Grateful Dead - Black Muddy River (1990-12-28) Oakland

[jackkirkner]

Is this world not big enough for both Phish and the Dead? Aside from some crossover in their fanbase, they have little in common musically besides a passion for improv. Jazz bands have a passion for improv. Do we compare them to the Dead? Hell no!

[axelmowmers]

Saw the bust out at RFK 95', i still remember it like it was yesterday! Wonderful!!

[andrewjc1]

I miss you Jerry, so much. Thank you for everything :)

[blish101]

to all the phish haters - Phish are Grateful Dead fan, like all of us! so they like to cover G DEAD and are still keeping Jerry's memory alive! if u don't want them to cover any more then may b just may b u also shouldn't play Dead's song on ur guitar! OR even shouldn't sing along jerry! and this is coming from a person who has only heard a couple of phish's song! what i learnt from G Dead is that music should be shared! may b we are not listening to the same grateful dead!

[Bekuzikan1]

this song brings tears to my eyes.. I have been going through alot of bullshit and this song just makes me feel so good :) I wish I had the chance to see Jerry! his spirit lives on!!

[blueridgedew]

3 people fell in the river and couldn't get out because they didn't get shown the light. I would think that falling into a black muddy river would be the strangest of places to look at it right...

[miindify]

Just saw this as an encore in Madison on the 19th. I cant get enough of them right now.

[tuneindropout420]

2 people fell in the river...

[redpigskinz]

I don't care if missed a few lyrics ol' buddy!! To me, that's what made u so special!!

[brophy71]

just amazing



[MrAyan69]

This track is just out of this world............

I'm not that lucky to experience the havenly live concert of DEAD, but still I feel their music is hypnotic.......:}

[vomitzone]

how can he play it when he doesnt know the words? !

[IamIamView]

I have seen the Dead many times before Jerry passed, and I also saw Phish with 200 people in a small club in 1993. To all of the Phish fans that never had a chance to see The Grateful Dead live, I truly feel for you. You will only be able to experience the heaven it was for the millions of us in dreams, or when you are "gratefully dead."

[blueridgedew]

@IamIamView I hear you there, pal. It seemed like that last 5 or so years I would see, Phish heads everywhere trying to stay away from the dead show's saying that "Trey"! was the new, Jerry... HAA. Anyway, now they can see that it was more than, Jerry, when it came to the cool sounds of their music. I will say though..... Jerry was and alway's will be the best ever guitar player. I never saw Phish because I was on dead tour, but I did see, Trey. Thank you, Jerry. Maybe if Phish stayed together

[col79detroit]

If one wishes to compare this band, one might do well to compare it with something other than a band, like a vast ocean reef, for example, where unknown forms of wondrous colour and strange visage, beautiful in their mystery, appear amid rock and coral then slip away again to sun-tinted shadow. Any number of things, just not another band.

[edwarddixon89]

u are missed, Jerry!!

[gpres01]

I really really love this. Prolly my favorite song by the Dead.  Maybe, I don't know.

[lockeblue]

At 24 years old, I can't say shit about the Dead. I love 'em, but never experienced them. I have hit up as many Phish shows as I can, though, and they've obviously impacted me more than their predecessors. Not saying one is better than the other, cause I can't. Never will. It seems like two or three, hell, maybe four generations are pissing over a senseless argument.

[nellebell228]

phish isn't as good at the dead but I still like phish, I'd say 2nd best but the dead paved the way for them, without Jerry, there'd be no phish.

[wizdumb420]

the man was a great performer!

[feverlead]

keep phish to your selves this is a dead video

[jch91875]

Are these people actually comparing the dead to phish??? WTF. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of both, but without Uncle Jerry and the boy's there wouldn't have been a phish. Lets not forget phish started as a dead cover band.

[Zedlock]

LOL its always the phish heads who try to justify phish being better then the boys... deadheads have no need to boast cause we and history know which is the more significant band. No one will care about phish 15 years after their end, and this is coming from a long time phish head. its just the truth, phish is good too but won't leave a mark like Jerry did.

[Zedlock]

Life just isn't as much fun without him.

[kcb3141]

I love when Jer flubs the lyrics, because the music kicks up 10x to cover.

[traze420]

so beautiful

[theMNjeddler]

i was agast listening to this in that Vince is ALREADY yipping over Jerry having been with the band for less than six mo's!! WTF Even Brent took years before he started drowning out the master. anywho.......i only heard a few "muddy's" but it's very tender. This is so fun to poke around and see what I can find on here. It seems to constantly evolve. "New one's comin' as the old one's go" kinda deal. I'd like to see more of the crowd and more parking lot video's.....anyone. Fun though. thank's!

[kinza999]

Long live the Dead

[RNFROMOREGON]

This song is so awesome. The Dead rocked I followed thier shows from La to Boston and back. The experience it self will live in my heart forever. RIP Jerry

[zeekyblahIV]

Does anyone know where I can get free sheet music to play this on a hammered dulcimer?

[nestafari1976]

Miss ya Jerry... Blessings, brother.

[ANDEEDEE1]

once again i sit and cry

[MegaMilla09]

who is phish? lol.....I know Jerry....

[rdiggity1]

jerry's last song

[ANDEEDEE1]

Let the fatman sing on.

[ApocalypseKurtz]

I'm not a Grateful Dead fan and this video has me practically in tears. That says it all.

[lincolnston]

drugs or no drugs jerry is the man! man

[oicwatudidthare]

@lincolnston

yeah, man.

[dosed1dosed1000]

one of my first shows never forget and at @musscikman go fudge ur self

[dosed1dosed1000]

one of my first shows never forget

[muzzickman]

Well, the rest of the band DID confront Jerry at his home just a couple months after this vid regarding his China White habit. They basically told him to choose the drugs or the band. He said "Ok then, the DRUGS!" then promptly slammed the door in their face. Of course, the rest of the band gave in, again. What else were they gonna do? Fire their trademark bearded one? Even one of their accountants noted that it would be far less costly to allow him to self-destruct and die than to fire him.

[bigmama330]

roflcookies, thanks for the tip about the album this song is on!

[BANJOMILITIA]

Still giving me goosebumbs after all these years. One of my top dead songs. Heady heady heady.

[strainoc]

@KingSolomonsMarbles Well Said KSM...Phish is NOTHING like the DEAD...???

And as far as remembering words goes, Jerry knew 100's of songs...YES 100's!!!

I know 20-30 and I forget words all the time!!! Any one who saw Jerry LIVE and notice him forgetting the words was Actually pretty funny. My friends and I would look at eachother and Laugh because we caught him being MORTAL...

Miss you JERRY...

[smogs007]

@strainoc hey bud..Phish is Phish..but please do not compare Jerry to them...R.I.P..Big man...Dead is Dead..saw Jerry and will cherish him d way he was..mate..no offense..but Phish can go take a hike compared to the Dead..and to tel u i Love the Phish..not as much as I love the Dead

[WeirSpirit]

@strainoc amen to that, brother

[visicapiscus]

dude, forgetting words was a dead trademark...i saw ratdog a couple years ago in l.a. and bobby forgot the words to ramble on rose a couple times. its not a whether ur fucked up or not thing its an energy thing.

[bigmama330]

Yeah this song gets me all the time,when Jerry starts singin it,I get goosepbumps someitmes and I always think of my hometown in Hungary, we had a river by us and as kids we used to swim in it and sometimes it did turned black and muddy,( (depending on the weather.)

Well we remeber Jerry on his birthday. He was too young to go!!!!

[theslerner]

Happy Birthday Jerry Garcia. The sweetest gutar and voice I ever did hear. Even if he did forget the words sometimes :) I'll love and miss you forever.

[finematt]

Jerry really pours his soul in this version of BMR....

[borntrippin]

Agreed the Dead and Phish totally different elephants!! There was some real soul to the Dead, Phish was good too, but lacked the earthly feel!!

[buildflycrash]

Bye Larry - See ya there. 

[Zenjedi99]

There is NO phish song that pulls @ my tear ducts like this song does. JERRY R.I.P.

[boseffis]

@Zenjedi99 i agree with you

[hippiejohn33]

I was There.

[bigmama330]

@hippiejohn33 wish i was too!!!! man what an experience must have been.!!now i listen to the cd.s and thank god for satellite radio!!!!!! guess what station i got it on??? (well mostly!)

[silentdreemz85]

Alot of people think he forgot the words because he was so high, but in reality his forgetfullness was due more to his extremely bad health situation, with diabetes, high blood pressure, he also had a very bad heart, not to mention the coma that almost killed him in july of 86, in which he had to literally learn how to play guitar again cuz he forgot. He had alot of problems towards the end and he still got up on stage and gave a great performans and forgot alot of words and still finished song

[defoliatedMYmaple]

everything's gonna be ok... thnx jerry

[1168a]

PURE JERRY..........RIP MY FRIEND

[MrPtown503]

Man I was messed up on this tour,and it seems Jerry was too.How many words did he forget?

[KIFsmoke]

u try to remember the words to thousands of songs

[30todd30]

All I know is if I was stuck on an island and could only have one bands catelog. I wouldn't even have to think, it would be The Grateful Dead. They have a song for any emotion you could possibly feel. Love Ya Jerry!!!!

[redneckpride4ever]

Is it wrong for a right wing hillbilly to cry when he hears this?

[ducksduckspac10]

@redneckpride4ever nope. jerry was the man, no matter who you are. the dead had a huge country influence. jerry also played in a bluegrass band, and he is simply the man.

[TheElissaS]

That has to be THE most ignorant statement I've ever heard--"Jerry was so doped out of his mind, he forgot the words. Damn, just saw a show with Ginger Baker and Clapton and they had a list of the words right in front of them. Oh yea, I guess Jerry was so doped up he forgot how to play the guitar, also.

[RoofCleannc]

Brings tears to my eyes. It hurt to see the dead last year for the first time without Jerry. What a loss. I prefer the dead over Phish also. There is no comparison.

[jwhardin740]

cave of the winds-

I saw GD do this live in Maine back in the day. The emotion Jerry showed was not of a man who "hated playing this song".

Just sayin'

[thecaveofthewinds]

Jerry hated to play this song.

[gurdjieff66]

How do you know this? I think it meant a lot to him. First song he wrote after his diabetic coma, and the last song he ever sang with the Dead, at the last show in Chicago.

[visicapiscus]

@gurdjieff66 last song he played with the dead at soldiers feild was ripple

[Davviiidd]

@thecaveofthewinds proof?

[tracedef]

@thecaveofthewinds He and only he chose what he wanted to play and when, so you're wrong on all counts.

[PMishkin]

"and the stones roll from my eyes instead of YEARS".

[blakemoody3]

beautiful .............

[odanak100]

i think the version on "In The dark' is a studio outtake - I wish it was posted

[bigmama330]

This is a beautiful song, Jerry sound a little tired. I still like this version. I wonder if there is a studio version of this song?

[AppleUploader]

oh yeah man, it's great. Just get it off limewire

[bigmama330]

Thanks i.ll try!!!!!

[roflcookies]

it's on In The Dark

[bigmama330]

i,ll get the cd, hope i can find it. thanks

[djcrik]

yap, is from the album built to last and is a exelent version

[wolverine84]

@djcrik

From In the Dark, not Built To Last



[bluesman841]

Brent was my favorite Dead Keyboardist but Hornsby is one hell of an artist, being in the dead made him that much better

[boseffis]

very good song. too bad jerry butchers it here.

[andrewjc]

this was the first night of a four night new years run in Oakland, I mail ordered for all four shows and went from Miami FLA to Oakland to catch em all. I remember staying at the Motel 6 just a few blocks away from the venue and walking to the shows....the New Years show was great (I still have my ticket stub) but the 3 shows prior were just as good if not better. Thank you Jerry, we miss you bro!

[cocolinaelse]

My favorite many years ago

[frederickus]

Bluegrass icon Jesse McReynolds does a fine version of this! Thanks Rob't Hunter!

[uninhabitedspace]

This one gets me every time, I live Chicago and he played this at the last show.

[silentdreemz85]

ioriorior  if only you felt what dead heads felt.....and then you wouldnt be like phish and almost know what this lifestyle is like

[GraachAhim]

It's Hornsby on piano isn't it ? I miss Brent here, he'd do it better than Hornsby+Welnick.

[chiefmojorising1]

This is like totally a Missouri song.

[chiefmojorising1]

Man, I heard this song for the first time when I was 16, at bonnaroo 2003. Jimmy Herring did the instrument, and It was absotluly stellar. I think that was the first time thye had played the song in years

[doodahman1970]

Beautiful

[pennsyltuckyjonesr]

My dog "the last Rose of summer" passed in my arms yesterday. She and this song will always be special to me.

[striperjoe28]

was it a lab?

[pennsyltuckyjonesr]

She was a beautiful chocolate lab, born a few days before Jerry passed. My best friend.

[striperjoe28]

I had a big baby yellow Lab for 12 years.

Ruben..

[pennsyltuckyjonesr]

she was my best freind.

[deadheaded71]

jerry's havin fun i had to smile when he forgot the lyrics and seeing him chuckle pretty cool a very difficult song to play

[biomech78]

who dosed this guys camera..  ; )

[biomech78]

still one of my all time favorites.. still thinking i want this song played at my funeral. we all still love you jerry!! you will go on 4ever in my eyes..

[89sally89]

Very special.  this song pulls at my heartstrings and I'm not alone. It's very special..

[Fliedermous]

"The spirit of the man and this music"

Nicely said. This is a fantastic video that records an event never to be repeated. Neither the place or the time will avail itself to the emotion and the pure joy of living music.

Jerry, we remember you as you were, seems like so long ago. You left us too soon.

[strainoc]

@Fliedermous...Well said!!! Jerry Knew HUNDREDS of songs...I know 10's of songs and I forget words ALL the time...Miss you Jerry...

[pretourious]

Jerry was and still IS the man!

[outdoorguy1215]

this song is truly amazing and moving

[budarunner]

I miss Jerry

[johnjohn02021964]

this was my frist ever show in calif. paid face value for the ticket in the parking lot

[tindermo]

Im filled with gratitude to you for putting this video up and this qualitiy is good if you compare videos from the 70's and 80's videos that i have seen .

[shabbychicartist]

THANK YOU ,what more needs to be said

[hohwband]

agreed.....it's about the spirit of the man and this music.

looking for a crisp techinical production, you're probably on the wrong page.

[KingSolomonsMarbles]

have it argued over  if you dont like this version go to archive and listen to a better version i happen to find some magic in the nineties you all need to keep your opinions to yourself and enjoy the music if you dislike a song dont listen to that song thats all i have to say

dead tour 2009 will be epic

[KingSolomonsMarbles]

to end this once and for all you cant compare phish to the dead jerry was a bluegrass player and im not sure what trey was into they are to totally different groups the only thing they have in common is the jamming both phish and the dead were excellent groups but i prefer the dead you can listen to whoever you want but dont say one band is better dont try to push your OPINION on others. also just because jerry forgets words doesnt mean hes doped out of his mind this song is too beautiful to

[wolverine84]

@KingSolomonsMarbles

One of Trey's major influences is Frank Zappa.

[strainoc]

@KingSolomonsMarbles Well Said KSM...Phish is NOTHING like the DEAD...???

And as far as remembering words goes, Jerry knew 100's of songs...YES 100's!!!

I know 20-30 and I forget words all the time!!! Any one who saw Jerry LIVE and notice him forgetting the words was Actually pretty funny. My friends and I would look at eachother and Laugh because we caught him being MORTAL...

[strainoc]

@KingSolomonsMarbles @KingSolomonsMarbles Well Said KSM...Phish is NOTHING like the DEAD...???

And as far as remembering words goes, Jerry knew 100's of songs...YES 100's!!!

I know 20-30 and I forget words all the time!!! Any one who saw Jerry LIVE and notice him forgetting the words was Actually pretty funny. My friends and I would look at eachother and Laugh because we caught him being MORTAL...

Miss you JERRY...

[cpbhaskett]

@KingSolomonsMarbles The one thing that Phish and GD have in common is that they both play Dead songs. Phish started out life as a dead cover band. People used to yell 'jerry' at early Phish shows. I don't know what the argument is about, but 'the only thing they have in common is the jamming' is inaccurate.

[TheCatfishJames]

@KingSolomonsMarbles phish is better!

[coyote023]

@KingSolomonsMarbles At the ripe old age of 18 your opinioin of phish and the grateful dead means less than zero. Jerry a bluegrass player? Before you are able to give a true opinion of anything i think that you should experience what your opinion states. You have never seen garcia.I gotta stop here if i go on you will never understand what i was gonna say.Go listen to justin beaver and lady gaga they are a little closer to your speed.

[laltubabu]

I guess the ultimate truth of life is been depicted so poetically in this track that one can not deny the fact in any way.

Long live flower power.

[OldWaysFollower]

exactly. Life IS a river, and it IS often muddy and dirty. But it HAS another side, the better one...

[banjomikeomalley]

this song gives me goose bumps every time

[mmauler132]

i think was there as well but then i ben to so mine show it tuff to remeber all the show that i went to but i still love the show that i went to over the yaers this song is one of my fav

[beadingnutritionist]

I believe that I was too. I was at the New Year's show that year, well 1990-91.

[zooknoone]

I think I was at this show...

[zooknoone]

Love this song - brings tears to my eyes

[Altoonasuks]

I WILL WALK ALONE....I'm GONNA FIND MY OWN MAY BACK HOME......miss you jerry...sing me back home....till the morning comes

[bookteafun]

Jerry seems pretty wasted on this one from the way he completely spaces out the lyrics. But the rest of the playing is top notch. A nice version over all. One of the best things about the Dead, and anyone who plays with feeling, is sometimes they stumble. It's the humanity of it. It's real life, living your art, not plastic posturing as with most bands out there. Judge the feeling in it rather than the polish.

[rlawton002]

I too would like this played at my funeral...death party. Just not this version.

[heline88]

to comment on this Phish/Dead rant, I saw Phish from the time they were a bar band playing in Montpelier (and trust me, there were mishaps within the music)up to the end...no doubt great music. Then there is the Dead...music that melded together different generations and cultures. Where else would you find a 50+ woman teaching some dreadlocked collegiate to knit, near where the wharf rats were having an AA meeting. The music created a community, a home. No arguements needed, enjoy the music.

[iorioriorio]

Thats right Im young enough to remember the 60's and old enough to know that phish had the vibe "vibe" and whether a lyrics was misplaced only accentuates the old timey feeling...bless 'em all for keepin it alive, MAAAAn!!

[barneylbarnes]

i'm going to play this at my grave site

[egeetter1214]

Are people really still doing the "trey vs. jerry" or "dead vs. phish" thing. C'mon. I think its pretty clear who was the real deal, and who capatalized by riding on coat tails. Don't get me wrong, phish were a better than average band, for sure... but seriously there will only EVER be one true HEART OF GOLD BAND! Live once, DEAD FORVEVER!

[Altoonasuks]

WELL PUT

The Dead Phish argument is 12 year's old & ridiculous to even compare Anastasio & Garcia. I say Garcia had more of a choppy ,pluckin stlyte, while Trey played very smoothly. Garcia is GRATEST! But trey is very GOOD also.

Peace

Paul

[rlawton002]

Buy In The Dark, cost you 9 dollars on itunes pluss u get some cherry Brent shit.

[youngnck86]

can any get me a unlive version of this

[unclerick441968]

wow' tell me Jerry didn't go out the way he wanted!

[weckalini]

They're the best musical example of a great and Free America that cared for its people, regretfully an era now fading into political but not musical history. May the music keep us together, actually free, & in a high consciousness.

[byebyepc]

The Dead knew the truth man. THey saw what others couldn't. Jerry is the man and lives n with these videos and songs. They never did play a song the same twice and that is amazing. It was always so fun and light hearted. No other band comes close.

Only LSD lets you see what you are missing and reveals that world that is hidden to the blind seekers.

[mamasbabigurl07]

this is my cousins favorite song and every time i hear i cry cuz he isnt with us nomore

[cocainekissesZ]

this would be my favorite song, ever<3

[tstan12]

only nerds argue on the internet

[dogheartc]

"Dead vs. Phish Wars": very curious.

[pigpen7852]

trey will never even come close to jerry, did you know until jerry died, their has never been a band that has played for more years and in front of more people than THE GRATEFUlDEAD, PHIS SUK

[roberto3981]

the reason phish will not play in front of as many people as the dead is because they realized that at some point you are tarnishing your legacy when you cant play your own songs without fucking up the lyrics and forgetting the chords. and besides, your hippie ass ought to realize that its quality not quantity.

[pigpen7852]

yes i know, its quality not quanity, but however you look at it phish still suck, i did see trey in colorado at red rocks an he is a good musician i will admit, but jerry was great if your poser ass would realize that then you would agree

[rockyracoon667]

i totally agree with you that garcia is a better musician than trey...to me phish just doesnt have the synergy that the dead had in their prime, but hes right...the dead should have called it quits after 75 or so. jerry would probably still be alive if they did that, playing with the jerry garcia band and things like that. its continuing the dead that got him into heroin, and that was the beginning of the end.

[roberto3981]

god this shit is just painful to watch. watching jerry just murder the lyrics, i mean come on. i love the dead's music but at some point you gotta throw in the towel. i give trey credit for knowing when to say when...

[webby920]

i think he sounds awesome in 91

[giggleandsquirm]

So are you going to see any of the summer tour or are you sticking to your guns?

[jayjohnstrick]

kill yourself

[jukeboxjohnny]

You should go eat some more pizza and keep your mouth shut when you chew.

[supernyge]

you will never known the true meaning of loss.. I lost a mentoure' and my guidance..... I will walk alone as I am strong.

[vomalley]

hey jerry messed up alot in his last year, who cares tho, i will never forget chigago, thanx jerry for the four years i got to see you when i die if i forever get to hear you play i'll be forevr grateful im dead

[deadheadCO]

this is by far one of my favorite grateful dead songs : ) jerry garcia...

[ddeadhead]

its river black mud, comon as long as they played it  dont forget this was the last song jerry sung at chicago double encore bmr yher box of rain shhiiiittttt

[StinkyWinky777]

I disagree...I saw Jerry do a few things wrong...However....It only showed he and the rest of the band were human and capable of f-cking up and yet able to make thousands of people estatically joyful.

[ronpaulguy2008]

The thing is that this is the truth right or wrong. It is how it all went down. In live performance there is only what it was and it was real and different every night some times more inspired than others other times heartfelt and broken but always sincere.

[johnnyv1938]

Jerry Garcia and Eric Clapton are the two best ever in my opinion. No one can play like either one of them.

[elbo33]

Incredible song about facing the inevitable.

[polishedandgleaming]

Guess I'm pretty biased, cuz Jer can't do any wrong when he was on stage

[ThankYouJerryGarcia]

I feel the same