The Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia

A friend of mine told me that Jerry Garcia did not write a single song for the Grateful Dead; that in fact all songs were written by the lyricists for the band, one man named Robert Hunter and the other i cant remember... is all that true?

 

And when the day had ended
With rainbow colours blended
His mind remained unbended
He had to die
You know he had to die
You know he had to die..

 

That would be John Barlow.

 

who mainly collaborate with Bob Weir, ... as Garcia did with Hunter...
as far as I know only 2 songs were completed entirely Lyrics by Garcia and they was Cream Puff War, and Cryptical Envelopment ..

 

nice, thanks for the info. It just surprised me is all... he was such an iconic figure but most people prolly dont know he didnt write his own lyrics...atleast I didnt... Jerry was still the shit tho, nonetheless...

 

I didn't know that either.

 

Hunter wrote the lyrics (he's a poet) and Garcia wrote the music. Jerry would send tapes and Hunter would send lyrics. Fantastic collaboration!

 

Yes but it is still difficult to think that none of the dead lyrics were written by Jerry.
You know because most lyrics tell stories that at least in some way were connected to the writer.

Did Jerry like to play poker?
Did Jerry really feel the Inspiration...
Trippy words in ChinaCat
I really don't spend a lot of time thinking about it, but more than once in the last 35 years.

Did you know the same holds true for Elton John-including the special Candle in the Wind for Diana's funeral.

 

I think its cool the way Weir and Garcia collaborated with the same two people throughout their entire musical career. I don't really view it as Garcia copping out and letting someone else do the work for him, I see it more as two artists coming together to create something beautiful with both music and words.

 

Oh Gosh-I hope my post didn't come across that way.
Copping out has never entered my mind. They were brilliant together. I wouldn't change anything.

I was just kinda thinking out loud.

 

oh no, not at all. I wasn't really referring to anything specific anyone had said in this thread. I was just thinking along the lines that a lot of people might view it as a cop out in general.

 

They shared the same world. Jerry wouldn't sing anything he didn't like. I dont hear of many singer songwriter teams these days. Weir and Barlow need to come up with some new songs.

 

Bernie Taupin was Elton John's lyricist.

Stay Brown,
Rev J