Disco de Grateful Dead: “Shakedown Street”

Stop arguing that it's not the greatest GD cd, or that this or that song is better live (no duh),and just get the cd. I was an impressionable teen when this came out is 78 and it made a nice impression on me. I can remeber playing bball with my friends to this (tape) and it propelled the game along. What a start to an album with 'Good Lovin', poppy dead at their best covering a great song,yet making it their own, 'France' is a nice song for Donna G's vocals, 'Shakedown Street' a groovy,smooth song, 'Serengetti' is just an ok instrumental (filler really),'Fire on the Mountain' is a great dead song, 'I need a miracle' everyday (don't we all!), great Weir vocals and crisp guitar work, 'From the Heart of me' again a nice song by Donna G.,'Stagger Lee'is only an ok Jerry song and vocal, 'All new minglewood blues'-play it loud, play it often,and 'If I had the world to give' is a nice mellowending with beautiful vocals by Jerry, just melodically beautiful. Obviously this is not the place for a newbie to the Dead to start with (try Workingmans,Blues for Allah,American Beauty, One From the Vault,etc), but if you did start here, you would be drawn in none the less and continue your exploration of the wonderful music of the Great Grateful Dead...

Let me try and give this record some justice. It s not the favorite Dead in the studio by consensus in the GD community. It is although the fruit of many tunes that came to be monsters and legendary songs in shows. 2nd sets to be exact.

How can you not enjoy the one of 3 (?) versions of World to give the boys did at Winterland in Oct. 78. Well, the original is here, and sometimes the album version has the dedication and care that you don t get live. At least that s in the eyes of European record collectors. The Dead s laboratory was onstage, but these tunes still sound great here. Very disco, but like I said, they became unforgetable numbers to hear live (Fire, MIracle, Stagger lee to name a few).

Plus the whole concept of Shakedown St. was just SO part of our culture, the Deadhead's that made it to as many shows as we could. When we arrived at a show, the Shakedown was in progress, and we could purchase anything from killer t shirts to beers you wouldn t find in Indiana to give an example = )

So aside from the great tunes, I think the art is pretty funky for the album too = ) Get it ! = )

This album has several "must have" tracks on it. Good Lovin', Shakedown Street,Minglewood Blues,Fire on the mountain & more. Whats not to like?

Funky fresh, I believe I have one more shout out left for the Grateful Dead at least. SHAKEDOWN STREET, the bands eclectic offerings from 1978.

This album was recorded near the end of the DONNA JEAN/KEITH GODCHEAUX era. These years closed when Keith Godcheaux died in a severe bike accident. Most will say what he brought to the band was a more funky feel- he also brought his wife- who had sex with everyone in the band on the reg.(Don't quote me on that.)

I'm really no extreme DEAD HEAD, but I can hold my own. Hey, I know what I like and what I don't, ain't that good enough. I play this record at parties all the time. Its great fun times.

GOOD LOVIN' yeah, its that one you are thinking of covered by Bobby Weir on vocals. Of course Pig Pen covered it years earlier with the Dead and was WAY better, this version isn't bad.

FRANCE is a strange worldly track with Donna Jean on vocals. Theres steal drums and stuff going on, you better not leave your seat.

SHAKEDOWN STREET* this song kicks. Very groovy, with a hard steady drum beat and cool lyrics. Don't tell me this town ain't got no heart....

SERENGETTI another worldly tune, still good.

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN* More funky stuff, this song goes well to accompany a white reggae revolution. bands like SUBLIME took there cues from this song.

I NEED A MIRACLE* A bluesy one by Bobby Weir. Some good lyrics in the Bobby weir fashion. "I need a woman 'bout twice my age..."

FROM THE HEART OF ME a little too much Donna Jean for one album but still, I can dig it here and there.

STAGGER LEE This song makes me picture Jerry pimpin' on a sidewalk. This is a lost time for the DEAD I think and that is why these tracks are so underated. I love this stuff.

NEW NEW MINGLEWOOD BLUES Oh wait, I'm sorry, this is the ALL NEW MINGLEWOOD BLUES, this is a rehashed version of a song they covered way back in the mid sixties. The original was better, but they added more verses on this one that are quite enjoyable.

IF I HAD THE WORLD TO GIVE as is usual, Jerry closes us out with a nice somewhat lengthy inspirational jam. God bless, Jerry.

SO thats it. SHAKEDOWN STREET is a classic studio DEAD.

I would recommend ONE FROM THE VAULT first for anyone trying to break into the DEAD, but if you want a funky, reggae, blues, psychedelic disco album for your next FREAK OUT....you don't gotta poke around, get SHAKEDOWN STREET.

The Dead go disco. Shakedown Street certainly isn't the Dead's best studio album, but it's not terrible either. Their version of the Rascals' classic "Good Lovin" features a cool rhythmic beat, and "I Need a Miracle" is a fun song. Most of the rest is filler. Not recommended for the casual fan, but an interesting look at the Dead's late-70's music.