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Mercury

colorful wookie

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Submissions

5
Mama Tried
Feb. 2, 1970
Fox Theatre

There's a certain emphatic vibrancy to all the songs in this concert
1
Sugar Magnolia
Nov. 11, 1971
Atlanta Municipal Auditorium

Hangin' way tough in the lead pack
1
Tennessee Jed
Nov. 11, 1971
Atlanta Municipal Auditorium

Youthful bounce and well-juggled closing jam
1
Bertha
Nov. 11, 1971
Atlanta Municipal Auditorium

A good hit
1
Mountain Jam
Sept. 3, 1967
Dance Hall

Maybe the earliest, it’s quoted for a few rounds and is notable in how Jerry weaves it into the charging Alligator Jam

Comments

Bertha
April 27, 1971
Fillmore East

I would’ve too… had I grown up
Beat it on Down The Line
Jan. 13, 1978
Arlington Theater

Vora City!
Drums
June 9, 1977
Winterland Arena

Packet of '77 concentrate
Candyman
March 31, 1987
The Spectrum

Always love the flurries of notes to echo the lyrics in the last chorus, and this one delivers that, too.
Promised Land
Sept. 18, 1990
Madison Square Garden

In a way the song didn’t end, as the Garden was rocking (literally) and the thumping conclusion kept playing in my head while the vibrations pulsed through my body for ten minutes into the break. Sort of like being wobbly yet thrilled after a carnival ride… well yes, it was that too! Happily, I still haven’t recovered from this Promised Land – or the show, which was my favorite of the run (I was fortunate and thankful for mail order success for all six). I fire up this vid fairly regularly to help relive the memories. There’s an excellent article in the New York Times (Hunting for the ‘Promised Land,’ Haunted by Chuck Berry 9/11/17), and the author puts forth some erudite interpretations which are likely to increase your appreciation of the song. Included is a Chuck video of the song, complete with duck-walk strummin’, matching the author’s opening point that the song is “all about motion.” To me, when the Grateful Dead played this song, there was always both a certain reverence connected to the roots of rock and roll and the celebratory rapture of the live moment – that no one could sustain longer than the Dead. Having just enjoyed the Chuck Berry version, it’s time to check in with 9/18/90 to further refresh that eternal motion. Amen.