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Poster: He Live's Date: Jul 16, 2008 9:20pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

HIGH TIME they played this old chestnut 131 times, which qualifies it as a semi-rarity, more so than big RR blues (172), but not quite as rare as me and bobby mcgee (118). it leads only easy wind (36) and New Speedway (53) in number of performances of the 8 songs that appeared on WORKINGMAN'S DEAD. debuted, 8/30/68 Fillmore West, but the first circulating version is a hissy aud, from 6/21/69, Fillmore East. the delivery of the song is pure Jerry: slow and drawn out, almost to a fault, with each measure and lyric unfolding slowly as our man struggles to plea his case. the band rises and falls, swells and then settles into the high time lyric: ".......well, well i know....." like so many dead tunes from 69-71 as the group worked on their new roots style and group singing, high time could suffer greatly from out of tune guitars and singers.... to an extent, this added to the vibe of the song as the slightly dizzy and off-kilter ne'r do well pleads his case..... i think they get it together right well for this version from The Family Dog, 1969. they continued to work on it an played it a lot in the fall and winter of 69/70, playing High Time at almost every show in december of 1969, 12 times in all. there is a solemn and EERIE version played 12/31/69 at the Boston Tea Party and they REALLY got in the mood for their gig at Springer's Inn, Portand OR on January 16, 1970. the song would get played less and less throughout 1970, the wheel broke down for a long rest on 9/25/70, Pasadena CA. Photobucket High Time came back fitting like a glove to the Dead's new sound and approach in 1976. the "Modern Era" versions are more in tune, and less meandering than the original incarnation. there are no games with the tempo. the drummers play it straight. there is less willy and the poor boys harmonizing and a more arranged, professional presentation is carried off well, thanks largely to DONNA JEAN. (and then Brent Mydland) it is remarkably ON POINT righ out of the gate in '76, go to where it all began again, Boston Music Hall, June 9, 1976. it was in the regular rotation throughout june and played twice at the Orpheum Theatre Run... thereafter it became more of a spot piece, as Jerry would drag it out only when he found the inspiration.... like all things, this made it's place in the cannon special. i like the first of 3 '77 performances from the Univ. of Alabama, May 17, 1977. the song fell completely out of favor in 1978, appearing 0 times. it came back in '79..... and was really born again with Brent holding up his part of the bargain.... adding new depth to the vocals, perhaps getting closer to the original intention from 10 years previous when the boys were just learning to sing this complicated number. they got it together in 79 and it got a fair amount of play in 1980, they brought it out May 5 in Glenn Falls NY and then again... at Nassau on 5/16. but that would be it till August 21 1980 at the uptown in Chicago. great harmonies were on display that night..... BUT FOLKS, won't you phill us in on the rest, i just listened to 30 High Times in a row... i need to BIODTL or somethin!
This post was modified by He Live's on 2008-07-17 04:20:03

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Poster: airgarcia416 Date: Jul 17, 2008 5:31am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

High Time is one of my favorites. I've always that it is a combination of the pacing which really allowed Jerry to play the notes so sweetly and how (when his voice was in fine form) he could sing it just as sweetly.

"I'm having a hard time, living the good life, well I know." Jerry always sang it with the sweetness of a kid getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

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Poster: secret8476 Date: Jul 17, 2008 7:03am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related story)

Read on for a good laugh/story including High Time=)

The date was March 16 on a cold Chicago afternoon. I was headed to the Rosemont Horizon (the Gitmo of venues) to see the Grateful Dead start a three night stint that was sure to keep my head buzzing until summer tour rolled around. Upon arrival, the lot scene was fairly vacant of the usuall activity we are accustomed to seeing at a show. While security made most of the lot devoid of all sales (food, stickers, beer,clothes- all were being confiscated at the first sign of vending) literaly driving around in U-hauls to cart off peoples wares, there were places to go - like the parking lot across the street, or even the nearby hotel for a young head to find some fun in.
And fun i did find. I might mention now in my story that i do not promote the use of drugs, but it is an important part of the story i cannot omit. With that said, I walked into the show having digested 3 hits of LSD, 2 large caps of mushrooms, 6-8 imported beers, all the kind i could smoke and a little hash ta'boot. Now i was ready for a concert! ... or so i thought.
After making our way to our seats, i quickly immersed myself in the atmosphere and found i was dancing without the musid having even started yet. Good times! The only drawback was our section. We were in the second balcony, smack dab in the middle. Within the first few songs of the set, it felt like the temperature skyrocketed to up to 100 degrees plus. It was at this point that my body and mind had conflicting desicions to make - stay and dance till i pass out or puke, or make my way to an area where there is cold water, fresh air, and less people. The latter kept running thru my mind over and over until finally my body agreed with my mind and said *shut down the throat- that will make him leave*. Suddenly, i couldn't breathe, and i couldn't stop sweating. My throat choked up to a point that i thought i might throw up! I was in desperate need of water, and to get the hell out of the inferno section that was steadily rising in temperature and must be igniting the poeple in the back rows behind me. I looked in desperation to my friend Nancy and said " i need water!" and in true Nancy fashion, she looked at me, felt around in her pockets, and said, well, i don't have any. It was quite an observation. And one that told me it was time to go. So, out of the section i ran, down the stairs and into a crowded hallway of dancers, vendors, and police officers. i made my way to the bathroom, and ignoring the line of poeple waiting to do their business, i went straight to the sink and doused myself. I ran water all up and down my face and head, and was desperate enough to drink right from the tap. I needed to hydrate and waiting in line with 10 other people, sweating bullets, panting like a dog with officers all over the place was not an option. So i chug-a-lugged.
After about 10 min. of spraying myself down like a muddy dog, i felt like i was ok to make it back to my seat and enjoy the rest of the show. So back up the mountain of stairs i go, thinking all the while i was ascending into hell. I was right. the moment i got back to my seats, the heat overtook me again, and almost more fiercely then the first time. Only now, I'm on a full blown trip. There are all kinds of thoughts running thru my head - like - who is looking out of my eyeballs right now? and who keeps pouring this water over my head? (t'was my own sweat of course). With the dread of the heat taking me over, and now my trip spiriling downward in a bad way, one thought took over all others in my mind. I have to get the hell out of here as fast as i can !!
Down the stairs i ran again- only this time, the psychedelics i ingested were over-riding rational thought. Everyone i looked at was a potential to blow my cover. After all , i have buckets of sweat coming off me, my eyes are as large as moons, and i must have looked as lost as Harold and Kumar trying to make it to White Castle. How could there possibly be a single person look at me and not say " Oh yea ... he's high!." The only thing going thru my head is - I have to go ! So, to the doors i went.
Here's where the story gets good.... with my hands on the rail of the door - ready to punch them open and exit this inferno of a show that almost has me on the edge of sanity, when suddenly, something incredible happened. The slight crack between the double doors were allowing just enough cold winter air to blast thru that i could feel immediate relief. Something in my head said " Doode..... if you leave this show now - there is no coming back in. Relax yourself - there are probably 10,000 other people here in your exact same condition. Just Relax" And with that cold winter air blowing on me, and some voice of reason in my mind telling me not to go, i melted back against the wall and heard all of the commotion in my head melt away into a few sombre notes eeking out of a guitar somehwere. And with my eyes closed, cold wind blowing, and sanity leaking back into my senses.... i heard, oh so softly .... "You told me goodbye..... how was i to know..." coming into my ears.
Here i am , a helpless, huddled mass of quivering sweat sitting right by the exit doors, literaly being soothed and coaxed into staying in the show by High Times. How appropriate. And it worked. When the set break came, I just happened to be sitting in the area where all my friends said they would meet. One friend noticed me off in the corner and like a mad rush they all approached me.
"Doode are you ok? what are you doing over here?" I said candidly, I can't go up there again. I think i might melt away!=) Lucky for me, my buddy says hey there are like 2 empty seats near us - we'll stub you down into our section. It was a godsend. I coudln't go back to my seats on the upper floor. His seats were on the first lvl, right by an open doorway that had a nice breeze coming thru it.
If anyone knows this show - then you would know had i left the arena that night, i would have missed the first Chicago Dark Star with lyrics in 20 yrs. along with a great scarlet>fire - and a second set LL Rain with Bobby on acoustic mebbe? I can't quite recall at this moment. All i know is, I couldn't have been more grateful for two things that night - the cold winter air - and High Times coaxing me back into reality. This, for me, was the best version ever played.




Hope ya have as much fun reading this as i did typing/reliving the experience.

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Poster: He Live's Date: Jul 17, 2008 8:31am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related story)

wild story secret agent 8456! that's A LOT of drugs you took my man -- i've done all those substances, but never a so many all at once!!! of course your body wanted out! -- crazy kids!


thanks for adding your story, and this ain't a bad High Time at all -- especially for 94, jerry sounds alright (though i think he had a cold....)


funny, a review on setlist says this was a COLD show! Rosemont Horizon, 1994.


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Poster: lobster12 Date: Jul 16, 2008 8:24pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do.....

When his vocals are on Jerry's readings of the lines "welllll you know" and "don't be that way" are really some of his finest work

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Poster: He Live's Date: Jul 16, 2008 9:14pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do.....

i know.... what, you mean.....

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Poster: Dead Surfer Date: Jul 16, 2008 9:35pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do.....

I got a nice tape of this show in the late 80's this High Time is great. The band sounds great and Jerry's voice top notch. Check it out.http://www.archive.org/details/gd1979-12-28.sbd.ladner.gmb.87394.sbeok.flac16

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Poster: He Live's Date: Jul 16, 2008 9:43pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do.....

sounds good.... (i am listening now.... very nice)

thanks for adding this in.....


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Poster: mcglone Date: Jul 17, 2008 10:06am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)


i echo the prime ministers sentiments - great thread. rare is the day i log in from work, glad i did.

He Live's... what other tunes have you so passionately broken down? links?

ian

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Poster: jglynn1.2 Date: Jul 17, 2008 10:50am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

Hey mcglone, Click on poster's name and it will bring up all posts.

He Lives is one of the best, I for one am always glad of his posts . . . now that William Tell and Dire are a different story, they should get a room!!

;)

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Poster: He Live's Date: Jul 17, 2008 8:54pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

thanks j.... (i know you're on my side cause i am an island boy stranded on the west coast -- i wont tell anyone though.... STRONG ISLAND!)

and how bout those METS! 10 in a row!

ATTN: MCGLONE:

BTW, diana tore apart a lot of my old posts because i had been a bad, bad man.... unknowingly making SBDs downloadable to the half-able...?

that's another story....

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Poster: veblen Date: Jul 17, 2008 9:29pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

yes, thanks for getting me on the high time kick last eve...I really enjoyed it though my head was spinning after listening to 12 or so versions from crockett on 69-11-15 through OSU on 70-01-17...yes, that was a pleasurable listening experience to say the very least...

though I needed an hour plus of be-bop to get my head straight...

regarding the mets: not only ten straight but first place as well...

since it sounded so good last night tonight I am going to listen to all of 69-12-10, the thelma theater in el lay...I like having high time go into easy wind...

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Poster: He Live's Date: Jul 17, 2008 10:37pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

good to hear from you veblen.... i am missing some shows i know, and you mentioned some.... cheers (what is it, you live in LALA land>? i'm in Oakland....)



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Poster: veblen Date: Jul 17, 2008 10:47pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

no, I live across the bay from you...in the city that is trying to beat your biggity-biggity-0 in the annual homicide race...

and I forgot that 69-12-10 is the black queen show with stills...not bad, just different...

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Poster: He Live's Date: Jul 18, 2008 12:01am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

right right... i think i had figured that out already, but you know.... well, i know....

stay warm over there!

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Poster: William Tell Date: Jul 18, 2008 11:42am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

Allow me to echo recently washed and disinfected JG (he's one of the good guys around here too)--I certainly enjoy your posts as well. Took me a while to figure out exactly who you were (that whole biz about seeing your handle in two different formats and my dumbass inability to figure it out gives me a chuckle every time I read a post of yours!), but as one coastal refuge to another: keep up the good work.

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Poster: William Tell Date: Jul 17, 2008 1:02pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

This IS my room.

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Poster: jglynn1.2 Date: Jul 17, 2008 1:11pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

I'll be right back, I have to go wash my hands now!

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Poster: William Tell Date: Jul 17, 2008 4:56pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

Wash AND disinfect, my son.

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Poster: William Tell Date: Jul 17, 2008 7:17am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: I was losing time, I had nothing to do..... (High Time-related)

Beautiful, my friends...just beautiful. You guys can almost bring tears to my eyes.

Always loved this song. Always loved how Jerry could sing it, when he pulled it off, but those were few and far between. Still can't top the album for all I've listened to over the years.

Also loved that Jerry said that he wished someone would do it that could really sing. But for me, it is a pure Jerry tune that I can't imagine that being possible...

Love all your comments above guys--great way to start off the morning.