GOOD OL' GRATEFUL DEADCAST

American Beauty 50, Episode 5: "Candyman"
Original Air Date: November 5, 2020
Hosts: Rich Mahan & Jesse Jarnow
Notable Guests: Bob Weir, David Crosby, Ned Lagin, Howard Wales, Michael Brewer, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert, Amir Barlev, Mike Johnson, Brian Kehew

Episode Overview

This episode celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead's iconic album American Beauty with an in-depth exploration of "Candyman," the final track on side one of the album. Drawing on interviews with band members, collaborators, historians, and contemporaries, it traces the song's roots in American folk tradition, examines its studio genesis, and unpacks its legacy. The episode includes audio rarities, track breakdowns, and memorable recollections—all reflecting on how "Candyman" became one of the Dead's most enduring and enigmatic songs.

Main Topics & Discussion Points

1. The Mythic Roots and Meaning of "Candyman"

[03:42 – 10:26]

• American Folk Tradition:
  • "Candyman" draws from deep American folklore, with roots in New Orleans music, urban/rural blues, and recurring "Candyman" characters already present in several earlier songs.
  • Examples played include Rosetta Howard’s "The Candyman" (1938), Reverend Gary Davis, Roy Orbison’s pop take, and, most notably, Mississippi John Hurt’s "Candyman Blues" (1928).
  • Jerry Garcia notes:
    “There’s three or four Candyman tunes in the tradition. It’s like our Casey Jones song, like our Stegalee song, you know what I mean?” – Garcia (07:06)
• Ambiguous Character:
  • The "Candyman" is interpreted as both alluring and menacing—a hybrid figure combining gambling, seduction, and threat.
  • "It’s this very almost soothing, lulling, seductive song. And it’s also got this undercurrent of menace and implied violence…” – Gary Lambert (05:00)
• Possible Drug References:
  • The "candyman" is defined in 1971’s Underground Dictionary as a “seller of drugs,” but Robert Hunter and Garcia’s lyrics mostly remove literal drug references, instead winking at the tradition.

2. Songwriting, Early Performances, and the 1970 "Woodshedding"

[10:47 – 20:31]

• First Performances & Development:
  • The first Grateful Dead performance: April 3, 1970.
  • Early versions were featured in acoustic sets and sounded loose, gradually maturing through community practice, including harmonies.
  • Iconic London Roundhouse footage from May 1970 shows the intensity of group rehearsal—Phil Lesh leading “cracking the whip,” Weir/Phil/Jerry negotiating harmonies.
  • “It showed how hard these guys worked.” – David Lemieux (13:30)
  • Amir Barlev likens their harmony process to learning from Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, though as David Crosby puts it,
    “We didn’t teach them jack shit. We just sang really good in front of them and… they were listening, you know, they’re smart guys man.” (15:40)
• Vocal Harmonies:
  • CSNY’s influence was inspirational, not didactic—Dead crafted their own harmonious blend through trial and error.
  • The band’s internal dynamics and Jerry’s “allowing everybody’s idiosyncrasies to become an asset” are highlighted. (17:00)

3. The Studio Genesis—Building the Final Track

[20:32 – 41:40]

• Recording Sessions and Outtakes:
  • Candyman went through multiple takes before the final version was chosen; outtakes, demos, and practice tapes were analyzed.
  • Track-by-track breakdowns revealed differences in intros, alternative takes, and evolving arrangements—distinctive guitar intro, vocal evolution.
  • The song’s final studio form is “almost symphonic,” filled with lush layering: pedal steel (Garcia), Ned Lagin on piano, Howard Wales on organ, and three-part harmonies.
• The Musicians’ Community Around Wally Heider’s Studio:
  • Ned Lagin and Howard Wales’ contributions are detailed—both were musical adventurers whose work on American Beauty expanded the Dead's palette.
  • Ned Lagin’s memory:
    “There was three studios there... exposure to the community of musicians who were cross-pollinating and playing and sharing ideas.” (26:05)

4. Jerry Garcia’s Pedal Steel Journey

[41:41 – 52:26]

• Session Work and Technique:
  • Garcia’s primitive but magical pedal steel playing is discussed by band members and collaborators, including anecdotes about learning and cross-studio collaborations at Heider’s.
  • David Crosby, who recruited Garcia to play on “Teach Your Children,” offers insight into Garcia’s melodic sensibility:
    • “There was no distance between the tips of his fingers and the front of his mind. No distance at all. It was a complete transfer from the mind to the tips of the fingers.” (51:00)
• Wally Heider’s—A Crossroads:
  • “You never knew who was going to be there. It was kind of an open house. People would go from studio to studio... it was real open.” – Mike Brewer (43:11)

5. Character Archetypes and Legacy of "Candyman"

[66:26 – 70:16]

• Folk Tradition & Villainy:
  • The motif of Mr. Benson draws from folk music—making the antagonist a “faceless enemy”—as analyzed by musicologists and by folk song examples (e.g., Harry Belafonte’s "Midnight Special").
  • Candyman continues the Dead’s fascination with songs sung from the perspective of flawed or “bad” people, prompting reflection on the role of storytelling and empathy in music.
  • Amir Barlev observes:
    “Singing along to Loser or Jack Straw or any one of these songs is not actually embracing that kind of behavior. It’s talking about the multiplicity of different ways there are to be a human being which is deeply psychedelic.” (67:34)
• Audience Interpretation and Cheering:
  • The crowd’s embrace of certain Candyman lyrics, especially lines referencing violence, is discussed; lyricist Robert Hunter expressed mixed feelings about this resonance.
    • “I hope that people realize that the character in Candyman is a character and not me.” – Robert Hunter (65:56, via Blair Jackson interview)

6. The Continued Life of "Candyman" and its Cultural Offshoots

[70:16 – End]

• Influence in Popular Culture:
  • The “Candyman” archetype persists, showing up in pop hits (e.g., Sammy Davis Jr., Christina Aguilera), and even a late-80s rapper in the NWA orbit.
• Live Evolution & Reception:
  • Live versions loaded with new harmonies (Donna Jean Godchaux in the ‘70s), shifting solos, and growing fan affection—Candyman became a signature crowd-pleaser, hailed for both its musical and mythic substance.
  • “By 73, 74, that song is very different live than it was in the studio. Jerry’s solo in it, both in live versions of all eras and on the album, is one of the most ethereal things.” – Gary Lambert (63:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Folk Tradition of Candyman:
  “Hunter and I have rewritten folk music... Candyman is like a famous folk image, you know what I mean? It’s all over the place.”
  – Jerry Garcia (07:06)
• On Vocal Harmonies and CSNY Influence:
  “We didn’t teach them jack shit. We just sang really good in front of them and... they were listening, you know, they’re smart guys man.”
  – David Crosby (15:40)
• On the In-Studio Community at Wally Heider’s:
  “People would go from studio to studio... it was real open.”
  – Mike Brewer (43:11)
• On Jerry’s Unique Musicality:
  “There was no distance between the tips of his fingers and the front of his mind.”
  – David Crosby (51:00)
• On Candyman’s Dangerous Charisma:
  “It’s this very almost soothing, lulling, seductive song. And it’s also got this undercurrent of menace and implied violence…”
  – Gary Lambert (05:00)
• On Storytelling, Empathy, and Songs about Bad People:
  “Singing along to Loser or Jack Straw... is not actually embracing that kind of behavior. It’s talking about the multiplicity of different ways there are to be a human being which is deeply psychedelic.”
  – Amir Barlev (67:34)
• On Audience Reaction to Dark Lyrics:
  “I hope that people realize that the character in Candyman is a character and not me.”
  – Robert Hunter (65:56)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:42 — Bob Weir introduces "Candyman"’s role on American Beauty
• 07:06 — Garcia on rewriting folk tunes
• 13:20 — Rehearsal footage & harmony “woodshed” with the band
• 15:40 — David Crosby on CSNY’s influence
• 20:32 — Studio recording process and outtakes
• 26:05 — Ned Lagin on the cross-pollination at Wally Heider’s
• 41:41 — Jerry’s pedal steel work, session anecdotes
• 51:00 — David Crosby on Garcia’s mind-finger connection
• 60:00 — David Lemieux on Capitol Theatre 1971 show (bonus for American Beauty 50th)
• 65:56 — Robert Hunter’s reflection on audience reactions
• 67:34 — Amir Barlev on singing from a “bad” perspective
• 72:10 — Candyman solo from 1987, “underwater cathedral” effect

Additional Highlights

• Instrumental Analysis: Breakdowns by Brian Kehew into the song’s original session tapes, including unused guitar parts, harmonies, and pedal steel work.
• Collaborators’ Stories: Ned Lagin, Howard Wales, and Michael Brewer recount the Dead’s openness, cross-genre creative scene, and Garcia’s constant musical quest.
• Cultural Touchstones: The song's lineage through blues, jazz, pop, folk, and its reinvention in live performance and pop culture.

Tone and Style

The episode maintains a conversational, affectionate, and slightly nerdy tone—rich in archival references, musician anecdotes, and with a deep respect for both creative process and mythology.

Summary prepared for those seeking a detailed guide to the "Candyman" episode of the GOOD OL' GRATEFUL DEADCAST.