Forum MVP John A Posted March 20, 2012 Forum MVP Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Please take this in the scope of the greatness that was May 1977, but I can't help calling 5/25 a B show. After a sufficiently hot Mississippi, nothing really stood out in set 1 beyond perhaps Lazy->Supplication. The pre-drums segment was as ho-hum as a Scarlet-Fire charged Spring '77 set can muster. Jerry even loses the middle verse to Fire. The most compelling part of the show by far is the insertion of Wharf Rat between Other One verses. There's a beautiful transition into Rat as The Other One gradually fades away into an ethereal space where Jerry slowly - so slowly - takes the bait and snuggles his way into the opening bars. Really tasty stuff. Now, let's step back from these comments for a moment. A B-grade '77 show is still a good thing. But there's been so much already released from this tour that I would have either seen to it the release was a true cream of the May '77 crop or looked to another tour/era. That said, the sonics are fantastic and the packaging just keeps getting better. There's a great booklet and nice touches abound. Most importantly, they have moved past the horribly cheap paper sleeves to something more sturdy. Any Europe '72 owners able to play through all the shows without tearing the packaging while removing discs?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Dstone5553 Posted March 21, 2012 Forum MVP Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 I agree that the show doesn't really jump out at ya the way many from that era do. I was actually pretty surprised they went with that one as his first release. It doesn't get talked about very much so maybe he just thought it deserved to get some attention, who knows. And the middle verse in Fire ('Almost Ablaze') hadn't been sung yet. All '77 Fires are two verse Fires, the first middle verse coming in 1978. Cornell doesn't have one, for example, and there's been no complaints as of yet (but the middle is my favorite one). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Dstone5553 Posted March 21, 2012 Forum MVP Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Any Europe '72 owners able to play through all the shows without tearing the packaging while removing discs?? I'm not yet half way through mine yet (how so many of my friends have already finished months ago makes me scratch my head just a little). It's like treating this treasure like Rush Limbaugh treats his deli meats instead of treating it like the finest bottle of wine one's ever put lips to. And I'm not talking about you here John. I have some friends who literally went through this thing one show a day. Anywho....I am very careful when I open the show and remove the discs. I ask for quiet in the house (and sometimes get it) and VERY slowly and VERY carefully remove the discs to put them on a spindle in my car, where they stay until I've finished it. I then return them with the same care and love. You should see my wife when she happens to see me in the process of doing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonomajon Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Also what came in 1978 was Weir's slide. At the time I really don't remember it being any kind of issue...But I really had zero complaints about anything during that time period in my life...Listening, in retrospect it does seem like on the job training, and does tweak my ears. Especially when juxtaposed against Garcia playing slide on Row Jimmy for example...But I have been listening to the E72 box set and Weir is mind blowing throughout! Loving his tone too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Dstone5553 Posted March 21, 2012 Forum MVP Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 But I have been listening to the E72 box set and Weir is mind blowing throughout! Loving his tone too... Man...I really like the heads in this thread! (Not me.) And much agreed Jon. Some of Weir's play during this time is just not to be believed. I'm floored by some of his instrumentals from 1972 and the sound they captured and gave to us from this tour make them at times sound like they are almost not of this world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP John A Posted March 21, 2012 Author Forum MVP Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 And the middle verse in Fire ('Almost Ablaze') hadn't been sung yet. All '77 Fires are two verse Fires, the first middle verse coming in 1978. Well I'll be dipped in shit...had lost track of that! I guess I'm overdue for a session with Cornell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP John A Posted March 21, 2012 Author Forum MVP Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 There is speculation that 9-2-78 was the 1st appearance of the "Almost ablaze" verse. Which begs the question, does DSO perform the middle verse in '77 recreations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Dstone5553 Posted March 21, 2012 Forum MVP Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 9/2/78 is the first Fire that I have with three versus. But I'd be willing to listen to someone who told me they found one earlier. And, from what I can see and hear at least, DSO does with the songs what they are moved to do with the songs in that moment. If that means having an 'Almost Ablaze' verse in a '77 recreation than so be it (!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Island Bro Posted March 21, 2012 Forum MVP Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Speaking of all that, can anyone confirm what words Jerry is actually singing on the first Fire played live at the 4:25-4:30 point in the recording from the link below? Seems that he was still experimenting with the lyrics for this song...! http://www.archive.org/details/gd77-03-18.sbd.unknown.254.sbeok.shnf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Tea Posted March 21, 2012 Forum MVP Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 I wonder if any portion of these lyrics from Jerry come from the the original poem by Hunter: Babys in scarlet, her shackles in grey If loves to love she's got it salted away Out of the rat trap and under the wire Out of the frying pan and into the fire Put it down heavy, strip it down lean Got to lay it down dirty and play it back clean Fireman, fireman, call off your dog this isn't a blaze, it's just a hog in the log Cut up in sections, squirming alive lost to the world on that fifty cent jive There's a fire on the mountain, running around what doesn't go up can never come down It doesn't sound like Jerry is pulling words from here. In fact it almost sounds like he utters the word 'penis' but what do I know. Would would Freud say ? I have heard Robert Hunter sing these lyrics before but the tape it was on is long gone. Anyone know where I can find it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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