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Jerry Garcia Tribute
SPIRIT OF GARCIA
by Uncle John
The first time I am backstage with the Jerry Garcia Band, I’m sitting at the main round table next to John Kahn, who is erudite and interesting, as we have a conversation and I listen to him talk about memories, reflections, and dreams. My eyes are on Jerry Garcia watching him carry on a half dozen lively conversations at the same time. He is astutely following each one and contributes brilliant observations, upbeat, with a good deal of humor. We love to hear him laugh. I finally capture his attention with my eyes and interject a question, "Have you seen the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind?" I ask him, not realizing he had a cameo in the film. He immediately replies, "I´m not answering anymore questions until we find out who you are." There is suddenly silence in the room. And I introduce myself.
"Uncle John"
"That improves things considerably," Jerry Garcia responds, lifting his eyebrows with a twinkle, and smiles, as the banter in the room resumes.
"Where do I stand spiritually?
Oh God!!! (with laughter)
Somewhere between Jesus and the devil."
--JERRY GARCIA
DAYS BETWEEN
DAYS BETWEEN
- Mystery Rivers -
- Walking With Jerry -
- Jerry´s Eyes -
- Sing Me Back Home -
- Garcia´s Voice In The Sky -
- "I ain´t often right, but I never been wrong" -
- Dreaming With Jerry -
- Immortality -
MYSTERY RIVERS
by Uncle John
I am backstage one night after the show at Sophie´s in Palo Alto with the Jerry Garcia Band, and well into the morning, Jerry turns to me and asks me to play him a song. I pick up the Gibson SG; and Jerry Garcia, who knew that I write songs but am not a musician, said "Don´t plug it in, just play!" I play and sing a song I wrote, "Mystery Rivers", about the Garcia River in Mendocino county, California, & the Weir River in Hingham, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts.
EXCERPT
Verse 1
When moondrops that come from remembering
You looking into my eyes
When you come around again
To sing like a bluebird flies
When I walk beside your footsteps
That come from heaven by the sea
Playing on the promised guitar
In the back hills and under the trees
Like the wedding in the river
And the love it brings
Telepathy on the ledge and bridge
And the light in your eyes when you sing
Bridge 1
Somewhere in a California forest
Where a mystery river flows
There grows a magic mushroom
That knows what the birds know
Where the wind is going to go
Special ThanksTigerRose420
Jerry Garcia Band
“This world is not our home
We're only passing through
Our trail is all made up
Way beyond the blue
Let us do the very best that we can
While we're travelin' through this land
We can all be together, shakin' a hand
When we make it to the promised land
Let us
walk together, little children
We don't ever have to worry
Through this world of trouble
We gotta love one another
Let us take our fellow man by the hand
Try to help him to understand
We can all be together, forever and ever
When we make it to the promised land”