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Poster: AshesRising Date: Jan 30, 2008 7:06pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: YouTube vid: Phil and Hunter speak about "Box of Rain"

Hello:
It's not much, but at least it's something. A short video (2:37) of mostly Phil speaking about "Box of Rain." Always nice to see Hunter, however, regardless if it was only for 23-seconds: beginning at 38-seconds into the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQbURirZSRY

--- AshesRising

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Poster: Earl B. Powell Date: Jan 30, 2008 7:59pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: YouTube vid: Phil and Hunter speak about 'Box of Rain'

Ashes: Thanks for that one, I'll surely have a different perspective of the song. Wish I would have known the story behind it many years ago when I was in the same situation.

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Poster: AshesRising Date: Jan 30, 2008 10:30pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: YouTube vid: Phil and Hunter speak about 'Box of Rain'

Earl B. Powell: I regret to hear that it was too late for you to know about the origins of "Box of Rain." At at least there may be some solace in knowing you may have the opportunity to pass it on.

Here are additional notes written by Hunter regarding the tune and the "American Beauty" album:

"American Beauty shows the GD playing, singing and songwriting skills in full stride. We had the confidence of a successful record (Workingman's Dead) behind, plus a shared sense of direction that was in tune with the times. The Band, The Byrds, Poco, CSNY & Dylan were all exploring traditional music augmented by the power of rock & roll. Psychedelia had had its moment (marking the GD forever in the public perception) and we were continuing to evolve what we believed to be the logical next step in American music, hence the title.

There is an underlying tone of sadness to American Beauty (Phil's father had just passed away, Jerry's mother was dying in the hospital as the result of an auto accident) reflected in the colors of such tunes as Box of Rain, Brokedown Palace Attics of My Life and Ripple.

On the up side, Sugar Magnolia/Sunshine Daydream re-affirmed the important business of just getting stupid and being in love, while Truckin' announced, as early as 1970, what a long, strange trip it already seemed to have been. This didn't refer only to the GD, but to the ten years of bluegrass, old timey & jug band configurations leading up to the rock & roll departure. Grateful Dead Live ('71) Europe '72 & the Garcia solo release (also 72) staked out the GD's musical territory in a definitive way.
.
It wouldn't be until 1975 and Blues for Allah that we would break with that feeling and extend the territory into less definable musical spaces, neither psychedelic nor traditional based. This amorphous state of transition lasted until 1985 when In the Dark once again found us in command of our direction in a way comprehensible to the public.

American Beauty remains the favorite studio record of many fans and members of the band, mustering, as it does, all the resources at our command in a futile but game response to the rising tide of commercially safe music which had already begun a counter-mission to recover its monopoly of the American airwaves and record racks in the '70's."
http://www.hunterarchive.com/files/lyrics/teleprompter.html
[@Robert Hunter Archive, 1996 - 2008]

In his anthology of lyrics, "Box of Rain (1990)," he included the following line: "If ever a lyric 'wrote itself,' this did--as fast as the pen would pull."

One of my favorite Hunter interviews, "Standing in the Soul," was published in 1992:

http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/silber.html [if you read it, notice the date at the bottom of the page that it was republished on that web site......]

--- AshesRising

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Poster: Earl B. Powell Date: Jan 31, 2008 6:02am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: YouTube vid: Phil and Hunter speak about 'Box of Rain'

Yow! 8/7/95! A foreshadowing? ...In the strangest of places if you look at it right.

As for Box of Rain, I think I'll adapt it for my own use when the time comes. It's always been a favorite along with Ripple on the emo front. (Studio versions a must.)

Thanks again for the post my brother.

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Poster: William Tell Date: Jan 31, 2008 10:47am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: YouTube vid: Phil and Hunter speak about 'Box of Rain'

Absolutely. As I have said a few times before, depending on the nature of the ceremony/memorial/celebration, Hunter's version can work better than ABeauty...I think that there is a place for both versions if the setting is right (ie, long enough, transition from deeply introspective [Hunter's] to more upbeat/celebratory [AB's]).

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Poster: caspersvapors Date: Jan 30, 2008 7:36pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: YouTube vid: Phil and Hunter speak about 'Box of Rain'

that vid is from Anthem to Beauty, where they basically cover the making of all the songs on Anthem and American Beauty, i highly recommend

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Poster: AshesRising Date: Jan 30, 2008 7:51pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: YouTube vid: Phil and Hunter speak about 'Box of Rain'

caspervapors: Thank You. I was not aware of that video -- I will certainly check it out.

Thanks again,
--- AshesRising

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Poster: William Tell Date: Jan 30, 2008 8:37pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: YouTube vid: Phil and Hunter speak about 'Box of Rain'

Let me second that--if I could copy a DVD like our good friend Arbuthnot, this would be in the mail to you in a flash. Not sure if you'll find it easily, as it is not generally in the typical video rental outlets, BUT whatever you do, find it and enjoy...great stuff of my favorite time period...

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Poster: craven714 Date: Jan 31, 2008 10:24am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: YouTube vid: Phil and Hunter speak about 'Box of Rain'

I third the Anthem to Beauty
one of the top 3 the GD ever released
Just do yourself a favor and go get it
It will the best $19.99 you will spend today

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Poster: William Tell Date: Jan 31, 2008 6:55am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: YouTube vid: Phil and Hunter speak about 'Box of Rain'

Repetitious deletive.
This post was modified by William Tell on 2008-01-31 14:55:21