The Grateful Dead

The Very Best of the Grateful Dead

by Dan Carlson

For those who still refuse to believe that the Grateful Dead stand alone atop American rock ‘n’ roll, the newly released, The Very Best Of Grateful Dead will make even the most uptight and illiterate music listeners grow their hair long and tie-dye their shirts. This long awaited compilation serves as the first career spanning collection of Dead material, an introduction of sorts to those previously unexposed to the world’s most prolific jam band.

The album kick starts into gear with the head nodding classic, “Truckin’,” an anthem of sorts for anyone taking an extended drive on one of our nations many highways. Bob Weir’s groovy gem, “Sugar Magnolia” begs listeners to get up and dance, while the tranquil “Uncle John’s Band” places them along a river bed on a hot summer day, just as Jerry Garcia envisioned when he wrote it. “Touch of Grey,” the Dead’s most celebrated song makes an appearance, as does the funk influenced “Franklin’s Tower.” The bittersweet “Ripple,” penned by long time Dead lyricist Robert Hunter brings the album to a close, bidding listeners farewell with his sweetest, most notable line, “If I knew the way, I would take you home.”

 After over a dozen studio albums and well over a thousand live performances, the Grateful Dead to this day continue to withstand the test of time in the turbulent, cut throat business known as the music industry. Despite stints of near bankruptcy, a legacy of well chronicled drug usage, and the tragic, untimely deaths of several key band members, this remarkable group of musicians still know how to cater to their beloved, ever growing audience. From the trials and tribulations of the mid 70's to the astounding rebirth of the late 80's, every ounce of Dead folklore comes to life within this Rhino Records release. Without question, it won’t take a “Dead Head” to appreciate the 17 timeless tracks assembled on The Very Best Of Grateful Dead.