The long strange history of “Casey Jones” by the Grateful Dead

[@michaelfried3123]

Workingman's has been my all time favorite Dead album for decades now. Just an awesome blend of rock, country, folk and blues. Dire Wolf is probably my all time favorite song from the 1970 classic!

[@DavidMFChapman]

Another great story about a classic song! The entire album was a game changer, as well as American Beauty. So many excellent songs.

[@timothygrace2627]

Memories of a college English class book reading assignment; Tom Wolfe’s “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.” Well done, Janda!

[@cohort2796]

Good read. Ken kesey. Mountain girl. Bus wired for sound Cassidy at the wheel. Adventure.

[@_i_am_unceded]

As a Casey, the son of a Casey, and the father of a Casey, I must say this is my favorite GRATEFUL Dead song.

[@Billytomtom18]

Surly one of my favorite Grateful Dead songs, like you have said, ‘some songs just stick in your head’ …lol I will always remember the Grateful Dead’s entourage of groupies that traveled from concert to concert. I guess many are still traveling Gypsies living in RV’s still reuniting with memories of which was the show ever, I doubt there’s an answer since there were so many Journeys. 🚌⛺️💫

[@fg842]

Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!😂 I’m trying to picture groupies from 1970 still hitting the road in RVs at age 85. Most of the deadheads back in their heyday 1970-1980 were male adult non-working bums with no vocations who either hitch hiked or had VW vans packed with like 10 people making their way across the country. I saw it with my own eyes as I am part of the NRPS family going back 50+ years.

[@happyron]

as a songwriter I eat this stuff up, thanks!

[@painterphilippe]

What is this song? This song, as performed, is an entire throwaway. The lyrics, whatever, an excuse, a vehicle. The POINT of this song is, they just push the envelope... farther and farther, speed careening out of control, how far to the edge can they push it?? Then the wrap, with its sweet syrupy turnaround and hook, a downy feather floats from above. That's it. Simply an exercise in crescendo, control, musical abandon, tempo, volume, and abatement. Some of the finest examples, winter 1971 tour through Texas and the Midwest, especial when they close the 1st set with it. Go Dead!

[@DonJoyce]

Awesome story, as usual, Janda and Christian!

[@MrBernardo.]

Greatly done and said!! Class and information

[@behindthesongpodcast]

Much appreciated!

[@keithplucienik9376]

Thank you, as always interesting and informative

[@jeffmcdermott3193]

I've always had fun imagining that "two tickets to paradise" was just an oblique euphemism for sex (cf. "let me stand next to your fire"). Especially since he mentions that he's got those tickets "in his pocket." Hmmm. As much as I love that iconic guitar figure and Eddie's plaintive vocal, I think what really makes the song is that conga. It subtly propels the tune before that punctuating accent at the end.

[@jchow5966]

Thank hou!!!!!

[@kennycarneal6765]

I couldn't stand the grateful dead but my friend kept playing bootleg tapes and he gave me a bunch of acid once and put them on, and I have been a dead head ever since. 😊

[@joeryan6271]

Now I have to hear monkey and the engineer. Ty peace and love 🙏 13:07

[@khonsuthecore4788]

Shit man, I did my own research the other day but this video was super fucking informative, learned way more.

[@behindthesongpodcast]

Thank you! Glad you got something out of it!

[@Juancilra]

It's true that Casey Jones dropped out of the rotation of the Dead's live repertoire in the 2nd half of their career ('80s & '90s), but not completely. I've never heard the rumor that this was part of a plea bargain agreement. Is that true? More likely they just got tired of it for one reason or another, possibly due in part to the coke references. The Dead had hundreds of original songs and covers. They famously played a different setlist every show and had enough songs in their repertoire that even their most frequently played songs would only come around once every 4 or so shows. With such a large repertoire, which they were steadily adding to, many songs dropped out of the regular rotation, including many of their early career staples like Dark Star & St. Stephen. Later in their career, the Dead would bust out some of these "retired" songs from time to time as a special treat for fans. I saw the Dead in summer '92 and they teased the bust out of Casey Jones with a big, real locomotive horn. Sadly, though they blew the train horn in some particularly cacophonous jams, they didn't play Casey Jones at the shows I saw. But I heard they played it at some other stop on the tour for the 1st time in over a decade. Would've been fun to see. But frankly, I can see why they might've gotten tired of playing it. It's not conducive to jamming or variation - key elements of Dead shows. The little crescendo & tempo up-shift at the end may quickly grow repetitive. And the direct reference to coke & pill use was out-of-character for the Dead, who prefer only rare, oblique allusions to weed or hints of psychedelic use, or better yet, references to moonshine, red grenadine, gin fizzes, or Burgundy wine.

[@cohort2796]

I'm going down the road feeling bad, at least I'm enjoying the ride, the monkey has full control so I feel like doing a line or 2 should be ok. Now I'm all night running.

[@ZionForman]

lose with details and facts here

[@justsomerandommfer]

Best version is Mississippi John Hurt's.

[@JusticeAlways]

Yes! 👍

[@nowiknowuryder]

Omg she really knows her shit

[@archstanton_live]

Casey Jones was known to push his engine.

[@kennycarneal6765]

Robert Hunter made the song about life instead of Casey Jones.