Saturday 20 February 2010

Song Saturday; Grateful Dead, 'Trucking' from the album 'American Beauty'.


Thats the ALBUM American Beauty released half a century before the film.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Garcia at his best.

Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician best known for his work with the band the Grateful Dead.
One of its original founders, Garcia performed with The Grateful Dead for their entire three-decade career (1965–1995). Garcia also founded and participated in a variety of side projects, including the Saunders-Garcia Band with longtime friend Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia Band, Old and in the Way, the Garcia/Grisman acoustic duo, and Legion of Mary. Garcia co-founded the New Riders of the Purple Sage with John Dawson and David Nelson. He also released several solo albums, and contributed to a number of albums by other artists over the years as a session musician. He was well known by many for his distinctive guitar playing and was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" cover story. Later in life, Garcia was sometimes ill because of his unstable weight, and in 1986 went into a diabetic coma that nearly cost him his life. Although his overall health improved somewhat after that, he also struggled with heroin addiction, and was staying in a California drug rehabilitation facility when he died of a heart attack in August 1995.

''Trucking'', from the album
''American Beauty'', Lyrics:


Truckin got my chips cashed in. keep truckin, like the do-dah man
Together, more or less in line, just keep truckin on.

Arrows of neon and flashing marquees out on main street.
Chicago, new york, detroit and its all on the same street.
Your typical city involved in a typical daydream
Hang it up and see what tomorrow brings.

Dallas, got a soft machine; houston, too close to new orleans;
New yorks got the ways and means; but just wont let you be, oh no.

Most of the cast that you meet on the streets speak of true love,
Most of the time theyre sittin and cryin at home.
One of these days they know they better get goin
Out of the door and down on the streets all alone.

Truckin, like the do-dah man. once told me youve got to play your hand
Sometimes your cards aint worth a dime, if you dont layem down,

Sometimes the lights all shinin on me;
Other times I can barely see.
Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip its been.

What in the world ever became of sweet jane?
She lost her sparkle, you know she isnt the same
Livin on reds, vitamin c, and cocaine,
All a friend can say is aint it a shame?

Truckin, up to buffalo. been thinkin, you got to mellow slow
Takes time, you pick a place to go, and just keep truckin on.

Sittin and starin out of the hotel window.
Got a tip theyre gonna kick the door in again
Id like to get some sleep before I travel,
But if you got a warrant, I guess youre gonna come in.

Busted, down on bourbon street, set up, like a bowlin pin.
Knocked down, it gets to wearin thin. they just wont let you be, oh no.

Youre sick of hangin around and youd like to travel;
Get tired of travelin and you want to settle down.
I guess they cant revoke your soul for tryin,
Get out of the door and light out and look all around.

Sometimes the lights all shinin on me;
Other times I can barely see.
Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip its been.

Truckin, Im a goin home. whoa whoa baby, back where I belong,
Back home, sit down and patch my bones, and get back truckin on.
Hey now get back truckin home.



9 comments:

  1. oh yeah, baby! quite a few of us seem to have gone 'retro' with our song choice for today. ; D

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  2. thanks
    i needed that

    what a great band
    as a live show they were among the best
    they weren't just playing for you
    they were having fun playing themselves

    :)

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  3. On *She lost her sparkle, you know she isnt the same
    Livin on reds, vitamin c, and cocaine,* what is reds?

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  4. old street slang for depressants

    :)

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  5. I thought maybe it was red wine but...was wondering why all of a sudden the adjectives were no longer invariable ;-D

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  6. Thanks for the nostalgia trip :-))

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  7. Such a great song Loretta. As I was reading the lyrics, I could Still hear the tune in my head.

    agnes128 wrote on Feb 20
    On *She lost her sparkle, you know she isnt the same
    Livin on reds, vitamin c, and cocaine,* what is reds?

    Hi Agnes. Methanphetamines. Bad combination with the cocaine. The Vitamin C was supposed to help offset the destruction caused by the other two.

    I hope you've been well.

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  8. thanks folks, glad you enjoyed it, its a song thats stuck in my head for many years, a happy song.

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