Really sweet Jack-a-Roe from the great month of May, 1977, the Grateful Dead performing at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre. A recording of the entire show can be listened to here: www.archive.org...
there is nothing like Jack a Roe from 1977...that "shuffle", that sweet piano, Bob's subtle rhythm guitar, and Jerry telling the story with such sweet inflection....always makes me smile
Best version I've heard. Takes it to a different level. Was only really familiar with it from Reckoning and some random live stuff here and there. This is a different beast.
I was at this show. I remember hearing this song and not knowing what it was, but how great it was. It took awhile in those days to find out the name of this beautiful song. Try to listen to this whole show….another great May 1977 show.
haha yah i am living and dying listening to this music 20 hours a day for last 10 years.. just to try to get a glimpse into whats happening here to try to bring an ounce of the same energy to music i want to play live for people, so yah if it is overlooked it just because of the guitar playing and songwriting, wizardry in general..
I personally don't think Jerry was overlooked, but people didn't realize songs like this one. Jerry had way more depth to him than people realized. Most people just know the radio songs like truckin or touch of grey. That was just the tip of the iceberg for the GD. But I know what you mean by saying he was overlooked. It's just that people didn't dig deeper. Peace man!
This really is an exceptional rendition. Thank you so much, Chase, for promoting this little slice of musical history here -- and in a reasonably hifi bitrate, too. Ya done good.
Very cool performance from May 77 - one my favorite Dead periods . I'm listening to Pure Jerry 8 (Jerry & John Kahn 2/26/86 San Rafael CA) and they perform an extremely stripped down version very similar to this.
Hello Chase ! Indeed a truly wonderful version of Jack a Roe, pure, sincere, honest and notably a beautiful and clean Jerry vocals : with excellent compliments from Bob & Phil. Again, ... perhaps a "best" version ... Peace to you, signed "LoloYodel"
Fantastic....this broadcast has always been one of my fav recordings. band horsing around at the start, great songs and an all-time Scarlet-Fire....a great show from an unbelievable month
Back in like 87 or so, when video stores were still the sign the gas stations, jerry and I met.... well, he walked around me with his stack of like 10 videos up against his belly and chest. Sure wish I could be back, I’d hug him so hard his videos would have fallen , 10,000 fall!
Saw yonder the other day and they covered this...It was so awesome! Life is made from small moments like that :) Love this song no matter who its performed by
First time they played this song. Surprised no one else noted this. Second time, two days later, is the version included on the "Phil Zone" CD. I'd love to hear Further do it this way.
I was gonna mention it and was looking to see if anyone had noted it. Nice call. Indeed - this is the debut. This show has always been a top 5 for me. Dr Beechwood....
"Jack-A-Roe" There was a wealthy merchant In London he did dwell He had a beautiful daughter The truth to you we'll tell Oh, the truth to you we'll tell She had sweethearts a-plenty And men of high degree But none but Jack the sailor Her true love ever be Oh, her true love ever be Jackie's gone a-sailing With trouble on his mind He's left his native country And his darling girl behind Oh, his darling girl behind She went down to a tailor shop And dressed in man's array She climbed on board a vessel To convey herself away Oh, convey herself away Before you get on board, sir Your name we'd like to know She smiled on her countenance They called me Jack-a-Roe Oh, they called me Jack-a-Roe I see your waist is slender Your fingers they are small Your cheeks too red and rosy To face the cannonball Oh, to face the cannonball I know my waist's too slender My fingers they are small But it would not make me tremble To see ten thousand fall Oh, to see ten thousand fall The war soon being over She went and looked around Among the dead and wounded Her darling boy she found Oh, her darling boy she found She picked him up on in her arms And carried him to the town She sent for a physician To quickly heal his wounds Oh, to quickly heal his wounds This couple they got married So well, they did agree This couple they got married So why not you and me? Oh, why not you and me? Oh, why not you and me?
Kyle Broad Found awesome ‘77 performances but can you give some titles you refer to as samba arrangements? I’m not new to the dead but new to some awesome versions I’ve been finding. This one is so smooth.
Dead are bringing me through covid19. It's been a concert over here....while I ignore the world or take an occasional peak from the sidelines. This music is a haven. I really miss the old man, and he always seemed old even when he was young. He left too the concert too early. When things get back to normal, I'm tracking down the other ones and checking out some music. Right now, I miss all of them and will just be grateful for the tapers, the video and this vehicle to watch it all on.
I think there are all of two celebrities whose passing really bothered me. One was Audrey Hepburn and the other Jerry Garcia. I'm 66yrs old never-married with few relationships, most of short duration This will not surprise anyone who knows much about me. Right now there's someone sending me text messages which seem to indicate she may be having serious ( or perhaps that would be seriously deranged ) feelings toward me. If it's really true and I like her a lot when we have a face2face confrontation if I "pop the question" it's going to be via this song. "--so why not you and me?" "The truth of love an unsung song must tell. The course of love must follow blind---without a look behind." I swear to it on my very soul---if I lie may I fall-down cold.
@Shlotzkin Based on the Strat Jerry is playing, my guess is that if it's not the Rennaissance Faire in Oregon, Aug 27, '72, it's pretty close by. Alligator was being repaired and Jerry was playing a loaner strat. There is video around of that show. Here's a semi-link to a nice board of the show. Caution - the DS is really epic. Search for the archive.org/details/gd1972-08-27
I was at this show Jack A Roo To me it was a bust out Such a great well played show magnificent set list they played so great in Chicago and Midwest Later I read Jerry had a girlfriend in Chi town that and they used like to party at the Blues Bar a private club across from Second City great times!
Traceling, I didn't know that, and that really does make it special (beyond the obvious distinctions between this interpretation and most of the later ones). Thank you much for sharing that info.
