GOOD OL' GRATEFUL DEADCAST

Workingman’s Dead 50, Episode 3: Dire Wolf

Release Date: July 23, 2020
Hosts: Rich Mahan & Jesse Jarnow

Episode Overview

This episode of the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast dives deep into “Dire Wolf,” one of the standout tracks from the Grateful Dead’s 1970 album Workingman’s Dead. Exploring its haunting lyrics, musical innovation—especially Jerry Garcia’s pedal steel playing—and its roots in both American folklore and late 1960s paranoia, the episode offers a richly layered exploration for both new listeners and longtime Deadheads. The discussion touches on songwriting origins, the recording process, live evolution, and the song’s enduring mythos.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unassuming Complexity of Workingman’s Dead

• Workingman’s Dead is lauded for its warm, organic sound and apparent musical effortlessness, though each track is unique and complex.
  • “Dire Wolf” sits alongside songs like “Uncle John’s Band” and “High Time,” marking a shift from harmony to a playful, yet ominous murder ballad.
    [02:16]

2. Dire Wolf’s Folk Imagery and Lyrics

• David Lemieux, Dead archivist, notes the song’s visual, vivid imagery, playful melody, and underlying sense of danger:
  • “It's this incredibly bouncy, beautiful, incredibly happy song. But then you dig into the lyrics and you realize, you know, boy, there's some danger happening here.” (David Lemieux, [03:18])
• Gary Lambert calls it “the peppiest murder ballad ever written.” ([03:58])
• Billy Strings shares how, after revisiting the song, he discovered its “layers and... deep, man, it’s really deep,” marveling at Robert Hunter’s folk wisdom and imagery.
  ([04:33]-[06:58])

3. Origins: From Sherlock Holmes to Dream

• The song originated during a night where Garcia and Hunter watched The Hound of the Baskervilles on TV.
• A remark from Mountain Girl about “dire wolves” inspired Hunter:
  • “I woke up and grabbed a pencil before I was entirely awake and wrote the whole song down. I think I managed to capture the quality of the dream.” (Robert Hunter, as quoted by Jesse Jarnow, [08:26])
• The song was finished and on stage within days (first performed June 7, 1969, Fillmore West).

4. American Folk Connections

• The invented place “Fenario” in the lyrics connects to American and Appalachian variants of the traditional ballad “Peggy-O,” reflecting the song’s folk lineage while not requiring listeners to know the full mythos. ([11:29])

5. Jerry Garcia and the Pedal Steel Revolution

• Garcia re-approaches the pedal steel guitar after years of struggle, taking intensive lessons and practice, with the New Riders of the Purple Sage becoming a creative lab.
• David Nelson recounts Garcia’s struggles and humor with the complex pedal mechanics:
  • "[Garcia] would get under there, and there would be whole 20 minutes of the practice with Garcia under that guitar going, ‘motherfucker, Fucking cock sucker.’" (David Nelson, [15:12])

6. Intersecting Histories & Countercultural Darkness

• Discussion of contemporary horrors—the Zodiac and Manson murders—contextualize the song's dark undertones and resonant paranoia.
  ([07:38], [18:27])

7. Recording “Dire Wolf”: Techniques and Studio Magic

• Original New Riders bassist Bob Matthews describes recording:
  • Setting up acoustic guitars in a semi-circle, using custom baffles for sound clarity.
  • “There was something that Betty and I pulled out of our collective hat... we were just really starting to discover how important phase was leakage was phase.” (Bob Matthews, [23:08])
• Multiple takes, studio experimentation, and “sonic archeology” are described—tape splicing, backward fragments, and unreleased sessions detailed by engineer Brian Kehew ([28:40]).

8. The Pedal Steel Solo Highlight

• Dave Lemieux:
  • “It could be, you know, one of the best pedal steel solos I’ve ever heard. And Jerry, you know, would be the first to say he didn’t feel he was quite an expert at the pedal steel. But I listen to this and when I think of Dire Wolf, all I think of is the lead pedal steel throughout.” ([33:58])

9. Dire Wolf’s Place in the Dead’s Repertoire and Pop Culture

• The song’s structure yielded little improvisation, but its presence through decades allows listeners to hear the band's evolving sound ([41:14]).

• Dire wolves appear in George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, but Martin’s earlier novel, The Armageddon Rag, had direct Dead influences—including musicians like Hunter contributing to a soundtrack ([37:18]).

• Jeffrey Alexander of Dire Wolves band shares a personal narrative on discovering the Dead through fantasy novels and music fandom:

  • “That fantasy, sci fi, Grateful Dead connection, it runs pretty deep in my psyche. And I think it’s just me, maybe the magical kind of vibe... improvisational music really run hand in hand. And that’s kind of what I try to do with my band as well.” (Jeffrey Alexander, [40:21]-[41:14])

10. Live Evolution: The Timelessness of “Dire Wolf”

• A supercut (26 versions, 1969-1995) demonstrates its stability in structure but evolution in sound.
  ([43:08]–[46:28])

• David Lemieux recalls a chilling coincidence—the 1995 Deer Creek show, when Garcia performed “Dire Wolf” after receiving a death threat:

  • “On the night he received a credible death threat, he played Dire Wolf and sang to that crowd, ‘Don’t murder me.’... It’s typical Grateful Dead... a subtle, sly, nuanced sense of humor that, you know, only the Grateful Dead could do.” (David Lemieux, [46:49])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Dire Wolf may be the peppiest murder ballad ever written.” (Gary Lambert, [03:58])
• “You got that part where the wolf is outside his window grinning, and he just says, come on in. That's such a huge image... It's all up for interpretation... Is the wolf the devil? ... Is he now a part of the wolf pack?” (Billy Strings, [04:33]-[06:58])
• “We thought dire wolves were great big beasts extinct now. It turns out they were quite small and ran in packs. But the idea of a great big wolf named Dyer was enough to trigger a lyric.” (Robert Hunter as recalled by Jesse Jarnow, [08:56])
• “All instinct and self-invented technique. He'd learn more as he played more. One word for Garcia's pedal steel playing... is primal. Another would be beautiful.” (Jesse Jarnow, [35:05])
• “When the Dead and their cohorts didn't always leave behind the most detailed documentation... This is a giant crime. It really should [exist].” (Brian Kehew, [30:44])
• “Once in a while, everybody's got a reason to sing Dire Wolf.” (Jerry Garcia, [47:49])

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [03:15]–[04:27]: First-hand impressions from Dead archivist David Lemieux, Gary Lambert, and bluegrass guitarist Billy Strings.
• [06:58]–[08:26]: Jerry Garcia introduces “Dire Wolf,” and the story of the song’s dreamlike lyrical genesis.
• [11:02]–[12:44]: Connection to traditional folk ballad “Peggy-O” and “Fenario.”
• [13:55]–[16:36]: Garcia’s pedal steel journey, with David Nelson’s humorous recollections.
• [22:11]–[24:45]: Bob Matthews and Betty Cantor’s recording philosophy and innovative techniques.
• [28:40]–[30:54]: Engineer Brian Kehew on tape splicing and the Dead’s unique, chaotic documentation process.
• [33:58]–[35:05]: Discussion of the pedal steel solo’s impact and Garcia’s distinctive approach.
• [37:18]–[39:05]: George R.R. Martin’s “Armageddon Rag” and the Dead’s influence.
• [41:14]–[43:08]: Dire Wolf’s place in Dead performance history and a generation-spanning supercut.
• [46:49]–[47:49]: The symbolism of “Dire Wolf” at the 1995 Deer Creek show during a real-life threat to Garcia.

Conclusion

The episode paints “Dire Wolf” as a microcosm of the Grateful Dead’s magic—melding folk tradition, contemporary fear, studio craft, and musical invention into a deceptively cheerful tune with a dark underbelly. It’s a song that evolved alongside the band, staying relevant and malleable for both musicians and fans, and an enduring invitation for everyone to sing, in their own time, “don’t murder me.”