Grateful Dead - China Cat Sunflower / I Know You Rider ('70)

[lcolby11]

are those girls on acid?

[rdx506]

@lcolby11 Is the Pope Catholic ???

[lcolby11]

@rdx506 Sorry for the dumb question

[PinkFloydrulez]

phil looks goddamn cool here too

[PinkFloydrulez]

This is so fucking fierce I can't even deal

[ponchobill72]

What happened at the Family Dog, stayed at the Family Dog. The music, the atmosphere, the venue. Often imitated but never duplicated. (~}:)

[schach420]

I think it should be noted that the person playing the lead during segue(up until about 5:00, where it's obviously Jerry's guitar) is Bobby. I was listening to this today and the tone didn't sound like Jerry's guitar. The video confirms it.

[hallmark45]

Jerry is rippin' that Strat a new one!

[PinkFloydrulez]

i like how the sound quality here just sounds like shit

it's like the performance was just too fierce for the equipment to adequately contain and just got destroyed so this is what we're left over with

[PinkFloydrulez]

phil 'mancrush' lesh

[whiteheadcm]

i love to think of the dead right here--- definitely professionals by this time but still the super raw garage/bar band they were until, i dunno, 72? i wasn't there.

[JimmyPage97]

@whiteheadcm totally agree. Professional but still totally immature. I think that as the years went on they got "stale" with some songs.They seemed like they were really enjoying and having fun with this song.

[MrPete95]

Fuck! phil sounds amazing. So does jerry with that strat ohhh how i wish i would have been around to see dead shows

[MrLash1143]

Sooo groovy man but i think thats '71

[MikeDirnttribute]

Wow. Awesome! I just wish the sound quality was a little bit better

[jimsgreenberg]

Thanks for uploading.



[tyleryesta1]

Psychedelic Cowboys!

[clayrad1]

Oh Yea

[robbicohn]

f@#king AWESOME

[Lisica2008]

Nothing better than Garcia and Lesh together.

[folkhippy]

Happy belated birthday Jerry! The boys look so young here! Good 'ole Grateful Dead circa 1970. If only I had a time machine...

[spacemeddle]

Happy Birthday to one of the all time greats, Jerry Garcia, I'm tokin' and loccin' in his honor today, wish I had some psychedelics to truly honor his memory on this glorious day, get in touch with Jerry, and let him know your love.

[sheezarainbow]

haphaphappiness!! :) <3

[greenisthekolour]

all I need is cold beer and China Cat/Rider and I'm set

[thegreenolivo]

Tight. They really held it together better than the other jam bands from Frisco.

[monrizo123]

wheres bobby?

[williams78128]

@monrizo123 playing guitar...

[monrizo123]

@williams78128 oh haha so he is silly me

[JimmyPage97]

@monrizo123 Bobby Weir? 0:28 Hes to the right (our right) of Lesh

[thegunnydog]

Audio a bit crap, but wow, what a clip! Wish I could download it. I could clean this up. if anybody can email it let me know

T

[painful100]

@thegunnydog get a youtube downloader, lookup on google

[JimmyPage97]

the dead were just boss in the early years.

[K2Shit]

@JimmyPage97 they will always be boss

[GTinATL100]

China->Rider...second only to Scarlet->Fire. :-)

[ARollingStone11]

@GTinATL100

definitely a hard choice there! (~};-)

[natureperson420]

hey nw!

[jezmundberserker]

Joy!!!

[Hwillijonl]

This is the YouTube posting that hooked me on the Dead forever.

[LateNotes]

one of the coolest riffs in rock and roll history

[RogerFedTennis]

Shitty audio... Not in the same league as almost any 72-74 versions...

[billt6161]

@RogerFedTennis yeah, but the energy...

[damselinthisdress1]

One of my favorites. I loved when they did China with I Know You Rider. Ah, the memories!

[Lisica2008]

I like the way the girl dances at 1:13.

[deadheadstolla]

It's aweful. I'am sure the old time were better. I prefer the version from '72 in Veneta, Oregon. That show and the feelings of freedom are showed in the film on a very great way.

[paintdis423]

you think ?  duh

[marinman39]

This the Dead at their best. They were at the top of their game in 1970. I saw them in May of that year for the second time, and they were much tighter then a year before that; Had Energy and passion and yet they were very tight. A decade or so later they were still tight, but the energy and passion was mostly gone. Everything slowed way down.

[tinicum54]

Orange and Blue Barrels. Windowpane and White Light.

[wvhippychick]

Beyond Sweet !! TY for postin !! :-) :-):

[ClueSign]

Yeah...more cowbell, Billy!

[PowdaHound1]

@ClueSign i think thats pigpen on percussion

[RayNDeere]

@PowdaHound1 It is.

[magprob]

Man, that Stratocaster Jerry is chokin the shit out of sounds soooo fuckin good! This song rips my brain out. Phil is such a great bass player.

[MrSharkey11]

owsley acid , the ones I got had a owl stamped on the tabs, and many different colors depending on what batch was out! Ah yes! Fresh crispy acid....just like the music ! Those truely were the days!......Was there so long I got to calling it home! Peace to all......!.........

[spacemeddle]

@MrSharkey11 I'm so jealous! I would love to have taken some owsley acid

[MrSharkey11]

@spacemeddle , Those were indeed the good ole days! Haven't tripped in over 30 years! But, when I did, it was the real deal! I remember the last of the sunshine days,a magical bygone era in american (musical?) history. Was privliged to have been a part of the whole scene! Well, Happy trails to you,and yours my friend, PEACE!

[spacemeddle]

@MrSharkey11 Peace man

[JamesSig]

@MrSharkey11 We sound like twins my friend! Something I could have written virtually verbatim!! PEACE and Trails to you my (Orange barrel) sunshiine brother! :) (Purple Haze wasn't too shabby either but sunshine was my first and best... hadsome supposed owsley but it wasn't different/good enough to be sure it really was that...) Last time was at last Dead show I went to in 1980 - 30 years ago!

[wellspout]

like all great dance bands, they played better in bars

[ascheylus]

thank you jerry.. namaste does anybody else notice how bobby takes the lead at some point and jerry plays rhythm? sweet...

[ascheylus]

thank you jerry.. namaste

[markszpak]

Really raw, naked energy. Lesh is a highlight. Gets across the feeling of being there, wild dancing and all, in that era. Somehow they were able to create.... openness, like the one from which I Know You Rider emerges.

[vaughner11]

they were so f-in good.. period.

[ACUTS07]

I rang a silent bell

beneath a shower of pearls

in the eagle wing palace

of the Queen Chinee

Thank you LSD and Robert Hunter

[blackmountainboar]

DEADly !

[legunncat]

What an incredibly intimate portrait of the band during my personal favorite years.

[tyleryesta1]

@legunncat yeah me to, I love the pigpen years, but I'm also fond of the late 70's as well.

[legunncat]

@tyleryesta1 Yah, that's my second favorite period up until about the early 80s.

[Lisica2008]

@legunncat  I assume you've seen it, but just in case you haven't, check out Grateful Dead-Hard to Handle (Live 1970). It's from this same Family Dog show, also posted by Beograund. I think you'll like it.

[clayrad1]

Euphoria

[ZebraLZ]

I wish I was a headlight on a northbound train...

[aaqaaqaaqaaqaaqaaqaa]

too bad the message from bands like this died and we now live in the most corrupt, commercial and war mongering time known to the planet.

[pbl1]

@aaqaaqaaqaaqaaqaaqaa -- wtf?!? what is the message of this song?

[crawlinjohn]

@pbl1 Joyful (stoned) gibberish.

[stephenhayesuk]

@pbl1 one one level, that the good old Fender Strat is a guitar that has never been surpassed.

but I'm sure theres more.

[GREG7289]

@aaqaaqaaqaaqaaqaaqaa AMEN to that!

[jahtom]

@aaqaaqaaqaaqaaqaaqaa

do not let it go to your dead/head

[seagullking]

Well this is a good ol' dose of fun-time enjoyment!!!

[bobdelgrosso]

Glorious!

[5mil]

Great video and great show, but the master sound is too high its crackling alot

[thealternitiveTV]

grateful dead, no band beter man

[starx911]

You know that the best dead is live

[dnikeb]

nice...

[caseyjones67]

i dont think thats janis

[mbh64]

I saw the dead over 100 times in the '80s and it never ceased to amaze me how humorous it was to watch white chicks dance on LSD. Ungraceful, sweaty, stinky, hairy-pitted hippie chicks....Don't get me wrong, the music was amazing and the times were good, but the dancing was just plain goofy.

[sbrewitt]

@mbh64 much of that dance style came from Owsley Stanley, who among other things took ballet lessons and would dance his crazy LSD ballet hence he was dubbed Dancing Bear because of the hair on his back - what Owsley did on stage back then, many followed

[MrSharkey11]

@mbh64 , You should have dosed out and joined them! Maybe one of them would have had your child!.........Peace.....!

[kevingrace]

@mbh64  its because when on LSD the last thing youre thinking about is how youre dancing :)

[Lisica2008]

Funkiest version of China Cat on Youtube.

[ClueSign]

Absotootinlootley!

[dopeywonder]

is that janis dancing next to pig????

[Lisica2008]

@dopeywonder

No.

[dopeywonder]

so janis must be here too then- whos holdin out with this footage? let it free!!!!!

[deadheadstolla]

Still I miss Pigpen with his bluesy voice every day.

[crypticald]

This is the real GD. Ferocious yet delicate.

[baneoftrout]

So raw! Love it. Funkier than the China Cats from '72, etc. Dig the cowbell, too.

[donveill]

i can see why they would get upset with pig. there are 2 drummers and he is playing congas and tambourine. not even touching the organ

[beachdog67]

Don't make comments about stuff you don't know about.

[donveill]

whatever

[lliwttocs]

@donveill From what I've read Pig was being punished for tardiness and just plain not showing up. on the playboy after dark footage he is only playing congas. don't think they are even mic'd! I think they were essentially test him to see if he'd prove his dedication to the band whilst being somewhat humiliated. I think Tom Constanten is on keys. but I see Donna Jean, so maybe Keith as well?

[alligayda]

@lliwttocs he was ill and dying I don't think any of these people were malicious enough to "punish"anyone he'd been in and out of the hospital for his last three years I think they were trying to go easy on him he was sick

[MrSharkey11]

@lliwttocs , What year was that?

[alligayda]

@donveill he was ill and dying

[AshzG]

i have this full set in good quality anyone interested message me

[quaggg]

@AshzG

i would love a copy. thanks

[cletusthefetus4]

i wonder if jerrys cut off part of his finger helped him play in anyway? The front half of your middle finger is kindof protruding out infront of the pic if you hold it relaxed.

[SatanicMajesty]

Regardless, Jerry was one of the best guitar players there was. The way he could make the guitar "sing" the words to the song was incredible. He could make his guitar sing, cry, laugh...brilliant.

[v2vroth]

You got that right brother!!

[SatanicMajesty]

I'm actually a girl... =)

[v2vroth]

Sorry my mistake, however you know yer music :>)

[unmegaface]

haha, i actually lol'd at this, fantastic

[unmegaface]

interesting, i'm new to the dead and the vibe i generally get from dick's picks reviews etc is that 77 proved a return to form. might have to check it out for myself

[infosword]

just think if man never invented the magnetic tape!

[ApollonianKing]

This song saved my life so many times. God, we miss you, Jerry...

[ClueSign]

Apollonian I sooo hear you!

[manatee]

I went to the recent Dead Concert at Mtn. View. I was very disappointed. I didn't expect it to be like the old days, but I didn't expect it to be so unlike the old days. There is a strong capitalist drive . . . they so oversold the place. Greed. I got out the year before Jerry died, and felt bad I didn't go in '95. The seeds were sown then.

[supainfo]

They went on 'The View' to promote the tour!! I guess they deserve to make a living though.....

[souljahNbabylon]

true that I was happy but coulda been happier! but that is the ever evolving dead! can't hate love is still on lot! lovin u family!!!

[Kohntarkosz]

nice to see such good footage of Jerry playing a Strat. I liked his sound with the Strats and the first Doug Irwin guitar (the Wolf guitar) before he put the humbuckers on it.

[cablepanos]

He had coil splitters on the humbuckers and played them single coil most of the time. It's the amp that really made the difference in the sound. The addition of the McIntosh for the power amp and just the preamp of the Twin.

[acerb45666555]

sweeet!! i remember when the Deadheads were everywhere! ye goode olde days!

[johnfright]

oh, and 5:11 Garcia's just peaked. He looks around, he's great.

[jerrycia95]

Look at 8:24 -Jerry rips into this incredibly raw jam & works it all the way through an entire verse. I'm going back into 5:11 -

[johnfright]

Lesh's fingers have definately melted into his bass neck at this point. I think there's purple liquid dripping off, too. I think...

[ode2GD]

Delicious hey? Is there a GD community online? it just eats at the heart strings and plays over and over inside....the Dead is certainly like taking something once addicted it lives inside and u always have to come back for more!

[twingats16]

very nice TY

[Ihitthings2]

Ya just gotta love the energy that these guys had in '69-'74...

My first show was in '85, but to catch them live during this phase would've been killer. My babysitter had American Beauty and Workingman's as 8 tracks and they'd always be on in the car(this was in 73-74, i was five yrs old)

[Gratefulservice]

This intro jam rapes domes

[medicatedmind420]

Another song that was better with just Billy, but what a smokin version this is!

[Kohntarkosz]

One thing I Figured out about The Grateful Dead was, that in later years, the sound got really cluttered, and wasn't just because Mickey had come back. If you listen to the jams from the 72-76 era, there's lots of places where you hear different combinations of musicians, people dropping in and out. Maybe there's a bit where Keith and/or Billy drop out, or a bit where it's just Jerry and Bob, or just Jerry and Phil, or whatever. That went away later on, unfortunately.

[pageaar]

i aint gonna cut my hair

[gR8FuLpOnTiAc]

grate song, grate clip!!!!!!!!!

[crwhitneythegreat]

Does anybody know what song Jerry is singing in the train on Festival Express? It is groovy.

[jerrycia95]

That's so cool!

[wolfkarel]

Is this from Calibration in 1970?

[desolationrow]

Family Dog 70'. The Deads set was perfectly layed back whilst being purely sublime. Santanas was equally as sublime as was the Jefferson Airplanes though you can tell Grace is struggling to get in tune on certain parts.

[KENA429]

great stuff, thanks for posting. The Dead in their prime. There will never be another Grateful Dead.

[ClueSign]

Yeah -- Phil is Dorian Gray!

[svenolley]

Pity about the sound quality the band is rocking it brilliant on this one.Thanks for the posting.Date of gig for the Dicks Picks collector et al?

[jazzbandball]

What a time

[darwinspond]

i turned 18 3 weeks ago and i've been on the bus for pretty much a year...and my friends are always asking how i can be so into just one band and i like to remind them that the band was around for 30 years and everything was changing all the time so there is an endless amount of music to listen to.

[tomahawkcounty]

The Power and the Glory!

Long live the Grateful Dead!

I got on the bus a decade after this took place because I was too young in 1970. So happy this was recorded.

[guitarhead07]

2:42 is fucking amazing, Probably the only time I've ever seen something like that on china/rider

[willburr]

That's pure Phil, tweakin it as ever...

[ZenithJones2]

Weir and Garcia's guitar work on this song along with Phil's bass, Mickey and Bill with that funny jazzy bottom. I've never heard anything like this. My favorite vesrion is on the Live In Europe 72 LP.

[Darrylizer1]

Just watched the Hard To Handle which is the preceding song from this video. I love this period of the band more than any other. Pigpen, Bill, Mickey, Bob, Phil and Jerry. What's the date for this show?

[mishapster]

Feb 4th, 1970. See Dick's Picks 4

[nowhereluke]

hey, look Phil from 4.29 to 5.01.... This is Philo Stomp!!!!!