Robert Hunter, Grateful Dead Lyricist

[@stuphiladelphiapa7680]

A bard in the olde sense. Also incredibly intelligent. I shared a table with him around 1980. To me, to see and hear him perform was a hilite of my days. My kids used to yell "play the pirate record Daddy". In 2014 my son and I saw one of his shows together. People say we won't see the likes of him again. I like to think that given his energy, maybe not this time around, but not just a dream we dreamed, a long time ago.

[@Jeff-S]

His lyrics are half the reason that I'm drawn to the music. They create these beatiful images in my head. The lyrics may not make sense on paper, but a strange movie starts playing in my mind when I play the music. "China Cat" comes to mind. I once printed out the lyrics to "Mountains of the Moon" and handed them to a friend. I then played the song and told her to read along. When the song was over she asked what the song was about. I said I don't know but it creates these beautiful images in my head. Medieval in origin, yet it's like I'm sometimes on the moon seeing what the astronauts saw.

[@commontater8630]

It was in his blood, literally. He was a direct descendant of the great Scotsman Robert Burns.

[@2get2Terrapin]

We love and miss you, Bob.

[@mindleft-buddy999]

Good Lordy Almighty, this about sums it up….

[@starrguitargoddess]

Thanks for posting. Nice interview.

[@dreamswedreamed]

Glad you enjoyed it! There's more Hunter on this channel, and more to come.

[@lisica8458]

Among other positive traits, Hunter had a beautiful voice.

[@Pagespinner]

Hunter provided the kindly, unassuming philosophical engine that powered the Grateful Dead, giving it direction and voice. His words complemented Garcia's music perfectly, and the band's work suffered once he was increasingly sidelined after 'From the Mars Hotel'. But he was there for the Dead's entire history, including the laying of its foundations, as can be heard on 'Before the Dead'. It's a shame that there is not more autobiographical material like this short interview, but his modest nature ensured there would not be. Nevertheless, aside from the Dead he became an accomplished Faber poet in the Beat style, and would have given Ginsberg and Ferlinghetti quite a run for their money in the City Lights era. He was also a noted translator of Rilke. He gets poorly treated in the 'Long Strange Trip' documentary, which not only cruelly ambushes him but makes John Barlow seem more important. However, although he was often indignant he would always forgive, such as when he was left off the cover of 'Workingman's Dead', or as I gathered from my very brief dealings with him. When I asked him about a song's lyrics he told me I reminded him of the Army doctors who experimented on him! And yet, shortly after, he was warm and friendly again. His death moved me much more than the passing of people I knew much better personally, but like all great people his legacy guarantees that he will never die. I think it was Mickey Hart who said something along these lines: that you come up against situations in life you can't put into words, then Hunter's lyrics come to you, putting them in words. Together with Garcia's transcendental music Hunter's lyrics have woven the tapestry by which so many of us have lived our lives.

[@dreamswedreamed]

Well said, David.

[@BrianRoberson-k7g]

He's on the cover of "Workingman's Dead". He's the one on the far left lighting the cigarette.

[@Pagespinner]

@user-tp6fo7im3d Well, I am amazed, but you're right. And yet I remember an interview in a British fanzine in the early 70s, which recorded how Hunter had said he wasn't told about the photoshoot and how long he had nursed his anger over it. Pleased to be corrected.

[@BrianRoberson-k7g]

@@Pagespinner He wasn't on the back cover where the charcoal portraits of the band members are. He might have been referring to that. If he did get a portrait they probably just couldn't include it and have the cover still look good.

[@Pagespinner]

@@BrianRoberson-k7g This seems the most likely explanation. The interviewer was to be trusted.

[@lbshore]

Hunter was a truly fascinating guy. I loved his journals a few decades back. Sorry that they disappeared.

[@kevinlane56]

It’s so funny how alike Jerry’s and his speech and mannerisms were… god if they could make just one more song

[@shortstuff7959]

The greatest poet of the century.

[@josephstropoli1449]

He’s great but you got to go with Dylan

[@dreamswedreamed]

Theyre both great

[@stuphiladelphiapa7680]

Was he a poet, or a writer of songs with a strong attachment to the Muse, with the ability to conger up beauty, truths, stories from the eternal? Or do I smoke too much weed? Tell me all that you know... And calling him a poet is like calling Garcia a guitar player🫠✌️

[@gratefulkm]

@@josephstropoli1449 Hunter and Dylan wrote the same songs, Well that's what Dylan said

[@commontater8630]

@@stuphiladelphiapa7680 You smoke too much weed.

[@archstanton_live]

A dream, one afternoon long ago

[@noturnleftunstoned72]

"It's time to stop running and figure out who I'm running from" ~ Robert Hunter

[@terryatpi]

A brilliant man

[@tomlund4951]

“…If I knew the way… I would take you home.” 😔

[@johnm3152]

Live, from the "timbres of fenarrio" - love Tiger Rose long time

[@garywells9478]

One way ir another, this darkness got to give.

[@SCOTTIONA]

Wish there were more interviews with Hunter. I love to hear him talk .

[@dreamswedreamed]

Poke around dreamswedreamed.com. Two more Hunter videos already posted. Another coming soon.

[@SCOTTIONA]

Thank you ! Wonderful !

[@ajcraft-hello]

Truly a bard. Grateful for all he created and freely gave. May his loved ones be blessed all their lives❤️✨🌎

[@golds04]

Same sardonic laugh as Jerry. Two ⭐️ ,words and music indeed did glow.

[@peterbroderson6080]

Hunter your fabulous!

[@RobHollanderMusic]

Genius.

[@ernburn3738]

Hunter was da shit, the real deal. I miss him and Jerry so much. One more thing about Barlow, everytime I saw him at shows he would always seek acknowledgment from the crowd of how great he was..shame. Barlow couldn't hold a candle next to Robert Hunter. Sorry but that is the damn truth. Peace/out

[@calburge4338]

Can u imagine Him and Taylor Swift. Swapping song origins??

[@michaelchalkley5484]

My wife and I used to work with Blair Jackson, who with Regan McMahon, used to publish The Golden Road, the deadzine that chronicles Dead fan lifestyle, Dead song lyrics, and had ads from local businesses like the Psychedelic Shop❤😊

[@karl662]

Seems like a pretty cool guy. Optimistic. Great perspective on life.

[@bigbossman7991]

Sweeeeeet!!!! 😊

[@BrianRoberson-k7g]

Midnight/on a carousel ride/reaching for the gold ring/down inside/Never could reach it/just slips away/but I try

[@markkindermannart4028]

This is American history

[@brianjansen3103]

Some friends went to see him play in NYC but couldn't get in because they weren't 21, Hunter came outside & smoked cigs with them before the show

[@charlesandrews2360]

Tiger Rose is one of the best albums of all time. I know Robert hated it but the original mix is the better of the two in my opinion.

[@albertomartinez2479]

If-my-words-did-glow-with-the-gold-of-sunshine-and-my-tunes-were-played-on-the-harp-unstrung-would-you-hear-my-voice-come-through-the-music-would-you-hold-it-near-as-it-were-your-own

[@MrRobison94]

Ripple will always be a beauty.

[@haikat4]

mama mama many worlds i've come since i first left home

[@michaeltylerable]

Unnecessary overuse of hyphens

[@commontater8630]

@@michaeltylerable Maybe he's afraid of a copyright strike??

[@detourmore470]

@@michaeltylerableunecessary comment😅

[@darlenesee2561]

Deadhead TV?!

[@BrianRoberson-k7g]

Just a little nervous from the fall.

[@EliCosper85]

Prophet

[@georgestevens1502]

China Doll is a Davis Bowie song. China Cat Sunflower is Hunter/Garcia. He gigged with Jerry and Bob Weir in the Palo Alto area when they were doing folk and jug band type stuff around 1964-65 just before Garcua, Weir, Lesh, Pigpen and Kreutzman started The Warlocks rock and blues electric music. Robert gigged on his own pretty regularly from the late 70s on. Quite the conversationalist. Wonder if there is any audio and/or video of Jerry and Robert talking things out. Two visionaries making it happen. Whew.

[@kylehaislip3315]

Take up your China Doll it's only fractured just a little nervous from the fall. Grateful Dead song.

[@henryescudero863]

China Doll is definitely a Garcia/Hunter song. You're thinking of China Girl by David Bowie

[@georgestevens1502]

@@henryescudero863 I missed that one. Which album?

[@henryescudero863]

@@georgestevens1502 from the Mars Hotel and also live acoustic on the Reckoning album

[@georgestevens1502]

@@henryescudero863 Dang. I had the Mars Hotel album. Guess it didn't stick with me.