos and pics that I took from the concert to share with my UCSB students of Music 114. The class is called “Music in American Popular Culture,” and I try to focus on Californian music as much as I can, and especially the phenomenon of the Grateful Dead and Deadheads. In Isla Vista there is a resurgence of live music and bands, and I hear from the students that there is a flourishing scene of young Deadheads there, and even some Dead cover bands (though I do not know this firsthand). 

 

Dead & Co. picked an incredible venue, the Kia Forum, in Inglewood/ Los Angeles for its final shows in the area. The Forum reminds me of the cavernous arena spaces in which I initially saw the Grateful Dead as a kid growing up on the East Coast. This did create a wellspring of nostalgic haze for me, as did the Shakedown Street, which was by far the most packed one I have ever witnessed (the aisle needed to be twice as large given the number of fans!). 

 

This 2023 Dead and Company concert was extra special for me because I was able to take my son to his first rock concert, despite him being more of a Nirvana guy...He told me something that was so true: that what makes the Dead great is their audience-in this case 18,000 fans (I estimate) standing on their feet for the nearly 4 hours of music, singing and dancing and swaying to the beautiful frequencies and lyrical stories and messages of this iconic San Francisco group.

 

I am somewhat obsessed with Tonal Unity for constructing the “group mind” (X factor and band oneness with audience, or the breaking down of the fourth wall between audience and performer) at GD-style shows, and in this case the show settled on E (as I noted back in 2015 for the Fare thee well shows)—by the time they hit “Bird Song” with strong teases of the “Other One” in there, actually quite pronounced at times, I knew the second half would feature E in its glorious coming, and sure enough we got it in second set as a part of a Sandwich around Terrapin. Songs in E: Brown Eyed Women, Jack Straw, High Time, leading to the subdominant relief of Mr. Charlie (A), then immediately back to E: Bird Song (E), and the up tempo Don’t Ease Me In, then set II: Althea (I know it begins on a Bm, similar to how Brown Eyed Women begins on C# minor chord, but it's also in E), into Other One (the Dead and Company start it in D Dorian (I quickly found that 6/29/19, 6/17/22, and 7/15 22 have this D intro, a reinterpretation, either way not something the Grateful Dead ever did at least to the best of my knowledge)), Terrapin (F Lydian, harmonically in terms of E a nice Phrygian half step about the E, but at 'inspiration," where Weir starts singing, it's rock and roll and the key of A, so again in large-scale terms of the flow of the show, if it is rooted in E, then the E to A motion is functionally a subdominant relief), back to Other One (D to E), and after Drumz, we get "Stella Blue" in E (with a D# now, usually the Dead play in an E Mixolydian so with a D natural). The D# leading tone confirms the E-centric nature of the night, eight songs in all. 

 

 

Am I blowing this harmonic focus out of proportion? I don’t think so, because if you listen to the night before and after (Kia Forum and Phoenix), tonal unity on E or any other tonic is not present in this fashion. 

 

 

Songs by and for African-American Artists Covered by the Grateful Dead

I read on FB that Bob Weir will be chatting about the inspiration of Black musicians on the Grateful Dead in September.  Here is what I included in my book on this source of inspiration for the Dead;  if you have any pieces to add let me know.

Table 1.1: Songs by and for African-American Artists Covered by the Grateful Dead

             Title of Song                               # Played    Year(s)       Songwriter: Performer

1	Ain't it Crazy (The Rub)	12	1970-71	Lightnin' Hopkins
2	Ain't No Lie	13	1980-84	Elizabeth Cotton
3	Are You Lonely for Me Baby	1	3/25/72	Bert Berns: Freddie Scott
4	Around and Around	418	1970-95	Chuck Berry
5	Baby What You Want Me to Do	5	1969-85	Jimmy Reed
6	Ballad of Casey Jones	2	1970	Trad.: Mississippi John Hurt[1]
7	Beat it on Down the Line	324	1966-94	Jesse Fuller
8	Betty and Dupree	1	12/1/66	Trad.[2]
9	Big Boss Man	70	1966-95	Jimmy Reed
10	Big Boy Pete	7	1966-85	Don Harris, Dewey Terry
11	Big Railroad Blues	176	1969-95	Noah Lewis: Cannon’s Jug Stompers
12	Checkin' up on My Baby	1	6/6/69	Junior Wells: sung by guest artist[3]
13	Dancin' in the Street	123	1966-87	Marvin Gaye, William "Mickey" Stevenson, Ivy Jo Hunter
14	Day-O	2	1987	Trad.: Edric Connor, Harry Belafonte
15	Death Don't Have No Mercy	49	1966-90	Rev. Gary Davis
16	Death Letter Blues	1	10/30/68	Son House: (Mickey & the Hartbeats)
17	Devil with the Blue Dress on	3	1987	Frederick Long, William Stevenson
18	Do You Wanna Dance	1	12/31/87	Bobby Freeman
19	Don't Ease Me in	317	1966-95	Trad.: Henry Thomas
20	Down in the Bottom	9	1984-85	Willie Dixon: Howlin' Wolf
21	Eternity	44	1993-95	Willie Dixon (lyrics)
22	Fever	1	9/13/87	Eddie Cooley, John Davenport (Otis Blackwell): Little Willie John
23	Foxey Lady Jam	1	4/21/69	Jimi Hendrix
24	Good Golly Miss Molly	3	1987	John Marascalo, Robert "Bumps" Blackwell: Valiants, Little Richard
25	Good Lovin'	427	1966-95	Arthur Resnik, Rudy Clark: Olympics, Rascals[4]
26	Good Morning Little Schoolgirl	62	1966-95	John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson [I]
27	Good Times (LTGTR)	47	1988-95	Sam Cooke: Rolling Stones
28	Goodnight Irene	1	12/31/83	Huddie William Ledbetter "Leadybelly"
29	Got My Mojo Working	2	1977-78	Preston Foster, Muddy Waters (dual copyright)
30	Green Onions	1	6/30/88	Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson Jr.
31	Hard to Handle	105	1969-82	Allen Jones, Al Bell, Otis Redding
32	Hey Bo Diddley	5	1972-86	Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley)
33	Hey Pocky A-Way	25	1987-90	Ziggy Modeliste, Arthur "Red" Neville, Leo Nocentelli, George Porter, Jr.
34	Hi Heel Sneakers	5	1966-69	Robert Higgenbithom (Tommy Tucker)
35	Hideaway	2	1971-89	Freddie King
36	Hog for You Baby	4	1966-71	Jerry Lieber, Mike Stoller: Coasters
37	How Long, How Long Blues	4	1970-89	Trad.: Leroy Carr, Scrapper Blackwell
38	How Sweet It Is	1	3/25/72	Holland-Dozier-Holland (Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Jr.)
39	Hully Gully	1	10/16/81	Fred Sledge Smith, Clifford Goldsmith: The Olympics
40	I Ain’t Superstitious	8	1984-85	Willie Dixon: Howlin' Wolf
41	I’m a King Bee	38	1966-84	James Moore (Slim Harpo)
42	I Bid You Goodnight	59	1968-91	Trad.: 1966 Nonesuch LP, The Real Bahamas[5]
43	I Got a Mind to Give up Living	1	5/28/82	Trad.: played with Boz Scaggs
44	I Just Wanna Make Love to You	4	1966-95	Willie Dixon
45	I Know You Rider	549	1966-95	Trad.: notated by John and Alan Lomax as “Woman Blue”
46	I Second That Emotion	6	1971	Smokey Robinson, Al Cleveland
47	Iko Iko (Jock-A-Mo)	185	1977-95	Trad.: James “Sugarboy” Crawford
48	In the Midnight Hour	46	1966-94	Wilson Pickett/Steve Cropper
49	In the Pines	1	7/17/66	Trad.: Huddie William Ledbetter “Lead belly”[6]
50	It Hurts Me Too	48	1966-72	Tampa Red: Elmore James
51	It’s All Over Now	160	1969-95	Bobby Womack: Valentinos, Rolling Stones
52	It’s a Man’s World	11	1970	James Brown
53	It’s My Own Fault	1	12/1/66	Muddy Waters
54	I Know It’s a Sin	12	1966-69	Jimmy Reed
55	I’ll Go Crazy	1	1/7/66	James Brown
56	Johnny B. Goode	282	1969-95	Chuck Berry
57	Kansas City	2	1985	Lieber, Stoller: (Little Willie Littlefield) Wilbert Harrison
58	Katie Mae	11	1970	Lightnin' Hopkins
59	Let It Rock	1	6/23/74	Chuck Berry
60	Lindberg Hop (Lindy)	3	1966	Memphis Jug Band: Jim Kweskin and the Jug Band
61	Little Red Rooster	272	1980-95	Willie Dixon: Howlin' Wolf
62	Look over Yonder’s Wall	2	1966-68	Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup
63	Louie Louie	8	1967-69	Richard Berry
64	Mannish Boy	2	1971-72	McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters), Mel London, Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley)
65	Matilda	6	1994-95	Norman Span (King Radio): Span, Harry Belafonte
66	Minglewood Blues	436	1966-95	Noah Lewis
67	Mona	2	1972-91	Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley)
68	Monkey & Engineer	32	1969-89	Jesse Fuller
69	My Babe	1	11/8/70	Willie Dixon
70	My Baby Left Me	1	4/18/86	Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup: Elvis Presley
71	Mystery Train	1	11/8/70	Junior Parker: Elvis Presley
72	New Orleans	5	1969-84	Frank Guida, Joe Royster: Gary US Bonds
73	Next Time You See Me	70	1966-72	Earl Forest, William G Harvey: Little Junior Parker
74	Nobody's Fault But Mine	16	1966-94	Trad.: Blind Willie Johnson
75	On the Road Again	37	1966-84	Trad.: Memphis Jug Band
76	One Kind Favor (See My Grave Is Kept Clean)	4	1966	Trad.: Blind Lemon Jefferson
77	Pain in My Heart	2	1966	Otis Redding: Rolling Stones[7]
78	Pollution	1	3/25/72	Kay McDaniel: Bo Diddley
79	Promised Land	427	1971-95	Chuck Berry
80	Riot in Cell Block #9	1	4/27/71	Lieber, Stoller: The Robins
81	Roadrunner	2	1986	Holland-Dozier-Holland
82	Roberta	2	1970	Huddie William Ledbetter "Leadybelly"
83	Rockin’ Pneumonia and Boogie Woogie Flu	5	1972	John Vincent, Huey "Piano" Smith
84	Rollin’ and Tumblin’	2	1995	Hambone Willie Newbern: Muddy Waters
85	Run Rudolph Run	6	1971	Chuck Berry
86	Say Boss Man	1	3/25/72	Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley)
87	Samson (If I Had My Way)	364	1976-95	Trad.: Rev. Gary Davis[8]
88	See See Rider (C.C. Rider)	127	1979-92	Trad.: Getrude "Ma" Rainey
89	She's Mine	4	1970	Lightnin' Hopkins
90	Sick and Tired	3	1966	Fats Domino
91	Sittin’ on Top of the World	43	1966-72	Trad.: Mississippi Sheiks
92	Smokestack Lightnin’	60	1966-94	Chester Burnette (Howlin’ Wolf)
93	So What	1	3/27/88	Miles Davis
94	Spoonful	52	1981-94	Willie Dixon: Howlin’ Wolf[9]
95	Stealin’	4	1966	Trad.: Memphis Jug Band
96	Stir It up	1	1988	Bob Marley
97	Swing Low Sweet Chariot	8	1970	Trad. Spiritual
98	Take It off	1	3/25/72	Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley)
99	Take Me to the River	4	1995	Al Green
100	Tell Mama	2	1982	Clarence Carter, Marcus Daniel, Wilbur Terrell: Etta James[10]
101	That’s Alright Mama	2	1973-86	Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup: Elvis Presley
102	Turn on Your Love Light	341	1967-95	Joseph Wade Scott, Deadric Malone aka Don Robey: Bobby "Blue" Bland
103	Twist & Shout	1	9/7/69	Phil Medley, Bert Russell: Top Notes, Isley Brothers[11]
104	Viola Lee Blues	33	1966-70	Noah Lewis: Cannon's Jug Stompers/ The Jim Kweskin Band
105	Walkin’ Blues	140	1966-95	Robert Johnson
106	Walking the Dog	6	1970-85	Rufus Thomas
107	Wang Dang Doodle	95	1983-95	Willie Dixon: Howlin' Wolf
108	What’s Goin’ on	1	9/24/88	Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson: (Hall and Oates)
109	Who Do You Love	3	1970-72	Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley)
110	Man Smart, Women Smarter	199	1981-95	Norman Span (King Radio): Span, Harry Belafonte
111	You Don’t Love Me	1	12/1/66	Willie Cobbs: Junior Wells/Buddy Guy
112	You Know I Love You So	1	3/25/72	Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley)

 

---

[1] The title “Ballad of Casey Jones” is used here by the Dead to distinguish it from their original song called “Casey Jones,” but the song’s actual title is “Casey Jones.” The earliest recording for this song might be by George Reneau, a blind hillbilly folk artist who was discovered in Knoxville TN; his version was released on Vocalion in 1924. The song, however, is a traditional folk song; the Dead’s version of it is derived from Mississippi John Hurt. 

[2] Eric Levy informs me that the first version might be by “Kingfish” Bill Thompson, recorded in November of 1930.

[3] Probably Wayne Ceballos of Aum.

[4] “Good Lovin’” has a more complicated history. Apparently an earlier version by Rudy Clark was recorded in 1964 by Lemme B. Goode. See Dick Rosemont, “The Originals Project,” http://www.originalsproject.us. Again thanks to Eric Levy for pointing this out to me. 

[5] Levy, again, writes that Alex Allen found a CD with a field recording from the Bahamas from 1935.

[6] This song has a very complicated lineage, and it might be impossible to determine as to its source. See Matt Schofield, “In the Pines,” Grateful Dead Family Discography, http://www.deaddisc.com/songs/In_The_Pines.htm.

[7] Song is a reworking of “Ruler of my Heart” by Irma Thomas. Thanks again to Levy.

[8] Though the Dead probably learned the song from Davis, there are much earlier recordings by Reverend T.E. Weems and Blind Lemon Jefferson

[9] For more information on tracing the lineage of this song before Dixon, see Matt Schofield, “Spoonful,” Grateful Dead Family Discography, http://www.deaddisc.com/songs/In_The_Pines.htm. Schofield traces it back to “All I Want is a Spoonful” by Papa Charlie Jackson from 1925.

[10] Recorded by Clarence Carter as “Tell Daddy.”

[11] Although technically this one does not make the list (it does not have an African American songwriter and it was not first recorded by an African American group), I have kept “Twist and Shout” on this list because its reception history is so determined by the Isley Brothers. Indeed, I think most African Americans would consider this song as sung by the Isleys to be part of their heritage.