OPO: Robert Hunter lyric

gbnb hs yrbk pg included not only Bill Clinton but also "Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile"

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, September 18, 2006 7:11 AM (thirteen years ago)

incidentally, just read the Franklin's Tower essay on the same site I posted -- I had no fucking idea that song was about Benjamin Franklin, and that "roll away the dew" referred to part of the bell casting process, that's just insane.

What a beautiful and ridiculous man Robert Hunter was. RIP.

I have a poodle/bichon mix that loves to roll away the dew, he’s like a mop head in grass on morning walks, I always figured hunter must’ve had a similar behaving dog. Thanks for the Franklin fact, man!

I remember reading that essay about bell casting before. It is a total prank. Some of the contributions to Dodd's site were half-baked. However, Hunter himself wrote in (in reponse to a different speculative essay) and explained Franklin's Tower quite well here:

http://artsites.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/fauthrep.html

Here, however, is a nice little essay by Dodd (and more correspondence with Hunter) about the writing of Help on the Way - including a discarded verse.

https://www.dead.net/features/greatest-stories-ever-told/greatest-stories-ever-told-help-wayslipknot

The bottles stand as empty, as they were filled before.
Time there was and plenty, but from that cup no more.
Though I could not caution all, I still might warn a few:
Don't lend your hand to raise no flag atop no ship of fools.

― mizzell, Tuesday, May 28, 2019 10:25 AM (three months ago) bookmarkflaglink

Ship of Fools hitting extra hard today. I've had the 6/28/74 version (from Dick's Picks 12) on repeat--definitive imo.

I also can't think of any lyrics more moving than the last verse of Box of Rain:

And it's just a box of rain
I don't know who put it there
Believe it if you need it
Or leave it if you dare
And it's just a box of rain
Or a ribbon for your hair
Such a long long time to be gone
And a short time to be there

Oh, I see it's been noted upthread:

and obviously, "such a long long time to be gone and a short time to be there" rings loudly today.

― Mommy...can I go out and VAPE tonight? (voodoo chili), Tuesday, September 24, 2019 2:39 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

Grass shack nailed to a pinewood floor

spent a little time listening to some of Hunter's solo shows on Archive.org yesterday (https://archive.org/details/RobertHunter) -- while he's not the most amazing performer, it's still interesting to hear his interpretations of Dead tunes ...

The wheel is turning and you can't slow down
You can't let go and you can't hold on
You can't go back and you can't stand still
If the thunder don't get you then the lightning will

Yes!

The wheel is turning and you can't slow down
You can't let go and you can't hold on
You can't go back and you can't stand still
If the thunder don't get you then the lightning will

― J. Sam, Wednesday, September 25, 2019 7:58 PM (four years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Yeah I think these might be the rawest lyrics ever written

The earth will see you on through this time