Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead

Expanded & remastered (HDCD) version of the band's 1970 seminal masterpiece includes 7 bonus cuts 'New Speedway Boogie' (alt. mix), 'Dire Wolf' (live), 'Black Peter' (live), 'Easy Wind' (live), 'Cumberland Blues' (live), 'Mason's Children' (live) & 'Uncle John's Band' (live). Digipak. Warner/Rhino. 2003. Album Description

Workingman or Beauty

Workingman's dead a true classic from the Dead,could be classified a companion to American Beauty,both released in 1970,Workingman's Dead first,could've easily been released as a double album,Workingman contains a mixture of different genres,blues,country,funk,and rock,yet in a subdued way,listen to,Uncle John's Band,a definite classical touch and the Dead's best weapon of course are the tight harmonies flowing consistently within each song,as so do the strong lyrics. Jerry Garcia's steel guitar also stands out on,Dire Wolf,Garcia,a fine steel player,shows off his stuff,playing steel on C.S.N.& Y.'s,Teach Your Children Well,and could've stood to be more defined on American Beauty. Easy Wind,is a catchy tune that would fit well on a Hendrix album,and other notable songs such as,The Cumberland Blues,and High Time,adding to this album a great classic repertoire,it's hard to say which two albums are better in comparison,Beauty or Workingman's,if I had to choose I'd pick Workingman's Dead,though a tough choice. These Rhino releases are excellent and loaded with Grateful Dead music with bonus tracks,mostly live,and single released tracks,a little more for your money. August 14, 2008

Working Class Heroes

"Workingman's Dead" is music for truckin' down a dusty gravel road. It paints a sonic landscape of Southern mines, railroads, vast desert mesas, tumbleweeds, and purple sage. This is a Grateful Dead album that's a little bit country, a little bit rock n'roll, with some psychedelia thrown in for good measure. In a sense,it's a predecessor to the "freak folk" of Devendra Barnhardt and Kimya Dawson&the Moldy Peaches. This is down home country music, as earthy as a bowl of grits, from the San Francisco Bay Area.

"Workingman's Dead" opens with the hopeful country hymn "Uncle John's Band." Uncle John "comes to take his children home"--a hopeful hymn about the hereafter. There's a sense of homecoming. "Dire Wolf" is a dark ballad with the refrain "please don't murder me." I've had the "Cumberland Blues" earworm. It's a catchy song about the workaday world. "I've got to get down to the Cumberland mine/that's where I spend my time." "Black Peter" has Hammond organ;it's a mournful song. "Casey Jones" is an anti-drug. It's a warning song,with a moral. A train conductor,high on cocaine,heads to disaster.

"Workingman's Dead" in the remastered version,has extra treats. The live version of "Dire Wolf" was performed in Santa Rosa,at the Veterans' Hall. The live versions of "Cumberland Blues" and "Mason's Children" were performed in Portland and Corvallis, Oregon, respectively. The Dead seemed to live in the Wine Country and the Pacific Northwest.

"Workingman's Dead" is psychedelic country! Join Uncle John's Band. July 17, 2008

Jerry's alive, man!

Getting to hold this disc, place it in my stereo, and hear the bliss brought forth by such, great fails to capture the sensation; 'though, it does, you know? June 26, 2008

Well said Duane.....and the Quicksilver tip is appreciated

Duane is correct in his opinion of the band, and I checked out samples of that Quicksilver CD that is out in May...UNREAL. I'd like to hear even more of the Quiksilver, but I'll have to wait for it's release I guess... April 15, 2008

Love it

This purchase was to replace an old, long-lost copy. I've always liked their studio-produced stuff, much to the chagrin of some more serious aficionados. Every once in a while it's nice to hear a nice crisp rendition than to have to pore over tons of bootlegs to find just the one. March 24, 2008

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