10 Songs Missing In Action From Dead & Company Tour

Tomorrow, Dead & Company take the stage at Scottrade Center in St. Louis for their 12th show together. Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann began the tour with Oteil Burbridge, John Mayer and Jeff Chimenti in Albany, New York on October 29 and have debuted at least one tune at every show through last night. Dead & Company have played over 80 songs from the Grateful Dead’s live repertoire since Albany. So, what’s left?

We’ve compiled a list of the 10 songs the Grateful Dead played most that Dead & Company have yet to perform. Our figures come from the latest DeadBase and include covers. Here’s what’s left:

1. Mexicali Blues: The Grateful Dead debuted the first song Bob Weir wrote with John Perry Barlow on October 19, 1971 and went on to play “Mexicali” 435 times through Jerry’s death in 1995.

2. Around & Around: While Dead & Company have performed two Chuck Berry covers the Dead played frequently, “Johnny B. Goode” and “Promised Land,” we’re still waiting on “Around & Around.” The Grateful Dead played “Around & Around” 418 times.

3. Turn On Your Lovelight: This Bobby “Blue” Bland tune was a frequent showstopper in the Pigpen era and then was revived as a Bobby showcase. All told, the Grateful Dead turned on “Lovelight” 341 times.

4. Beat It On Down The Line: Jesse Fuller’s “BIODTL” was a part of the Grateful Dead’s live repertoire for their entire career, so it’s surprising Dead & Company have yet to touch the song. The Grateful Dead “Beat It On Down The Line” a total of 325 times.

5. Mama Tried: Yet another Weir-sung number that has gone M.I.A., the Grateful Dead performed the Merle Haggard cover a total of 302 times between 1969 and 1995.

6. Greatest Story Ever Told: Robert Hunter provided the lyrics and Bob Weir contributed the music for “Greatest Story Ever Told” off Bobby’s 1972 Ace LP. The Grateful Dead played “Greatest Story” 280 times between 1971 and 1995.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mgWS0sHqs8

7. Let It Grow: Dead & Company fans have been waiting for a full version of Weir’s “Weather Report Suite,” but the band hasn’t even performed “Let It Grow” yet. All told, the Grateful Dead played “Let It Grow” 276 times between 1973 and 1995.

8. Throwing Stones: Hey look, it’s another Bob Weir song on this list. Bobby did a fine job with his ’80s protest song with the Fare Thee Well band, but has yet to dust it off with Dead & Company. The Grateful Dead played “Throwing Stones” 265 times between 1982 and 1995.

9. Dire Wolf: Our list’s lone Garcia/Hunter effort is “Dire Wolf,” which the Grateful Dead played a total of 226 times between 1969 and 1995. Unlike the other Jerry songs that Bobby sings with Dead & Company, he actually sang early GD versions of “Dire Wolf.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJi54s3HwTU

10. Man Smart, Woman Smarter: The Grateful Dead debuted Norman Span’s “Man Smart, Woman Smarter” in 1981 and played it a total of 199 times through Garcia’s passing in 1995.

Honorable Mentions: It Must Have Been The Roses, Black-Throated Wind, Alabama Getaway, High Time, Passenger, Might As Well, Jack-A-Roe, To Lay Me Down