Great songwriters - Robert Hunter (Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan etc)

Robert Hunter - Tales Of The Great Rum Runners (1974 USA 2024 double disc remaster)

Robert Hunter's work as a solo artist with a deluxe reissue of his 1974 debut, Tales of the Great Rum Runners. While Hunter is widely revered as the primary lyricist for the Grateful Dead, this series will explore the depth of his solo work, offering a renewed appreciation for his exceptional artistry.

Originally released in spring 1974, Tales Of The Great Rum Runners marked the inaugural release on Round Records, an offshoot of the newly formed Grateful Dead Records. Among its 13 tracks were several destined to become staples of Hunter's live repertoire, like “Boys In The Barroom,” “Rum Runners,” and “It Must Have Been The Roses.”

Recorded at Mickey Hart's converted barn studio in Novato, California, the album reveals Hunter's multifaceted talents and features him singing and playing various instruments, including guitar, tin whistle, and bagpipes on “Children's Lament.” He was accompanied by a revolving cast of Bay Area musicians on the album, including Jerry Garcia, Keith and Donna Jean Godchaux, and Mickey Hart of the Dead, as well as guitarist Barry Melton (Country Joe & The Fish), bassist David Freiberg (Quicksilver Messenger Service/Jefferson Starship), and pedal steel guitarist Buddy Cage (New Riders Of The Purple Sage).

Tales Of The Great Rum Runners (Deluxe Edition) comes with 16 previously unreleased bonus tracks, offering new insight into the album's evolution. Among these are alternate versions of six songs that made the album (“Keys To The Rain” and “It Must Have Been The Roses”), plus ten gems that did not (“The Word,” “Buck Dancer's Choice,” and “Elijah.”)

Tracks

Disc 1 (Original album 1974)

1. Lady Simplicity - 0:21

2. That Train - 4:37

3. Dry Dusty Road - 2:20

4. I Heard You Singing (David Freiberg,  Robert Hunter) - 3:38

5. Rum Runners - 3:07

6. Children's Lament - 4:17

7. Maybe She's A Bluebird - 2:01

8. Boys In The Barroom - 1:09

9. It Must Have Been The Roses - 3:31

10.Arizona Lightning - 3:36

11.Standing At Your Door - 4:33

12.Mad - 4:13

13.Keys To The Rain - 4:16

All compositions by Robert Hunter except track #4

Disc 2 (Previously Unreleased) 

1. Boys In The Barroom - 1:12

2. Elija - 2:08

3. The Word  - 1:56

4. Rum Runners - 3:10

5. It Must Have Been The Roses - 3:37

6. Road Hog - 2:51

7. Green Briar Song  - 2:15

8. Reelin’ And A-Pitchin’ - 3:40

9. Briney Deep - 3:05

10.Children’s Lament - 4:23

11.Lady Simplicity - 0:22

12.Southern Fried Shuffle - 2:29

13.West Virginia Steel Guitar - 2:36

14.Buck Dancer’s Choice  - 2:05

15.Boats - 2:23

16.Keys To The Rain - 4:19

Music and Lyrics by Robert Hunter

Song of the Day | Jerry Garcia Band & Robert Hunter - Promontory Rider - live 2/29/80

 Can’t beat a bit of Robert Hunter writing (and singing and playing too) good enough for Jerry and even good enough for Bobby D This is nice and has that mellow ‘Dead’ feel  . . . . . 

Jerry Garcia Band & Robert Hunter - Promontory Rider - live 2/29/80

Feb 29 1980

Calderone Theater

Hempstead NY

Bertha Remaster of the PreFM soundboard

Thanks to: 

Top Hat Crew's "Live Music Archives"

ROBERT HUNTER- Live in New Haven CT- 1997 - So Many Roads

 ROBERT HUNTER

Friend of Bob Dylan and Jerry Gracia and uniquely 'different' as writers go there is this . . . .

Robert Hunter New Haven 1997 - So Many Roads

'So Many' says:

In the spring of 1997, 2 years after his Jerry Garcia’s death, Robert Hunter was on tour, playing his unique versions of the classics that he and Garcia had penned for the Grateful Dead. This soundboard recording captures Hunter in New Haven on May 11, 1997, 2 dozen years ago today.

 

 

Costello sings Dead song!

 'SHIP OF FOOLS'

ELVIS COSTELLO

"Went to see the captain

Strangest I could find

Laid my proposition down

I laid it on the line

I won't slave for beggar's pay

Likewise gold and jewels

But I would slave to learn the way

To sink your ship of fools

Ship of fools

On a cruel sea

Ship of fools

Sail away from me"

Garcia/Hunter 

One of the regular posters over at the Wagon has posted a doozie of a Costello rarity (best grab it now his people are notoriously hot on having ROIOs taken down) but this short set has a version of a song not often found. draftervoi says "I got this '3rd generation tape' from a clerk at Streetlight Records in San Francisco.  The STORY I got from him was that they recorded it just to get the live version of "Ship of Fools/Must Have Been The Roses." This is the first time that it hit the EC repertoire and occurs rarely ever since from time to time and especially in the late 80s. 'Drafter' notes this is not the same as other sources versions [there are OTHER sources?!] . . . . . 

Elvis Costello rarity - San Jose Civic Centre - Voodoo Wagon

Elvis Costello / San Jose Civic Auditorium, San Jose, CA - April 16, 1987 soundboard 3rd generation tape

 

Elvis Costello
San Jose Civic Auditorium
San Jose, CA. 
April 16, 1987
Soundboard
(3rd generation tape)

01 Sally Sue Brown
02 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
03 Suit Of Lights
04 Green Shirt
05 Brilliant Mistake
06 Ship Of Fools - It Must Have Been The Roses
07 Uncomplicated
08 Inch By Inch

draftervoi adds:

"And it's a HELL of a version, sung with passion. .   

and hard to believe at this distance in time, 

but at a time when the Costello audience 

and the Grateful Dead audiences were still two separate camps. 

So...if you like Elvis Costello, or the Dead... 

you'll probably find this of interest."

 

If only for the chat between songs . . . . 

"a lot of people bring you flying pigs, exploding walls, 

light shows and laser shows 

I've brought my holiday pictures with me . . . . 

here we are in Salt Lake City with David Lee Roth! (sic)" 

Ha ha ha ha dig at Roth who had spiteful digs at Elvis . . . . . . . ha ha ha

N.B. this is a FLAC file and a soundboard source 

so it is safe to assume it is astonishing quality. 

 . . . . . . 
It is and you won't be!!

ROBERT HUNTER R.I.P. 1941 - 2019

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ROBERT HUNTER R.I.P. 1941 - 2019

Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter has died at the age of 78. The poet, writer and solo musician passed away at his home September 23. No cause of death has yet been revealed. “It is with great sadness we confirm our beloved Robert passed away yesterday night,” Hunter’s family announced in a statement (via Rolling Stone). “He died peacefully at home in his bed, surrounded by love. His wife Maureen was by his side holding his hand. For his fans that have loved and supported him all these years, take comfort in knowing that his words are all around us, and in that way his is never truly gone. In this time of grief please celebrate him the way you all know how, by being together and listening to the music. Let there be songs to fill the air.” After joining the band in 1967, Hunter wrote the lyrics for Dead songs such as ‘Dark Star’, ‘Box of Rain’ and ‘Touch of Gray’. Hunter was already friends with the late Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia before he joined, with the two having met for the first time in 1961. Hunter was inducted along with the Grateful Dead into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

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Over the years Hunter wrote lyrics to a number of the band's signature pieces, including "Dark Star", "Ripple", "Truckin'", "China Cat Sunflower", and "Terrapin Station". Hunter was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Grateful Dead in 1994, and is the only non-performer to ever be inducted as a member of a band.

He also collaborated with Bob Dylan, Bruce Hornsby, New Riders of The Purple Sage (obviously) Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos (see below) and others over the years 

ROBERT HUNTER

Aquarium Drunkard

Once more a fascinating article from Aquarium Drunkard this morning (I think) and this one about the enigmatic Robert Hunter who fascinates me and many others to boot. A fine songwriter and collaborator with The Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan too, he wrote extensively and this article looks at his online novel 'The Giant's Harp' and its relationship with the song 'Terrapin Station' and his involvement with The Grateful Dead especially Jerry Garcia

Robert Hunter from Rolling Stone

From Eagle Mall to Terrapin Station - Robert Hunter - Aquarium Drunkard 

Hunter / Garcia

Giant's Harp here at The Hunter Archive

 "Their dreams are tattered sails in the wind..."