GOOD OL’ GRATEFUL DEADCAST

Episode: Skull & Roses 50: Side C

Release Date: May 13, 2021
Hosts: Rich Mahan, Jesse Jarnow
Guests/Contributors: Judy Collins, Sally Mann Romano, Sam Cutler, Gary Lambert, Blair Jackson, Candace Brightman, Rick Turner

Episode Overview

This episode of the Grateful Deadcast delves into "Side C" of the Grateful Dead’s iconic 1971 live album, Skull & Roses, released now in its 50th anniversary edition. Side C features a quartet of beloved cover songs deeply woven into the Dead’s repertoire. The episode explores the history, origins, and personal stories behind each song, as well as the Grateful Dead’s transformative influence on them. Legendary folk artist Judy Collins joins as a special guest to offer unique insight into the tangled folk lineage, cultural evolution, and psychedelic folklore surrounding “Me and My Uncle.”

The show also vividly recounts the mayhem and magic of the Dead's 1971 “Manhattan Center dance marathon” shows in New York, emphasizing the rising East Coast Deadhead scene, technical innovations in live recording, and memorable moments behind the scenes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Anatomy of Side C: Four Essential Covers

[00:35, 03:06–04:49]

• Songs Explored:
  • “Me and My Uncle” (John Phillips)
  • “Big Boss Man” (Jimmy Reed/Luther Dixon/Al Smith)
  • “Me and Bobby McGee” (Kris Kristofferson/Fred Foster)
  • “Johnny B. Goode” (Chuck Berry)
• Three of these were mainstays in the Dead’s songbook since the mid-1960s; their enduring power and distinct Dead-ification are examined.

2. “Me and My Uncle”: From Folklore to Dead Lore

[04:22–16:16]

• Origins: Written by John Phillips during the folk boom (possibly in a tequila blackout), first recorded by Judy Collins in 1964.
• Judy Collins’ Recollection:
  • “I was in the shower this morning thinking about it... My first acid trip.” ([10:57])
  • Learned the song during an acid-fueled night with Phillips and Michelle Phillips in NYC; committed the lyrics to memory and later recorded it.
  • “I recorded it and then I sang it on my... It was 1964, so it must have been 63 that we did the Azotrip. Now, God bless cowboys and God bless gold God bless my uncle and rest his soul...” ([12:54])
• Folk Transmission:
  • “...the entwined story of how Me and My Uncle was written and how it got to the Grateful Dead is incredibly tangled, but it's a fascinating exploration of actual folklore...” ([06:20])
• Alternate Lineage Claims:
  • Quicksilver Messenger Service’s Dino Valenti and Texas folkie Curly Jim Stallero also figured in oral handoffs, blurring origin myths.

3. New York: The Dead’s Graduation to the Mainstream

[25:08–31:00, 34:03–36:41]

• Venue Rivalry:
  • Manhattan Center “dance marathon” series in April 1971, Howard Stein (promoter) vs. Bill Graham.
• Audience & Ticket Mayhem:
  • Shows oversold, “most oversold Grateful Dead shows ever.” ([31:29])
  • “It becomes like the marathon as advertised. The marathon of heat and holding it up in all the jostling, push, shove, mind your elbows. I only want room to breed New York zaniness.” ([57:45])
• Atmosphere:
  • Candace Brightman, lighting director, on the organized chaos of set-up and the culture of improvisation: “We stole the lighting system from the Portchester Theater to do that, and we just took the sound system and the lighting equipment...” ([35:30])
• Sam Cutler (Tour Manager) Memories:
  • “Bill Graham was a monopolistic prick. He just wanted it all. He was greedy...” ([29:24])
  • On Grateful Dead shows: “People got very quickly to learn that if they went to a Grateful Dead gig... they walk in there stoned, and they walk out of there even more stoned, and, you know, have this memorable, memorable thing.” ([29:24], [30:00])

4. Inside the Dead’s Live Recording Innovations

[48:58–54:45]

• Rick Turner (Alembic):
  • Explains custom 16-track live recording method, using mics direct to tape for minimal signal path — a major advancement in live capture:

    “As much as possible not use mic preamps, not use a record board, but to take the mics directly into the 16 track machine...” ([52:37])

• Bob Matthews:
  • Pioneered the “Bob Matthews method”—each mic has its own track, both live and studio, resulting in superior sound quality.

5. The Social Web: The Dead, Their Circle, & New Riders of the Purple Sage

[41:51–47:25]

• Sally Mann Romano on Spencer Dryden (New Riders drummer, ex-Jefferson Airplane):
  • “He was playing in jazz clubs in LA from the time he was, you know, 15, 14, 15 years old... absolutely accomplished musician.” ([42:50])
  • Jerry Garcia personally recruited Dryden for New Riders.
• Family Vibe:
  • “One of the coolest differences between the Dead and the Airplane, there was much more of that communal sort of family vibe happening with the Dead...” ([45:33])

6. Manhattan Center “Dance Marathons”: Legendary Chaos

[34:03, 38:01, 39:34, 48:10, 55:41, 57:13–59:48]

• Fan accounts of crushing crowds, party scenes, and after-show street eruptions:
  • “It was the most crowded show of all time...downstairs was like such a fire hazard. It was just incredibly dangerous and scary. But they were great shows.” –Blair Jackson ([39:34])
  • Gary Lambert’s misadventures with the anarchic “coat check” leading to the theft of his prized buckskin jacket ([79:42])

7. Side C: Deep Dives into Each Song

a. “Me and My Uncle”

• Dynamic blend of folk roots and Dead reinterpretation.
• Last lyric altered by Bob Weir, reinforcing the folk tradition of adaptation.
• Judy Collins: “It's a very 60s story... It's a very good song. It stays with you, you know...” ([14:56])

b. “Big Boss Man”

[63:27–65:56]

• Written by Reed/Dixon as an anti-authoritarian call.
• Pigpen’s signature tune—introduced early in Dead’s history.
• “You ain't so big, you just tall, that's all.” – Theme of resistance.

c. “Me and Bobby McGee”

[68:44–74:29]

• Enters Dead’s rotation influenced by Janis Joplin’s iconic version; Garcia played steel on that legendary Festival Express train jam.
• Garcia/Charles Reich 1972 interview:
  • “Two different songs...when you sing it, it’s like the whole thing of being in a truck and traveling across the country; when Janis sung it, she showed another face...” ([73:19])
  • The Dead’s take emphasizes the feeling of freedom; Janis focuses on love lost.

d. “Johnny B. Goode”

[75:02–78:48]

• A staple encore and set-closer from Chuck Berry, re-popularized by Dead (nearly 300 performances).
• Bob Weir’s connection to Berry’s sidemen—Johnny Johnson later joined RatDog, and co-wrote songs with blues legend Willie Dixon ([75:38]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Judy Collins’ acid-drenched origin story:
  “My first acid trip...in that funky little apartment down there, we started singing each other's songs. And John said, I think I have a new song here. And he started singing Me and My Uncle.” ([11:10])
• On New York Deadheads:
  “A new kind of Dead freak was emerging in the spring of 1971.” ([37:25])
• Sam Cutler’s straight talk:
  “Bill Graham was a monopolistic prick. He just wanted it all...” ([29:24])
• Candace Brightman on lighting setup:
  “We stole the lighting system from the Portchester Theater...and installed it overnight.” ([35:30])
• Sam Cutler on post-show release:
  “The very garbage glistens. And when it’s all done, people hit the street in the same way—the New York air, fresh air. Who’d ever believe it would be a joy to breathe that city’s atmosphere?” ([82:20])
• Gary Lambert’s coat: “I handed them my coat, got my little ticket, came back after the show and the coat check was completely abandoned...there was an empty hangar where my buckskin coat [had been].” ([79:42])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro, Anniversary Edition News: [00:35]
• “Me and My Uncle” Origins & Judy Collins Interview: [04:22–16:16]
• Dead’s New York History, Market Strategy: [25:08–31:00], [34:03–36:41]
• Manhattan Center Dance Marathons: [31:29], [38:01], [39:34], [57:45]
• Alembic Live Recording Technique: [48:58–54:45]
• New Riders of the Purple Sage, Sally Mann Romano: [41:51–47:25]
• Discussion of Each Song on Side C: [62:30–75:38]
• Judy Collins on Song Transmission & “Old Dolores”: [14:56]
• Blair Jackson’s Bootleg T-Shirt Story: [56:35–57:13]
• Manhattan Coat Check Fiasco: [79:42]

Takeaways & Cultural Insights

• Adaptation is the Dead’s Tradition: No song, no matter how established, remained static in the Dead’s hands or their extended family’s oral tradition.
• Community & Chaos: The New York shows exemplified the madness and magic of early ‘70s Dead gigs—overcrowded, disorganized, but transcendent and formative for East Coast fans.
• Folklore in Action: The transmission of “Me and My Uncle” illustrates how folk songs mutate through generations, substances, and friendships.
• Technology & Survival: The Dead’s custom-built recording rig set new standards for live music documentation and fed into their ability to “survive and thrive” as a band.

For More

• Visit dead.net/deadcast for bonus materials, linked blogs, rare photos, and Sally Mann Romano’s memoir, plus historical concert shots and further reading on Alembic’s technical legacy.

This episode beautifully bridges past and present, showing how every cover song on Side C of Skull & Roses carries its own folk and countercultural mythology, and how the Grateful Dead’s uniqueness lay not only in their originals, but also in their deep-rooted reinvention of America’s musical traditions.