The Grateful Dead commemorated their first extended European tour with an extravagant triple-LP set appropriately enough titled Europe '72. This collection is fashioned in much the same way as their previous release -- which had also been a live multi-disc affair. The band mixes a bevy of new material -- such as "Ramble on Rose," "Jack Straw," "Tennessee Jed," "Brown-Eyed Woman," and "He's Gone" -- with revisitations of back-catalog favorites. Among them are "China Cat Sunflower" -- which was now indelibly linked to the longtime Dead cover "I Know You Rider" -- as well as "Cumberland Blues," "Truckin'," "Sugar Magnolia," and "Morning Dew." With the additional album the band was able to again incorporate some of their exceedingly stretched-out instrumental improvisations -- titled "Epilogue" and "Prelude" here. Since their last outing, the group had expanded to include the husband-and-wife team of Keith Godchaux (keyboards) and Donna Jean Godchaux (vocals). Sadly, this European jaunt would be the last of its kind to include the formidable talents and soul of founding member Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (organ/mouth harp/vocals), who was in increasingly fragile health. Although few in number, his contributions to Europe '72 are among the most commanding not only of this release, but of his career.
Grateful Dead Shoreline Amphitheater 10-03-1987 Cumberland BluesCumberland BluesLyrics By: Robert HunterMusic By: Jerry Garcia, Phil LeshI can't stay here much longer, MelindaThe sun is getting highI can't help you with your troublesIf you won't help with mineI gotta get downI gotta get downGotta get down to the mineYou keep me up just one more nightI can't stop here no moreLittle Ben clock say...
Europe '72 is an album that showcases the quality of performance the Grateful Dead offered their fans when performing live in their heyday. Though the album has often been criticised because of the audio work done to the tracks used prior to its release, the singing was never the draw to see a live Dead show; the instrumental genius of Garcia is undeniable. An exception to the arguably poor o...
ahh the magic that was the grateful dead fellow moggers. well sure, you think of LSD and spacey noodiling, but for god sakes man, the songs, the words, the stories. and right here is a great example of the substance of what they were about: Jack Straw!!!! though robert hunter mostly stuck to jerry as a lyrical collaborator and weir kept great company with john perry barlow, in the early days b...