Viola Lee Blues is the greatest song ever written

[DesertDead]

Discuss.  
 

Oh, first go here.  Take headphones and a volume button.

 

https://relisten.net/dark-star-orchestra/2014/06/05/13-viola-lee-blues?source=8854

[Mojo Hand]

I must say there is a lengthy list of Garcia/Hunter and Weir/Barlow songs that I much prefer over this Noah Lewis selection.  

 

[Ammagamalin Crew]

Rockin' spiraling leads with simple direct lyrics, at times it calms down and we all get to enjoy life round here, then back to the creshendas⚡

Wonder why the dead didnt play it and now everyone tries their hand at it? Saw a surprising acoustic rumpke mtn boys version at Shady O Gradys, but why not any in the 80's or 90's, yet now it happens as much as St Stephen? Not a complaint, just discussion, maybe they peaked it in the 60's? But then we did get crytical in 85, I certainly love being there when a viola lee blues begins knowing its going to build and build and then explode and everyone will be getting down. All songs are great when their context and delivery blend to give meaning, joy and sorrow to the life we live. I think Ammagamalin Street is one of the best albums ever written, esp gypsy parlor lights. Love a live viola and give credits to the musicians who delve in it 

[LangeradoSoul]

Viola Lee Blues is a favorite, and this one is a spiraling beast

[Rude]

Viola lee blues is an amazing jam song with multiple deconstructions into crescendos and depending on the version, it may be deconstructed again just when you think the song is back to its standard melody, but lyrically it’s very basic. 

Oh and DSO takes it bigger than the dead. But being fair, the dead abandoned it so DSO has taken the reins on it. 

[John A]

I'm going to posit what will perhaps be an unpopular concept; that Jerry shelved Viola Lee because he thought it was at least to some degree a vehicle to play fast for fastness' sake. And thereby once The Dead showed what they could do with it he was done, as there was nothing left to prove.

 

Which reminds me of the awesome story when Jerry worked in Dana Morgan's music store way back in the Palo Alto days. Some cocky kid comes in, takes a guitar off the shelf, and dives right into some intense shredding frenzy.  When he takes the guitar off his shoulder, Jerry quips, "what's the matter, man, you run out of talent?"

[Greg from Chestertown]

Good point. Maybe that’s why it didn’t last in the rotation. They milked it for all it was worth and then that’s that. Reminds me of Saint Stephen.
   When I think about the best song ever, I think about Cumberland Blues. Written by members of the band, not a cover. At the time, American Beauty/Workingman’s era, they wrote their own song which is a tribute to their roots yet it is as good as any classic bluegrass/Country tune. When you think about the timing of it’s birth in the evolution of the band and where they came from, it could be considered the best Grateful Dead song ever. Clearly, I sidestepped all of the psychedelia, but Cumberland is the first tune that popped into my head when I first read this topic and haven’t been able to discount it. 

[John A]

Greg, I think you've stumbled onto a great point about Cumberland... that tune, given the evolution of the Dead's material at the time, feels like it's a cover.  But ultimately it's arguably a greater version of the songs they were getting into. Genius shit!

 

Back to the "greatest song ever written"... As a card carrying over the top Dead freak, that song has to be one with lyrics by Robert Hunter, music by Jerry Garcia, right?  Once that's been established, pick your poison.  😆 🤣

[Tea]

Best GD songs ever written?  It’s a dead heat between Terrapin and Ripple

 

Best non-GD song ever written?  Bob Dylan

 

Viola Lee makes me moist and lustful - A spiraling giant indeed!  Never thought I’d ever get to ‘dance one’ live but DSO was/is up to the task.  The collective dance vibe reaction when Viola starts up always makes me giddy - always gets a “Yes!!!” or “Oh Wow!” or after lots of dancing “Oh Shit!”
 

Once it really gets cookin it’s like trying to ride a mechanical bull ❤️

[Mojo Hand]

On 1/8/2022 at 5:50 PM, John A said:

I'm going to posit what will perhaps be an unpopular concept; that Jerry shelved Viola Lee because he thought it was at least to some degree a vehicle to play fast for fastness' sake.

 

I have a similar thought to what John A says above;

 

In the early to mid-sixties....the idea of improvised and extended musical improvisation was something brand new in the world of rock and roll.  As it pertains to performing in front of a live studio audience, this sort of thing was really only being done by jazz artists.  The Grateful Dead were the first to bring it to the rock and roll world.  Add in LSD.....and the perfect storm was brewing.  

 

The Grateful Dead played out the experiment for all it was worth and I will posit another idea that will be unpopular.  I don't think the phenomena of the Grateful Dead would have continued into the the mid-70's and beyond if they did not mature beyond the extended jams of Viola Lee Blues, 30 minute Dark Stars, 25 minute Lovelights, Pigpen Blues, and some of the early "psychedelic sound" songwriting efforts.

 

As the 60's turned into the 70's is when they matured as songwriters and wrote more music that had legs.  More accessible song structures combined with extended, interesting, and diverse musical improvisations is where the magic happened IMHO.  I think that most of the music from the 65-69 was retired with good reason.  Viola Lee Blues is fairly one-dimensional.  The Grateful Dead's future efforts were far more diverse.  That sort of song was interesting in that time period because no one had played like that before.  But if that sort of song continued to be the calling of the Grateful Dead, I don't think they would have lasted. 

 

Something like Viola Lee Blues epitomizes why I think the jam band craze of the late 90's and early 2000's was so over-rated.  Jamming for the sake of jamming may have been interesting when it was new.  However, the Grateful Dead graduated beyond that and into a new realm.  Most of jam bands of the 2000's practiced a form or "musical masturbation" that the Grateful Dead left behind when they played it beyond its' useful life.

 

One man's opinion....

 

 

On 1/8/2022 at 11:08 PM, John A said:

Back to the "greatest song ever written"... As a card carrying over the top Dead freak, that song has to be one with lyrics by Robert Hunter, music by Jerry Garcia, right?  Once that's been established, pick your poison

 

As far as limiting the discussion to Hunter/Garcia tunes.... I don't know about that?????  

For many years, I would have answered that question with "Music Never Stopped".  While it may not be at the top of your list.....that can't be wrong....right?

 

 

[Greg from Chestertown]

Limiting it to Hunter/Garcia instantly rules out box a rain. Mistake, as that’s up there on my list. 

[stlblues]

I was there when Phil Lesh & Friends played Viola Lee Blues four times during the 2nd set at the Riverport Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights, Mo. on 7-10-01. It was unbelievable to hear the song played four times. This show makes my Top 10 List of live shows I've seen since I started seeing live concerts in June 1980.

 

Set 1

Playin' In The Band* >
She Belongs To Me* >
Truckin'* >
Playin' In The Band*
Doin' That Rag >
Midnight Train >
Passenger >
Doin' That Rag

*with Bob Weir

 

Set 2

Alligator
Sugaree
Dire Wolf
Viola Lee Blues >
The Eleven >
Tons of Steel >
Viola Lee Blues >
Strawberry Fields Forever >
Viola Lee Blues >
Lovelight >
Viola Lee Blues
Encore:
Into The Mystic

[Mango]

On 1/10/2022 at 12:49 PM, Mojo Hand said:

 

I have a similar thought to what John A says above;

 

In the early to mid-sixties....the idea of improvised and extended musical improvisation was something brand new in the world of rock and roll.  As it pertains to performing in front of a live studio audience, this sort of thing was really only being done by jazz artists.  The Grateful Dead were the first to bring it to the rock and roll world.  Add in LSD.....and the perfect storm was brewing.  

 

The Grateful Dead played out the experiment for all it was worth and I will posit another idea that will be unpopular.  I don't think the phenomena of the Grateful Dead would have continued into the the mid-70's and beyond if they did not mature beyond the extended jams of Viola Lee Blues, 30 minute Dark Stars, 25 minute Lovelights, Pigpen Blues, and some of the early "psychedelic sound" songwriting efforts.

 

As the 60's turned into the 70's is when they matured as songwriters and wrote more music that had legs.  More accessible song structures combined with extended, interesting, and diverse musical improvisations is where the magic happened IMHO.  I think that most of the music from the 65-69 was retired with good reason.  Viola Lee Blues is fairly one-dimensional.  The Grateful Dead's future efforts were far more diverse.  That sort of song was interesting in that time period because no one had played like that before.  But if that sort of song continued to be the calling of the Grateful Dead, I don't think they would have lasted. 

 

Something like Viola Lee Blues epitomizes why I think the jam band craze of the late 90's and early 2000's was so over-rated.  Jamming for the sake of jamming may have been interesting when it was new.  However, the Grateful Dead graduated beyond that and into a new realm.  Most of jam bands of the 2000's practiced a form or "musical masturbation" that the Grateful Dead left behind when they played it beyond its' useful life.

 

One man's opinion....

 

 

 

As far as limiting the discussion to Hunter/Garcia tunes.... I don't know about that?????  

For many years, I would have answered that question with "Music Never Stopped".  While it may not be at the top of your list.....that can't be wrong....right?

 

 

 

You make some good points.  However,  DSO and perhaps other post-GD bands have taken Viola to places that the Dead were not able to at that time. I've experienced some fairly mindbending and epic Violas. 

 

Of course what you are saying is true- the music most always evolve~

[BillK522]

I recall a Viola set closer at the Ledges

that was everything you could ask for.

 

Praise DSO.

[Wharf Rat Stu]

As a jam vehicle, Dark Star is my go-to tune.

But that is not, in my opinion, the best GD Song, I would have to go towards a Jerry Ballad such as Ripple, or Standing on the Moon, or maybe Brokedown.

 

But strictly on lyrics, the one tune that hits home more than any other, to me, isn't even a Dead Tune. (Don't expel me.... :))

With me being a Wharf Rat, the lyrics to Phish's "Everything's Right" gives me strength and hope daily.

"...The Long Night's Over And The Suns Coming Up!"

[LangeradoSoul]

On 1/11/2022 at 12:38 PM, stlblues said:

I was there when Phil Lesh & Friends played Viola Lee Blues four times during the 2nd set at the Riverport Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights, Mo. on 7-10-01. It was unbelievable to hear the song played four times. This show makes my Top 10 List of live shows I've seen since I started seeing live concerts in June 1980.

 

Set 1

Playin' In The Band* >
She Belongs To Me* >
Truckin'* >
Playin' In The Band*
Doin' That Rag >
Midnight Train >
Passenger >
Doin' That Rag

*with Bob Weir

 

Set 2

Alligator
Sugaree
Dire Wolf
Viola Lee Blues >
The Eleven >
Tons of Steel >
Viola Lee Blues >
Strawberry Fields Forever >
Viola Lee Blues >
Lovelight >
Viola Lee Blues
Encore:
Into The Mystic

I did the whole tour. Fantastic show. Viola Lee was the theme for the tour it seemed. Amazing music and since I was 19, amazing summer. Also, did Junior Brown open this show? I know he did in Kansas.

On 1/12/2022 at 12:34 PM, BillK522 said:

I recall a Viola set closer at the Ledges

that was everything you could ask for.

 

Praise DSO.

I went and listened to this one. It was fantastic! Thanks for the rec.

[GoingBackTo Where....]

Definitely not one of the best songs ever written by the GD, but a song that will always shake every atom in your being when you hear DSO jam it right. 

 

I agree with many previous post.  DSO takes it to a new level.  Its a song that needs to be experienced live.  The power and thunder in that song is rivaled by very few.  DSO can speed it up where it makes old Metalica, and Iron Maiden seem like elevator music you heard as a 10 year old.   I have never heard a GD version that matches DSO---particularly----BLK Mnt--would say 2017--maybe.   

 

Didnt they end 69' Jubilee with a crushing VLB?------I think I saw T collapse after that encore--granted---it was power packed show before the slayed the encore.  

 

Songs with that much jam have to be heard live.  

 

T for Terrapin-----definitely top 10 along with Ripple....but really-----I can not honestly rate songs mentioned in past post as each one mentioned has moved me in ways the others have not.  Individually they all really seem as important as the next.  Less Tons of Steel-----still I can relate to a bitch burning hot---least a machine can be turned off, just Leshing the grade.

 

Note---nothing more fun than kids off on a snow day in a place that rarely sees the white treat!!!

 

You know what the best of that is-----Snow Cream!!!  Evaporated milk, vanilla extract (organic of course), and snow---blend then offer-----leshing the yellow snow!!!!  

 

 

 

 

 

[stlblues]

On 1/21/2022 at 6:44 AM, LangeradoSoul said:

I did the whole tour. Fantastic show. Viola Lee was the theme for the tour it seemed. Amazing music and since I was 19, amazing summer. Also, did Junior Brown open this show? I know he did in Kansas.

I went and listened to this one. It was fantastic! Thanks for the rec.

Ratdog opened for Phil & Friends in St. Louis on 7-10-01 

 

7-10-01 St. Louis - Ratdog set list:

Odessa@3, Me and My Uncle@3, Bury Me Standing, Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Good Morning Little Schoolgirl > Loser > Bird Song, Little Red Rooster*, Tanqueray*, Easy to Slip > Bird Song Jam > Bass/Drums > Two Djinn > Corrina > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower

*-with Johnnie Johnson (Keys); Bob sat in with Phil and Friends

Previous ''Tanqueray'' 4/15/1997 [226 shows]

(Opened for Phil and Friends)

[LangeradoSoul]

9 hours ago, stlblues said:

Ratdog opened for Phil & Friends in St. Louis on 7-10-01 

 

7-10-01 St. Louis - Ratdog set list:

Odessa@3, Me and My Uncle@3, Bury Me Standing, Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Good Morning Little Schoolgirl > Loser > Bird Song, Little Red Rooster*, Tanqueray*, Easy to Slip > Bird Song Jam > Bass/Drums > Two Djinn > Corrina > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower

*-with Johnnie Johnson (Keys); Bob sat in with Phil and Friends

Previous ''Tanqueray'' 4/15/1997 [226 shows]

(Opened for Phil and Friends)

Yes, I know Ratdog opened, but some shows Junior Brown was the preopener