Jerry had been in a diabetic coma. He came out of it he had to relearn how to play. This song came out ( I think it became their top "hit") but Jerry singing "I will survive" was very meaningful to hundreds of thousands of Dead Heads whose lives were positively effected by Jerry and the band. It's hard to imagine the effect the music had on so many if one never experienced it in a live environment. I did 100 shows from 1974 until Jerry died. It undoubtedly had a major effect on me!
The song was actually being played live years before his coma. But it was only officially released the summer after his coma. It did take on HUGE meaning for a bit there.
@Magumba_State yeah it is, pretty fond of candyman also, Ripple was my introduction to the dead, was the outro to a movie called "Mask" , came out in the 80s sometime, I was like "holy cow" who is THAT? The rest is history
Beth, watching you dance around to this makes me so happy! As someone who has been to over 40 Dead shows through the 70s and 80s, I can say, without hesitation, that you would have fit right in
i concur I shed a tear watching her jam out dancing with Joy and Glee , is why the deadhead followed the shows to keep the feeling of hope, joy and glee
My Dad was in his early 60's when this came out. I brought over this album on tape to play in the car for him. To my surprise he was just groovin' away to this song. So not only do I like the song, but it brings great memories. Thanks Beth!
Since I got cancer, every time I hear this song it makes me cry. It's become my "cancer anthem." That chorus, "I will be all right. I will survive" goes straight through my body and crushes my heart. I wipe my tears away, and feel renewed. My spirit is restored each time I listen to it. I appreciate your willingness to open yourself to this song.
I guess the best way to describe the Dead is psychedelic folk music. Outstanding musicians. Outstanding poetry with an eclectic lean. The Grateful Dead are just The Grateful Dead. Rarely would they do commercially driven music, but millions of Dead Heads don't mind. Great shows and deep cuts are their trademarks
Every original member of the Grateful Dead had different musical genre backgrounds, blues, jazz, folk, rock, bluegrass, then they smushed those all together with the era they lived in, so there quite literally is no single genre they fit neatly into. I remember reading that some musical expert said they are the first and most truly American band stylistically.
With more than 500 songs to choose from and mutilple grenres the pool of songs is deep and wide. Robert Hunter who wrote many of their songs is considered one of the best poets of this century. Over 25 million tickets were sold for their events. I call them events because their live performances were much bigger than just a concert.
I saw them in concert once. I'm not a Deadhead, but I liked them. But this song has a special place in my musical heart. It was playing on the radio constantly when I was learning to drive, and it was a significant point in my early life, so I have warm feelings about it. Plus, it is a cool and funny video.
I cannot say how much it makes me smile seeing you "letting go" and the look on your face, with the infectious grin, as you discover music that reaches your soul. Thanks for that! PS- In the late 70's & early 80's this was the #1 money making touring band in the U.S.
Shot at Laguna Seca, the concert had ended in a couple hours later the lights came back up. The concert venue is surrounded by campsites that were packed with all of the people. We all wandered into the arena which was now completely open and they made this video. Many hours with them playing a part of touch of gray and then adjusting things and playing a few songs for the audience doing another little piece of touch of gray and then playing another few songs. I have no idea how long it lasted but at one point Bobby mentioned that the fog that was pouring off of the ocean was not in any way part of a fog machine or effects. In the later part of the video you can see that amazing fog that looks like it's fake but really, it came right off the ocean .
Great to finally see you do a reaction to Grateful Dead, one of my all time favourite bands and a band that is not necessarily known for their singing abilities. I could say that this song is not typical of the Dead's sound, but I'd be lying, their sound has developed so much over the years, when they first started in 1965 until Garcia's untimely death in 1995. They were not just the best at what they did, they were the only ones to do what they did. This particular song helped bring them back to popularity after somewhat of a slum in the mid 80s and after Jerry Garcia went into a diabetic coma. Big stadium tours followed, but for me, their favourite tours were Europe 72 and May 1977, with the May 8th, 1977 concert at Barton Hall being my favourite concert of the bunch.
I was at the Boston show (my first Dead show!), and while it was great fun, as were all of the shows I saw, they were doing things differently then, as opposed to earlier, e.g. '69 through '74. The Cornell show has always seemed a little sterile to me, as opposed to, say, shows in '72, which is my favorite year. I'd listen to any of the Europe '72 shows before Cornell. But hey, that's just me, and it's pretty cool that Beth chose to review a Dead song. I came across her when her review of Tedeschi & Trucks 'Midnight in Harlem' popped up in my feed. A great band, and a great musical couple.
I'm more of a 73-74 person, but 76 was an interesting year. I also maintain that 89-91 were great years, even the first year with Vinny, with Bruce in the band full-time. I saw them at least twice with Bruce, Buckeye Lake 91, and a Richfield Coliseum 91 (the night with the Dark Star jam!). My first show was at Deer Creek 90, right before Brent passed and I wish I had known more of their music at the time, I would have appreciated my only H>S>F a hell of a lot more, lol.
Over the years, my first Grateful Dead concert was in 1980 but I listened to them before that, one of the things about Jerry Garcia's singing i noticed was that he was really distinct with his "t's", especially at the end of words. If you do some more Dead tunes sung by Jerry, I think you will notice it as well, since you are so attentive. Enjoy the ride, and welcome aboard the bus.
The dead had a fan base unlike no other. Multiple generations grew up, some literally, following the Grateful Dead. Their music shaped the man I am today. Forever Grateful
This band is so fun. They are very well read and educated. You are correct they are building the up and chorus. If you watch one of their concerts it’s 15-40,000 people dancing like you are dancing. It does feel good. You did a great job describing them ⚡️⚡️🌹
Deadhead here!! 🇨🇦🙏🎶. I still miss Jerry. If I ever need cheering up I just listen to some Dead. Changes the mood instantly. Been to quite a few shows. The comradery amongst Deadhead is 2nd to none. Their lyrics are I genius, written by Robert Hunter!
I am a fan of the band and saw many Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band shows before Jerry's death in '95. I understand why the band's epic and enduring live shows are so revered, and there's a good reason why their skills on their non-voice instruments are so widely admired and discussed, but I've long held the view that the band, and Jerry in particular, have superb and vastly overlooked vocal abilities. When Jerry was on his game vocally, he was outstanding!
his singing was as good..BETTER than his playing ..without his voice..its nothingg. I once said to a friend about IKYR..Jerry gets all the good lines referring to headligght on a nirth bound train..he said no..they are the best lines because he sings them..then we heard cumberland..we were listening to europe 72..i realized he was right...jerrys singing MAKES these songgs..could anyone else sing standing on the moon or peggy o ?? NO !!
I've been a diehard fan of this band for over forty years, and in one brief review, you nailed exactly what they're all about. Really impressive, and right on the money.
You need to listen to 'Cassidy', 'China Doll', and 'To Lay Me Down' by the Grateful Dead - they're amazing songs. I saw The Dead & Co. a few years ago, and it was one of the best shows I've ever been to - their musicianship is mind-blowing.
Listening to the Dead is like getting a warm hug from a friend when you need one . Huge rabbit hole of music . Their mix of folk , soft/acid rock , blues , jazz , bluegrass is something no one has done the same way . Truly unique . Try , Franklins Tower , Brown Eyed Woman , Terrapin Station , Shakedown Street , Chinacat Sunflower , Wharf Rat . A little taste of it all . ✌️
Finally! Greatest band on the planet. Many happy listenings to come. I recommend checking out their live performances, maybe something like a Stella Blue or Eyes of The World. …or a Morning Dew!!!
All three are awesome. Stella and Dew probably more interesting vocal-wise (I'll put in a vote for Wharf Rat as another contender). Eyes is for face-melting...
Early Grateful Dead music was vocalized mostly by a guy affectionately named Pigpen. He had a mellow, more bluesy sound. After his death, Garcia took over on most vocals. He has a bluegrass/country music and Spanish (European) musical background. And that comes through in his vocals and string picking. I was exceedingly fortunate that my first two live concerts (on my own) as a teenager were the Dead. Jerry died not too long after that.
I haven't heard this song in ages and I really needed it today. One of my older sisters is a Deadhead, so I grew up hearing their music. But I haven't really listened to them in years. I think I might need to revisit their catalogue. Btw, Jerry Garcia ... their lead guitarist and the lead vocalist on this song ... did lose most his right middle finger in a wood chopping accident when he was young. It' similar to Tony Iommi, from Black Sabbath, who lost his left right and middle fingertips in a machine shop accident. Both went on to become two of the greatest guitarists in rock and roll.
Yes Jerry Garcia's right middle finger was chopped off during a wood cutting incident with his younger brother He would say he had 9 1/2 fingers This is later in the Dead's career If you want to listen to their earlier work, I would suggest anything off either Working Man's Dead or American Beauty - songs like "Truckin'," "Sugar Magnolia," "Ripple," Uncle John's Band," "Friend of the Devil" - are great examples of both their vocal and musical stylings
Oh my, Working Man's Dead has such melancholy songs too though. A favorite album of mine for sure, but I don't think I would've recommended that one to such a new listener. However, the emotion, ahhh, the emotion. She would certainly love that.
@@michaellopez68 Back in the day I had a copy of "For The Faithful", the original title of "Reckoning" that was changed when it was released on a different label.
I had the privilege of seeing the Dead in 1989 and it was 4 hours of an escape from reality. As a musician myself, the sound system was PERFECTION. It was like listening to a $40,000 audiophile's system. Every little nuance was heard, and felt. The GD had sections in the audience at EVERY show. There was a sober section, and even a deaf section that held balloons and felt it. Utopia...
This is an amazing rabbit hole to go down. It’s been fun to watch RU-vidrs react to them for the first time - and then start exploring and listening to more. They slide through, and fuse many musical genres, there is a lot of different sounds. Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty are filled with amazing harmonies - as they had just learned to do harmonies by David Crosby of Crosby, Stills, and Nash.
i worked with a ride or die deadhead years ago. from what he told me many deadfolk thought this song was a sell out himself included. i think it's one of their very best songs...certainly my favorite
You're starting very close to the end of their career. They got their start in psychedelic San Francisco in the 1960s. A lot of their most famous songs sport these harmonies: "Casey Jones" and "Uncle John's Band" come to mind.
My now 70-year-old Deadhead brother started following the band back in his teens. I never caught the bug, but I heard a LOT of their music, particularly in the early 70s. I still find myself singing along whenever I hear them playing. By the way, "weel" is just the way some of us Americans pronounce "will".
Used to love to going to shows. Half the fun of a Dead show was wandering around the parking lots before and after and meeting really cool people from all over and all walks of life ✌
I saw them in the summer of 1966 in Vancouver at the English Bay bandstand and the Afterthought in the old Pender Auditorium as well as the Retinal Circus in the old Embassy Ballroom on Davie Street in 1967 so I'm very attached to their early music such as on their first album...their version of "Morning Dew" off of that album is a classic but there is a lot of great uptempo music on there as well.
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the dead not really knows for their vocals, they are known for extended "jazz fusion" improvisation they do live. this is probably the single least popular song among dead heads. However, if you want to check out more vocal performances I would look at Ripple for Jerry, To lay me Down, Attics of my life, or Dear Mr Fantasy, Blow Away for Brent. (their best singer) from the 80's Donna has some killer vocals in Cassidy, Playing in the band, LOOKS LIKE RAIN is really really good Then there is the original singer Pigpen. A one of a kind voice. He also has some great duets with his girlfriend Janis Joplin, the both died around the same time. I would try Smokestack Lightning 2/19/1971 for Pig
This band used to sell out all the time with no promotion.this was one of the few songs that made it on the radio.the fans called the dead heads would follow the band around on tour.after 20 years of not being heard from they through a weekend concert.it sold out in hours and they had to add seating..amazing band
The finger story is true. One thing about the way Jerry sings is he is very precise with his "T"'s , especially at the end of a word. something to listen for on future songs. As for the dancing thing, that was the whole reason we would go to shows, you would never sit down, except for the intermission, and maybe during the "Space" portion of the second set. EVERYONE was DANCING and smiling, and just grooving. Saw them fifty times, and was never disappointed, ever. Great times, great friends, the Grateful Dead.
Way dig your vibes and for taking on the Dead. I'm from San Rafael Marin county San Francisco California. Love Jerry. This is obviously studio version, for MTV. They're really only radio Hit after thirty years. Long Liv the Dead 🍄🌁🍄🌹🍄🌍🍄
The Dead are such a fun band to listen to. I echo the comments of others that their album American Beauty has so many great songs: Box of Rain, Truckin, Sugar Magnolia are just a few superb songs. Play them all Beth! We enjoy seeing you dance🥰❤
Hahaha regarding whether your mom listened to this? It's obvious the moves are in your blood. You are adorable and so knowledgeable! Appreciate you being so complimentary to one of my favorite bands. Cheers!
I like watching people doing reactions to this and start doing the dances that everybody did it Grateful Dead shows back in the seventies and eighties when I was going there
I’ve listened to a lot of reaction videos for dead songs and the things you picked out to talk about I’ve never heard anyone else talk about. Great video
I'm not sure you are able to really appreciate the extent of the phenomenon of The Grateful Dead and dead head culture. I'm no expert myself, I was a kid when this song came out, but I'm old enough to remember when it was still a thing that existed in culture. How do I even explain it? Though they do have some classic songs that are popular, they were more of a jam band that came out of the 60s, that would do long improvisational live performances that didn't always make them very commercial, and left them out on the fringe of the mainstream. Just the same, they were so beloved by their fans who were probably the most dedicated fans of any band ever. Being a dead head was like a whole lifestyle. There are documentaries that have been made about it. Some dead heads would literally drop everything in their lifes and travel with them on the road, and follow them from town to town and see them in concert every night. Sometimes for months. Some people, that's all they did. It was their whole life and identity, and at shows there was a real sense of community. People would record bootleg copies of the concerts because every show might be different, and people would collect and trade them. They'd camp out at shows, and trade and barter, or just share the things they'd make themselves. They all dressed and spoke a like. It was a real communal hippie type of culture in itself that was much like a vagabond community of nomads, and there are probably people that were concieved, born, and raised at The Grateful Dead shows. It was definitely a whole thing. There's a newer similar band called Phish, that sort of inherited that scene, but on a much smaller scale, and I don't think anything similar has ever really rivaled the scope of what dead heads were. In '86, Jerry Garcia suffered a diabetic coma, I believe, and it struck panic in the community that he was on his way out. So, I believe, this was the first music video they had ever done, which became much more of commercial success than they were accustomed to, and introduced people my age to The Dead, and it was meant as a message to their community that everything was alright. That, "We will get by, We will survive!"
There's more to say about lyrical meaning and over all style blending with the Grateful Dead WHEN looking at their entire collection. I don't think they would be a band for you to do lots of reactions/reviews for, but I do recommend giving as much of them a listen as you can. They're awesome music for long car rides or fussing around the house days where you have stuff to do and need a little extra to keep you going
I don't know, between all the vocal differences between Jerry, Bob, Pigpen, Brent, Donna, and Phil throughout all the various incarnations of the band I would think there would be quite a bit to react to. The problem is filtering out all the available material out there to decide what to do and what to not do.
Once a year I drive from Boston to Cleveland and back, a 9 and a half hour drive each way, and the Dead channel is on my Surius radio channel the whole way there and back. It's always a great ride.
Grateful Dead concerts were always a lot of fun, even if the band was having a bad night. There was nothing like it. I’m glad to have experienced about 50 of them!
So glad you found the Grateful Dead! People followed them around seeing 👀 as many concerts as possible because they totally improvised - led to some mammoth moments on stage. I always thought they had a strong dose of a bluegrass influence. They are quintessentially an American Band! Their lives shows were historic (& they always started late... had to be *ready* to go on).
Grateful for ur reaction, nice job! Learned about vocal range & effect of chorus. And while every dark cloud has a silver lining, "every silver lining has a touch of grey" - great line!
Beth, I am no Deadhead by any stretch of the imagination. Even so, for me their 1970 album "American Beauty" is, track for track, still a guilty listening pleasure. Check it out.
Went to college in the mid 80’s and the dead were huge! It’s a shame you never experienced them live! Peace and love! Spring break is a whole different vibe, I went to Ft Lauderdale in it’s hey day…. What a “ long strange trip” it’s been!
I've never watched videos of first time reactions to songs so naturally I seek out the songs and artists I love. It was such a treat watching your reaction to the heart of gold band. It made my heart happy to see your joy and you can scarcely imagine the fulfillment of listening to their music for nearly 40 years. I'm not sure they are saying wheel for any particular reason but the wheel is symbolic to the grateful dead. This is just one of two songs really made to fit a radio format. If you want a better taste of them, listen to anything else such as lady with a fan, Saint Stephen> The 11, fire on the Mountain, or jackstraw. They are storytelling masters and their orchestration is like nothing you've ever heard from a rock band. 🌞🌈
Yet another welcome reminder of the truth that the memory of the musical output of this band long will outlive me thru many, many generations yet to be born. And for another eminently danceable ditty, cue up *"Dark Star"* from their Live/Dead LP released in 1969...
This is off of of the album with their third pianist (one of the few guarantees in life is that grateful dead keyboardists will die young) and he is providing some of the harmonies. He has a crazy husky voice. Just A Little Light was probably his best one where he was on lead vocals.
Great analysis. Do more Dead reactions to hear the wide range of their musical styles. I was at this show at Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA (1987?). After the regular show they invited people to hang out to be the audience for this video shoot. Awesome night. Lots of "blotter" going around.
I went to a Grateful Dead show once at Legend Valley Ohio a year or two before Jerry passed, got there at dawn and partied all day (when in Rome...) and found out Sting (Fields of Gold period) was the warm up, 20 minutes before the show started. It was a Trip!
I had the privilege of seeing Jerry perform over 300 times from 1971-95. It was the time of my life. Unfortunately this MTV type version of this song doesn’t include Jerry’s extended guitar solo.
There is an absolutely wonderful cover of "Standing on the Moon" performed by Grammy winner, Molly Tuttle. It's my favorite rendition of my favorite Grateful Dead song. Do yourself an amazing favor and check it out.
The Grateful Dead is easily one of the most influential Rock and Roll / Folk. Very unique, yet very simple music. Whether you are listening to "Touch of Gray," "Uncle John's Band," or even "Hell in a Bucket," All just a great sound to groove to.
Jorma said it best about their music "deceptively simple"...listen to a bunch of bands...the GD have a lot of idiosyncrasies...the beats in uncle john's, row jimmy etc...and listen to the turn arounds in stuff like operator.or gdtrfb..jery throws in the c#m in gdtrfb..like he does in peggy o...it's very subtle stuff, but it makes it..i detest people calling them a "jam band",,they are not "simple" music actually..ive heard tons of gd cover bands and they mostly suck because the music was uniquely their own and each musician had his own odd style of playing. it was always on the verge of falling apart, but so tight at the same time..never to be replicated. people that lump them in w lame jm bnds dont get it ! ":)
You'd fit right in at a dead show. I was lucky enough to follow them around when I was a kid and just ran away for the summer before Jerry died. I appreciate it so much more now. I was so young then and didn't know half of what was going on around me.
I was a deadhead and this made me laugh! It was like spring break every winter, spring, summer and fall tour. Seems like you get it already just from this "Touch of Grey" video. It was this video that started the new surge of deadheads in the late 80s and early 90s which became quite overwhelming for these guys who were regularly selling out stadiums. Ironically, once we became real deadheads most of us found this video to be cheesy. You have to watch a live show to really get the vibe. Most deadheads prefer listening to one of the many shows they allowed us to record. A lot of them are here on RU-vid! Singing wasnt their strongest point. Their music is known for being very improvisational and Jerry was one of the best lead guitarists ever. They liked to tell a story, share positive messages and blow us away with their instrumental musicality. And yes, he did lose a finger chopping wood in Lompico, CA. They say its ghost still haunts those woods! Good observation!
I was in high school when this came out, when you did a video reaction on The Moody Blues I was gonna suggest you do one on the Grateful Dead, I like their song “Truckin” is another good song , thank you for the video
I am a deadhead through and through, and I love watching your vocal breakdowns/reviews. That said, this is a great song that we all know and love, but definitely not a great representation of what Jerry's voice was capable of. While Jerry is the leader of the band, Brent had such an incredible singing voice! PLEASE review the song "Blow Away". I think you'll be "blown away" lol.
I knew this would be interesting. The Dead were never really known for their singing, but they were really great at being able to grab you and put you in a time and place.
