I don't think anyone, including Deadheads, think much of "Go To Heaven." As a matter of fact, I had never heard a note of it, with the exception of the pretty weak "Alabama Getaway," until yesterday, when I picked up a copy in a small collection of LPs.
This may not be what Dead fans wanted from the band, but that doesn't make "Go To Heaven" any less musical. As a matter of fact, it's one of the most melodic and accessible Dead records I have heard.
Two of the best tracks come from keyboardist Brent Mydland. Neither sounding much like what you'd expect from the GD, but more like lost tracks from The Eagles or Poco.
Here's one of them:
And while I've always leaned more towards Jerry Garcia's contributions, Bob Weir's 1-2 punch that opens Side Two, "Lost Sailor" and "Saint Of Circumstance," is damn good, the latter of which would not be out of place along side some classic late-70's Hall & Oates, no matter how much that may annoy some Dead fans I know.
Check it out:
A very pleasant surprise, indeed.
12 comments:
I had this back in college when it first came out and listened to it a lot. It's a pretty good record, and in fact all of those latter-day Dead albums have good stuff on them.
They were good players and knew a good song when they heard/wrote it.
I think this version of Alabama Getaway is pretty kicking - especially compared to the earlier one, not sure what record that was on - perhaps a Garcia solo? That version was fairly anemic.
I need to buy this. Thanks for the reminder.
I saw the Dead for the first time (as a sentient adult ... (Monterey Pop '67 doesn't count) ... in 1980, and immediately started looking for anything by them I could listen to. This was the most recent LP, so I bought it, and it remains, for the most part, a pleasure to listen to. My favorite track is still "From the Heart of Me" ... so, like, sue me.
Are you sure that any a Bee Gees album?? :)))
kevinpat
First one sounds like a Christine McVie composition for Fleetwood Mac, and the second one sounds like late period Lowell George Little Feat.
Decent tunes I'm ok with never hearing again, but thanks.
i have too much respect for u sal as a music maven, a mensch, and a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve...yet, to mention the dead with hall Oates/eagles/and POCO...pass the cyanide.....
unlike our beloved stones, who most agree petered out after some girls, or to be more fair, all post 78 albums taken together would add up to one very good album, the dead's gig was the live shows where the set lists changed every night unlike the stones who as u know play the same war horses for 30 odd years in the same order(although msg 2006 was miraculously evilly great)..
jerry died, that's it, bobby's work on ace has never been topped....and by the time the last albums rolled out i was sucked into grunge...but i will say, hooteroll, the mobetta mix as we discussed should be made known to all,,,as always thanks and i'm still waiting for your final epitaph on lou reed....
Eric, some of us, OK -- me -- think that the Dead should be flattered to be compared to Hall & Oates. When they were in pop & folk mode, the Dead were seriously hurt by their subpar vocals. I've always been surprised that more folks haven't covered some of the more melodic content in the GD catalog -- there's some good stuff.
Here's a link to the Dead and Hall & Oates sharing a stage in 1988, Eric, you know, before you end it all.
https://archive.org/details/gd88-09-24.sbd.rich.425.sbeok.shnf
Have you heard Bob Weir's solo album "Heaven Help The Fool"? It is better than almost all of "his" Grateful Dead songs, and can easily compete with any Hall & Oates stuff.
@ dave- hall/oates was pre-coital music...the dead put u on another planet..thanks sal
No one mentioned "Althea," album's third cut, which I think is maybe the most criminally overlooked gem in the Dead's catalog. Plus, this was their first album since I forget when without the awful Donna Godchaux. Much to recommend Go to Heaven!
Glad you liked it!
For me it’s not "one of the most melodic and accessible Dead records I have heard." Far from it, but that don’t make it so.
I think Gary Lyons botched the whole deal.
Feel Like a Stranger is cringe-worthy on there.
Low production values and worst cover ever!
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