Grateful Dead - Black Muddy River - Final - 7.9.95

[Louloe]

When loved ones pass, I have always cryed. When Jerry passed, I wept.

I/we lost not only a great man that day, but we also lost each other. Millions of friends, spread out threw hundreds of citys. Our single golden path to each other yearly was wiped away with a single brush stroke.

I miss you all!

Most of all, I miss you overalls, we first danced together in deer creek IN, and every east coast show after. We danced every tour we ran into eachother. Your hair still shimmers amoung the stars!

[Dyl3412]

wish i got to go to GD shows

[birdsongin]

I was at the MSG concert when they did this song with Bob Dylan...it was the last time I saw Jerry alive.......

[birdsongin]

Jer Bear...miss ya....n ..Love ya..

[pbnaj]

I agree with 'bcushing'. This is not a good performance. Symbolic, yes. The singing is horrid and the band is trudging through this song. Not really a big deal folks, there are literally 1000's of other shows to choose from. Let's be real the dead peaked LLLOOONNNGGG before 1995!!!!

[sonnysireci]

Watch Jerry's last interview.  He knew he was gunna die soon. He was pretty hopped up on something, or things. I still now can't believe he's gone. Soo sad. Such an amazing musician, artist, human.

[juanodropped1]

i still weep when i sing his songs

[moose2cool]

I dont shed to many tears,but this does it everytime!!Thank you Grateful Dead!!!!

[JasonMcIlroy]

I was sitting outside of Soldier Field for the show. Could hear it. but not see it.  I did see them in St. Louis A few days before and got to see them play this song. One of my favorites.

[joemorocco]

I was there for this show and it was heart wrenching to say the least. Call us fans enablers if you will for still supporting them even when they began to wane but only Jerry could make the decision to end the cycle of addiction that he was going through. In some ways the weight of this huge touring machine that the band had created likely helped to push him to medicate as there were so many people depending on this never-ending tour. He gave his all to those who loved him and the band RIP JJG

[occams99]

Read all this shit here. Did you ever understand?

[DrVonChilla]

Who knows what Jerry was thinking when he sang this song; no doubt something like "This tour is OVER and I can go HOME". I'm quite sure Jerry knew he was a dying man and he obviously wanted to try to save his life by heading into rehab.

I lost my dearest friend and musical partner back in August of 2005 under similar circumstances....he KNEW he was a dying man, but his attempt at salvation ended in a stroke, followed by death 34 days later.

RIP Jerry, and my beloved friend Victor......

[MrArcanefrog]

i wonder if jerry knew that this was the last time he was going to sing this

[tydusty]

You were not there dumb shit. I was and it was sad, but uplifting at the same time. Jerry pulled it together for this song. I don't think there was a dry eye in the place. I waved goodbye to him after the song was over. Lesh later said he couldn't let it end that way so he went into Box of Rain. I think Jerry knew it was over. It was a very heartfelt, soulful moment.

[ks1205]

@tydusty I was there, too, and you're right, everyone knew it was over. I cried through most of the show because it just felt like it was the end. The night before was absolutely horrible but the last night had moments of greatness. The last So Many Roads is amazing and is another one of the most soulful Jerry moments ever.

[bcushing]

This is just UGLY... I've seen drunken hacks in a bar play ten times better than this, and it's TRAGIC that an artist of this caliber reduced himself to this. Addiction SUCKS! And shame on his bandmates and his fans for tolerating and letting it go on!

[boangrooster]

@bcushing

should reads b s ushing, your opinion is worth bull shit, ya fkn hick!

[bcushing]

@boangrooster YOU shoud have went to school, illiterate twit!

[bcushing]

Sad.. He was 3 weeks from death and it showed... In a perverse way the Deadheads enabled him by cheering him on even though it was OBVIOUS to anyone with half a brain he was DYING and was a pathetic shadow of himself {Hippie Elvis}

[jonpolenski]

you are one sick ignorant fuck. you obviously have no idea about anything jerry went through. do you feel good about beeing an asshole? go braid some rope.

[bcushing]

@jonpolenski First of all I can't take ANYONE seriously who's functionally illiterate. Secondly, I'm well aware of what he was going through. Carpel tunnel can be fixed surgically. Thirdly, I don't think it's too much to ask for that the top-grossing and drawing band of their era actually PLAY well! Even Bob Weir has gone on record as saying he wishes the deadheads hadn't given them a free pass when they played lousy.

[vamvampypyrere]

@bcushing You're a horrible, ignorant person

[bcushing]

@vamvampypyrere If I'm a horrible ignorant person for expecting a band I spent my money to see actually PLAY well, than so be it!

[Davviiidd]

anyone know if the dvd of this is public or locked away by the Dead? there's a bunch of pro-shot videos from this show on youtube but i'd really like to see a pro vid of this song

[REDWORKSCINEMA]

Was there too. Stones fall from my eyes instead of "years" @ 5:22.

[velvethammer2002]

If you listen really closely he actually says in the very first chorus at 1:55, "I will walk alone by the LAST muddy river". It was the Last Black Muddy River and I was so happy to have been there to shed a small tear or two during the show. So Many Roads still gives me the chills to this day.

[bcushing]

@velvethammer2002 Cuz he was strung out and didn't know what PLANET he was on!

[eyesoftheworld721]

beautiful yet sad. 17 years almost since he left us. Remember all the other people we've lost

[upupandawaayyyyyyyy]

the irony is thick, and really fitting for his last song: "I will walk alone, by the black muddy river, and dream me a dream of my own..." he was genius. did he know that this would be his last? I wouldn't doubt it if he did. RIP Jerry. We miss you. Thank God for the music you left us. always grateful... thank you

[willmose285]

Wish I had the chance to see him play.

[MrStuVW]

God Holds You Jerry, You made it, Love

[No24us]

I think Phil played box of rain because Jerry and half the audience (including myself) were in tears.

[jeanhartely]

just dont know what to say  miss ya jerry

[mkonjhg1]

Box of Rain was the last, Correct

[MayorMichaelShell]

Probably the only time that Black Muddy River DIDN'T end the show. I heard Phil talk about this show once. Something about he felt badly about something and couldn't end the show/tour after this song, so he broke into Ripple...

[PikaJew1000]

@MayorMichaelShell i thought it was box of rain, not ripple.

[CRRvids]

So I guess Box of Rain was the true last song but Black Muddy River the last Jerry sang with the Grateful Dead.

[CRRvids]

Phil dropped into a Box of Rain right after this tune. Remember it like yesterday. Jerry was fading away.... Man I miss Jerry.... Photographs and memories....

[penningtonant]

@CRRvids Yeah, Croce; another late great.

[colorondemand]

Jerry lived and gave more in his 53 years than most would do in two lifetimes ..Thank you Jerry..Millions loved you!!! i'm so glad these videos exist and Jerry let people record his performences. 100 years from now people will still listen to him. A tear still fills my eye when i see the vids of him.

[melissa420ish]

SO WHAT WAS THE TRUE FINAL SONG?

[penningtonant]

@melissa420ish Box of Rain.

[swed420kid69]

Last Muddy RIVER.

[gratefulant1]

(~);} RIP Jerry and thank you for being so generous with yourself

[lbshore]

One hell of a swan song. Thanks.

[BMeister22]

This was Jerry's final song. :(

[DEADHEAD71344]

this maks me so fucking sad

[guyr2d2]

GDF

[TheFreak093]

Such a great sing. Jerry Garcia R.I.P. You shall be missed.