GOOD OL’ GRATEFUL DEADCAST
Episode: Workingman’s Dead 50, Episode 4: New Speedway Boogie
Date: July 30, 2020
Hosts: Rich Mahan & Jesse Jarnow

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into “New Speedway Boogie,” the final track on side one of Workingman’s Dead, exploring its creation, context, lyrical resonance, and musical evolution. The hosts trace the roots of the song to the infamous Altamont Free Concert, illuminate its recording process, and discuss its symbolic legacy within the Grateful Dead canon.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting The Scene—The Shadows of Altamont

• Altamont’s Legacy:
  • The infamous Altamont Free Concert on December 6, 1969, where violence culminated with the death of Meredith Hunter.
  • Though scheduled to perform, the Grateful Dead ultimately withdrew as the day’s chaos escalated.
  • “It was the closest that Hunter ever got to sort of topical songwriting. It was like musical journalism... it became universal. And that refrain at the end can address whichever darkness is prevailing in the world at any given moment.” – Gary Lambert [04:02]
• Altamont as Inspiration:
  • Lyrics of “New Speedway Boogie” are both a response to the event and the wider reactions/finger-pointing that followed, captured in Hunter’s poetic, parable-heavy lyrics.
  • Ralph J. Gleason’s San Francisco Chronicle column, especially, sparked Hunter’s writing.

2. Inside the Grateful Dead Community at Altamont

• Origins of the Free Concert:
  • The original idea for a free concert with the Rolling Stones in Golden Gate Park came from the Dead’s side, not the Stones.
  • Event location changed repeatedly, finally landing at Altamont—with disastrous results due to poor planning and security (notably the involvement of the Hells Angels).
• Band & Community Presence:
  • Sound systems, recording engineers, artistic community, and the Dead’s own network were embedded in every part of the event, even if the band didn’t perform.

3. Songwriting Aftermath

• “New Speedway Boogie” as Commentary:

  • Rapid creation: Debuted on stage just two weeks after Altamont.
  • Lyrics reflect resilience and philosophical questioning rather than a simple retelling:
    “One step done and another begun / In the endless march of time...”
  • “They had never really had to deal with the darkness in a meaningful way. And Altamont was that first time... a reminder that there are things that will derail that goal.” – Buzz Poole [13:52]

• The Speedway in the Title:

  • Partly a reference to Altamont, but also to San Francisco’s Speedway Meadows.
    “Obviously New Speedway Meadows, in Hunter’s mind, was the newer version of playing in Golden Gate Park.” – Bob Matthews [15:23]

4. Evolution in the Studio

• Early Live Versions:

  • Intricate early vocal arrangements, sonic experimentation as the band searched for the right groove.

• Studio Recordings – Angel’s Share Outtakes:

  • Fascinating insight into the creative process:
    • “It opens with a demo... just Jerry Garcia on acoustic guitar and Bill Kreutzmann on drums. It’s perfect.” – Mike Johnson [17:10]
    • Studio experimentation led Garcia to sing without playing guitar, handing rhythm duties to Bob Weir.
    • Fun studio banter reveals the Dead’s search for cohesion:
      • “Okay, start again. Keep it nice and fucking together, you fuckers. Solid shit.” – Jerry Garcia [23:00]
  • Minimalist recording: acoustic guitar and hands for percussion.
    • “Jerry’s solo, I panned his guitar from left to right and from right back to left. I panned it in time. That was something that I never had any regrets about.” – Bob Matthews [23:31]

• Mix and Vocal Choices:

  • Original backup vocals with Bob Weir’s falsetto were ultimately rejected by lyricist Robert Hunter:
    • “New Speedway Boogie was my political statement about Altamont. It was not our way to give Bob falsetto practice.” – [24:23]

5. Gear and Guitar Evolution

• Transition in Jerry Garcia’s Sound:
  • Around Workingman’s Dead, Garcia switched from Gibson to Fender guitars for a brighter, “Bakersfield twang”:
    • “He was exploring the properties of the Fender at that point. He played a Telecaster on some of Working Man’s and I think a Strat on some of it.” – Gary Lambert [26:26]

6. Dates and Decisions: When Was Workingman’s Dead Recorded?

• Archival Detective Work:
  • Session dates pieced together: most sessions occurred between March 2-6, 1970, after extensive touring and short rehearsal/demonstration windows.
• Parallel Creation – “Mason’s Children”:
  • Another song written post-Altamont, also topical, symbolizing the countercultural “Diggers.”
  • Ultimately left off Workingman’s Dead as it didn’t match the album’s musical vision:
    • “It did not fit with all the other tunes as far as the general artistic feel...” – Bob Matthews [33:35]
• Slowed-down Arrangement:
  • In the studio, “Mason’s Children” was slowed down, influenced by “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”’s groove, but this version didn’t make the cut.

7. Philosophy, Reception, and Reappearance

• Song as a Universal Statement:
  • Lyrics and refrain became a broader statement for the times—an anthem for endurance through darkness.
  • Literary examinations (e.g., Ed McClanahan in The Realist) positioned it as the Dead’s public reckoning with Altamont.
• Disappearance from Setlists:
  • Both “Mason’s Children” and “New Speedway Boogie” vanished from shows after 1970, with “New Speedway” only returning in 1991.
    • “I think they were a little bit embarrassed by it... So I think that that song was perhaps one of their most, you know, kind of direct songs. They ended up anyway, I think, feeling uncomfortable about it.” – Sam Cutler [40:54]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Song’s Nature:
  • “It was the closest that Hunter ever got to sort of topical songwriting. It was like musical journalism.” – Gary Lambert [04:02]
• On Altamont’s Vibes:
  • “Our relationship with the Angels is that we both exist in essentially the same area and we both know that each other exists. And they outnumber us about 90 to 1. And we get along okay with them. Those guys are guys that we all know. We've known them for years... we do know that they are Hell's Angels and they're capable of doing a lot of pretty amazing things, and we just stay out of their way.” – Jerry Garcia [10:45]
• On Creative Doubt:
  • “I have trouble grooving. In other words, playing guitar and singing at the same time. And you're thinking, this is his whole career...” – Brian Kehew [21:48]
• On Letting It Go:
  • “They dropped it, you know, and I think they were a little bit embarrassed by it... The more the band thought about Altamont, I think the more in some ways responsible they felt for certain aspects of it.” – Sam Cutler [40:54]

Key Timestamps

• [02:15] – Introduction to “New Speedway Boogie”
• [03:00–05:00] – Altamont and its aftermath: context for the song
• [10:45] – Jerry Garcia’s perspective on Altamont and the Dead’s relationship with the Hells Angels
• [13:52] – Song's quick creation and response to Altamont
• [15:23] – Speedway Meadows and the dual meaning of “Speedway”
• [17:10–23:31] – Working Man's Dead studio sessions, “Angel’s Share” outtakes, and band banter
• [24:23] – Vocal arrangements and Robert Hunter's final say
• [26:26] – Jerry’s guitar sound evolution
• [28:15–29:00] – Dating the album sessions and live history
• [33:35] – "Mason's Children" and its exclusion from the album
• [40:54] – Sam Cutler on dropping “New Speedway Boogie”

Conclusion

This episode offers a riveting look at how a moment of collective darkness in rock history—Altamont—spurred a signature piece of Grateful Dead poetry set to music. It details the Dead’s creative, communal, sometimes chaotic process, the philosophical depth of Hunter’s lyrics, and a frank accounting of the wounds left by the ‘60s peace-and-love experiment gone awry. For fans and curious newcomers alike, “New Speedway Boogie” stands as both a historical document and enduring existential anthem.

Explore More:

• Links and extras for the episode at dead.net/deadcast