Allen Toussaint's "Songbook," a 2017 collection of live performances from NYC's Joe's Pub was expanded and reissued last week. There is a full disc's worth of unreleased tunes including one called "Hi Lee Hi." This is a lovely song that I hadn't heard before this release.
I did some digging and I have been coming up empty. Some sources say it's Allen's tribute to Jerry Garcia. Other sources say Toussaint "covers Jerry Garcia's 'Hi Lee Hi.'" The song doesn't turn up in either Toussaint's or Garcia's catalogue. I asked my good friend Zippy, who is a Dead Head, and the song is new to him, as well. He also pointed out that Jerry rarely wrote lyrics and the lyrics here sound nothing like anything Robert Hunter would have written.
So, I am going to guess, that as usual, the 25 year old music journalists stating that "Toussaint covers Jerry Garcia's 'Hi Lee Hi," had never heard of either before given the assignment of reviewing "Songbook," and that the lovely "Hi Lee Hi" is a Toussaint tribute to Garcia that has never been released until now.
If anyone has real info, please let me know.
14 comments:
I was wondering the same thing after hearing that bonus disc. Allen says, "Jerry Garcia" at the end of the song. I would never have associated it with anything Dead-ish if not for hearing him spout the name. Allen had a tendency to name the artist who covered the song he just played on the last note during those solo shows.. Like during Brickyard Blues on the same records he says, "Frankie Miller" at the end, My thought was he wrote this for Jerry Garcia and he covered it. But it sounds like that's not the case either,. Great song nonetheless.
Maybe an old NYCD employee can field this query?
Part of the lyric for Hi Lee Hi reads -
"With a pickled finger and a gleam in his eye and magic in the strings
His lips move in tandem with the rhythm of the fire as his joyful heart sings"
Kinda reads like a nod to Jerry
It's def a nod to Jerry. I'm just trying to get to the origin, why some articles say it's Allen covering Jerry and some say vice versa, and why the song itself isn't listed in either of their catalogues.
that was wonderful. thx
Sal - leaning to Allen
First can't see Jerry referencing himself (a la Seinfeld, Jimmy 😉)
From what I read if you have the new album before he sings Hi Lee Hi the audio is there of Allen speaking about remembering Jerry prior to playing
I do and he doesn't.
Another great cover song. Cleveland Jeff
Allen may have been setting up the NEXT song...Jerry recorded and played I'll Take a Melody since 1975. Caught quite a few Joe's Pub gigs but only saw Toussaint play that song at the City Winery as an opener. Paul from Sunset Park
Long time Toussaint fan and saw him live numerous times. I have never heard that song before. The lyrics do not resemble the vast majority of what Toussaint wrote, but the piano score does sound like classic Toussaint. Friend of mine who worked for the Dead for over 10 years, and also knew Toussaint is likewise stumped, but did say that he firmly does not believe that its a Garcia song (the guy listens to the Dead at least 4 hours a day, every day).
I've been deep into music for about 45 years, and I can't get over seeing Allen and Jerry's name mentioned together. Did I miss something?
Full disclosure: Not a Dead fan but I really enjoy "Hooteroll?," Jerry and Howard Wales.
Bob in IL
Jerry has covered "I'll Take A Melody" and "Get Out My Life, Woman" and maybe one or two more Toussaint tunes. James Booker also played with the JGB, so maybe the Toussaint connection was there, as well.
Hardly definitive, but the NYT refers to Toussaint "dedicating his “Hi Lee Hi” to the Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia" in a recent article about this record.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/arts/music/allen-toussaint-songbook-reissue.html
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