In Loving Memory of Jerry Garcia (August 1, 1942 -- August 9, 1995). Excellent soundboard recording from October 29, 1977, at the Field House, Illinois...
The beautiful thing about this song is how it builds in suspense until it hits the section where he says "See here how everything..."! Even more impressive how it is told in 1st person until Peter has started to transition to the other life, at which point we are getting narration from an outsider looking in as he dies. Just brilliant.
My relationship with the dead has gotten sweeter over time. I couldn't amagine liking them any more than I did when I was 18. But now I'm 45 and I have a much deeper appreciation for them.
47 yr old dead head here, love affair that started in my teens after hearing American Beauty and Europe 72, still two of my favorite albums by them. Life is constantly changing, for better or worse, but the grateful dead is like family, it will be always have a special place deep in my heart. Peace
I saw this show, and still count it among the best I've ever seen. Garcia delivers not only a great performance throughout, but his vocal and guitar at the end of this thing are so passionate and so completely inspired it just blows you away. It was a great performance from a show that wasn't supposed to happen. I still get shivers hearing it. It's why the Dead were so insanely attractive to so many of us; moments like this made us listen and smile at the pureness and directness of it all. No one did it better.
Just after the 3:00 mark when Garcia waits a few bars and then comes in with that one ghostly note to start the solo.... It's unbelievably chilling, and also incredible.
I just buried my 100 year old mother this past Sunday. I could not agree with you more. For those of us old enough to remember the Dead in their prime, there are no more fitting words than yours.
I saw the dead play 30 yrs ago in Mountain View California, I didn’t really get it then. I’m 55 now and have been listening to the dead almost daily for the past couple of years . I think I’m beginning to get it now.......
THE best version of blk Peter EVER! I jst can NOT wrapp my mind around how the best tunes were b4 my time or almost! I am 42 and yes i am aware tht is old as fecal so stfu!! lol. I am a loyal Phish head. Been to abt 36 or so shows but my regret is tht i only gt 2 c Jerry one damn time! I hold al my rudimentary roots 2 my likings n my others bands thru the Dead.I jst cant fathom how one cant appreciate the talent garcia had for his on stage ensemble. Pure genius. Please tell another band around for 50yrs and i will try 2 listen 2 ur opinions without bios. The Dead will always remain alive in my heart,mind and and for sure soul!!
@TheDrmedina - Very cool. That's one of the great things about the Dead's music, your relation to it and understanding can actually deepen over time as you get older.
Hands down, my favorite performance of this song. That first instrumental break, I mean... damn... words don't work, you just gotta feel it for yourself.
thank you. i drove down from madison to see this show and it cooked from the very beginning, with jerry doing the screaminest "might as well" ever. i have to agree though, that the audience recording is way more fun to listen to.
well thank goodness you pointed that out cause you know listening to a 77 show can't be enjoyed for what it is without destroying it first.And certainly during this performance where I did not hear any wrong words or wrong notes improve or written Jerry was and had been a completely sober individual. I mean there hadn't been two distinct factions Waring already and the idea that anyone could forget lyrics from a list of hundreds of songs played in multiple bands over thousand's of nights would just be ridiculous unless it was but for... It's not that clearly a porting of the downfall isn't what you say it is your injection as though you came to some great understanding that if only everyone would be certain to include cavitation akin to Iranian backed or malign behavior then they may appreciate that some of the most intrinsic art, deepest philosophy and learned scholars have came and do come from Iran. So something like , Jerry's drug habits destroyed his ability to connect with the audience in the same meaningful way after years of drug abuse even leaving him to be forced to relearn guitar and his own lyrics after suffering from a six day coma; On October 29, 1977 Jerry had a stellar performance. This was during his most prolific period of taking multitudes of different types of drugs in different combinations for years. The long time drug taking drug induced flawless black peter brings inspiration to countless individuals. Helping them cope with life and death of friends, changes in their lives including post or current drug addiction and putting so many in touch with Americana music one of the most precious commodity the Untied States has been on the forefront of since its inception. Before you enjoy this drug music you must repent and you must tell at least three other people how disappointing it was to all of society that you were not participating in denying all that is good without declaring it bad first. black peter Oh, wait Jerry and Hunter already told us you silly jaded troll. You just had to listen to the song "I was layin' in my bed and dyin'... ...Just want to have a little peace to die, And a friend or two I love at hand... ....One more day I find myself alive, Tomorrow maybe go beneath the ground.... ...The people might know, but the people don't care, That a man can be as poor as me. Take a look at poor Peter, he's lying in pain, Now let's go run and see, run and see."
Man, you're so right too. I saw the late '80s dates in Miami, poor poor Jerry was just plain strung the fuck out, it was painful. Such a change from ten years previously. Yes, though, so so many of our lil' tribe won't take this question on, it's fucked up. Thx♡♡
@@rmhanseniii The more troubling denial is the fact that the man couldn't walk out into the world without being. overcome by people ALWAYS to the point of him isolating himself everywhere they went. That is enough to drive any one to drugs. Nobody ever talks about how disrespectful it is to swarm yourself onto someone no matter how famous they are.
Cal expo . phriend bailed.. drove up from San Rafael Marin county San Francisco California.to Sacramento to.sell tx . went alone..told them upon return,. black Peter.rocked! Dem look Pon I Man, huh... Guess you had to be nowhere Jah rastafari praises blessings respectfully Tucson Arizona Sonoran desert 🏜️ Jah sisters Jah Africa
You're right, Chase, this is great stuff. For what it's worth, yours truly is captured laughing at the acoustic Black Peter on DP8 (Harpur College, 5/2/70), when Jerry sings "The people I know, but the people don't care." Why? Because not only don't they care, they're clueless, or at least so it seemed to me. I had no idea what this song later became. However, I agree with the late Dick Latvala that Harpur was the greatest show ever -- and as a student, I was there.
oh, and a real treat to hear at a time when there were far too many "wharf rat"s and "stella blue"s and too few "black peter"s and even fewer "comes a time"s.
This was my heyday Eric and I don't recall hearing Wharf Rat & Stella Blue more than Black Peter- loved them all and agree we could have used more Comes a Time and I' could have stood more Morning Dew too; those seemed to be the consistent ballads before the Bobby rocker finale.....Loved that they mixed in ballads down the stretch... Jerry is king of the ballad
@Stolehome66 - hi! I'm not sure. Do a search for "Grateful Dead Live at Field House, Northern Illinois U on 1977-10-29" and you'll find the show over at Live Archive
@CRAXYFINGERS76 - I agree... i just uploaded the eyes from that evening today, that whole 2nd set smoked... There's a free audience recording available over at live archive if you don't have it yet. Search for "Grateful Dead Live at Field House, Northern Illinois U on 1977-10-29" Taped by Steve Maizner
Black Peter (Zwarte Piet) has been banned in the Low Lands right now (2022), just like many other things, like a whistle to a beautiful lady passing by... Thank God we can still listen and enjoy the best band ever !
