Like 9/10/72, the jam swells and recedes seamlessly in telepathic communion. But what's the sense of changing horses in midstream? He's singin' his song for me at his own expense. One sign that the listener has resolved grief is when the listener can achieve a state of inner peace. Sandy Denny lyrics. Who knows where the time goes. The Bird Song from this show is one place where the band's sense of adventure pays off. Phil underpins Jerry's flight in a manner similar to his approach on 10/31/80. Dr. Darkness Lyrics [? Branford snakes his way in and sets up an extended dialogue with Jerry, trading ideas over Phil's mobile and inventive lead.
Bobby offers some unusual slide accents that prompt a stinging retort from Jerry, and a second climax builds, then fades for the return to the bridge. 1994 and 1995 are generally considered part of the erratic decline of Jerry Garcia. I put 3/12/81 and 5/9/81 in this category. 2/22/73 is relaxed and spacy version that stays close to home, with elegant variations on the Bird Song theme. To the contrary, every piece of this version falls into place, from Jerry's leads down to Billy's swinging cymbal accents. Hours were the birds lyrics. This jam also develops some nice Dark Star elements. For another look at Bird Song from 1971-73, see: Jerry introduces an Other One theme, which spirals upwards a bit, then spaces out further. Using the second person in a song to directly address the listener is a risky approach. It is hard to pin down what is unsatisfying about this era, but at least two things are in play. He is an absolute star during the lyrics, totally dominating the accompaniment. Also in the verses, we hear carefully placed cymbal splashes, providing a nice structure to this arrangement. I did not expect to like 1985 Bird Songs as much as I do. The brevity of this version is generally attributed to Jerry cutting off the jam when Joan Baez appeared on the stage, apparently intending to join in.
In both the 2/22/73 and 3/16/73 versions, Phil enters into extend dialogues with Jerry. Another version that shows Garcia and Kahn in synch in the jam is the lively version from the Ritz in New York on 1/28/86. Turkish Hills Lyrics [? Even in a segue you can clearly tell when Bird Song stops and starts. It doesn't develop so much as mutate, introducing increasingly odd facets to a basically static framework. The high point of this version is Phil stepping out for some lead lines in the still too brief jam. I also have fond memories of this Bird Song because I heard it from outside the Greek Theater while strolling my three year old up and down the street. Time to Flee Lyrics - Song by Goose. On 10/2/80, the band more or less settles on the verse arrangement most commonly used in 1980 Bird Songs, singing the whole song before the jam, then going to the second verse after the jam, followed by the bridge and a repeat of the first verse. After Phil has his say, Jerry takes another swing at the strumming theme, but Phil still resists. Still, this is my favorite year for Bird Songs since at least 1981 because of the quality of the performances. The final full band acoustic version of Bird Song comes at the legendary OOPS concert at the Melkweg in Amsterdam on 10/16/81. Feed the birds, tuppence a bag, Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.
Despite the profusion of great Bird Songs from the year, it is easy to pick my favorite: Nassau Coliseum 3/29/90 - the night Branford came to town. With the earth spinning. For the new arrangement of the song, he developed a distinctive jazzy pattern of chording that was key to the framework both of the song and much of the jamming. This does not occur again until 1980. This, at least, was my reaction upon hearing The Other Ones and Phil and Friends perform it. Sing a song of sixpence nursery rhyme music and lyrics. From here, the song becomes more open to interpretation.
California Magic Lyrics [? 6 February 2019, 16:04. Possibly it got squeezed out by the band's interest in bringing forward material from Wake of the Flood and, in 1974, Mars Hotel. Jerry shifts direction away from standard Bird Song themes, bringing in a dissonant edge not unlike the Mill Valley version, but also with a blues feel. The bird lyrics the time comes. Since the song reprises the first verse after the bridge, this results in Jerry singing this verse four times in its first performance (an arrangement repeated the next night, then dropped). Second, I think the band becomes overly dependent on the strumming jam. Phil finally breaks through the murk to push the tempo.
He sounds like he is having a wonderful time slashing through Jerry and Phil's conversation with some very fuzzy attacks. The new arrangement introduced a formal structure to the jam at the first instrumental break. Phil is on top of every twist in the jam, maintaining a spirited dialogue. Where the Time Goes. The bird lyrics the time difference. Often, Vince takes his place as a lead voice introducing jamming themes and butting heads with Phil. Then Vince introduces The Other One to the jam. It's a price I have to pay. Was written by Sandy Denny and featured on a number of albums, including versions with The Strawbs and Fairport Convention.
Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul's. You can make it too. Unfortunately, Jerry never introduced Bird Song to his shows with David Grisman. Slow Ready Lyrics [? This is probably the only version of Bird Song after 1971 that did not include some form of a reprise. Phil follows, and a multitempo jam develops. The strumming jam almost reforms, but instead shifts seamlessly to the bridge. I believe this is probably due to the very distinctive melodic figure that clearly announces the beginning and end of pretty much every Bird Song. She became a driving force of the electric unfolding of San Francisco when Chet Helms lured her back from Texas, and hooked her up with Big Brother and the Holding Company. After a cautious start to the jam, Phil pushes out of the groove to develop a lumpy and erratic bass line. This builds to a couple of nice peaks from Brent and Jerry, with the second one being particularly wild. 4/22/83 is an example of this.
Jerry and Vince build another peak, with blues and Bird Song themes emerging at the same time. Every Bird Song from this era is worth serious attention, as the band's jamming reached almost telepathic levels of interplay. He launches the opening jam with high pitched arpeggios similar to the revolving themes of 9/12/73. In some late '72 and early '73 versions, I hear the band using variations on this theme in their playing of the bridge, particularly during the reprise.
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