Uncle John’s Band
The Grateful Dead * Track #1 On Workingman’s Dead
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Album Workingman’s Dead
- #1Uncle John’s Band
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- #6Black Peter
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- #7Easy Wind
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- #8Casey Jones
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- #9Uncle John’s Band (Live)
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- #10Radio Ad
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Uncle John's Band by The Grateful Dead
Release Date
Performed by
The Grateful DeadWrited by
Jerry Garcia & Robert HunterAbout
“Uncle John’s Band” is a collection of fragmented images within a storehouse of the American consciousness during the final year of a decade that now serves as a metaphor, the 1960’s.
The song is in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll”. It’s a bluegrass-inspired fo...
Uncle John’s Band Lyrics
Well, the first days are the hardest days
Don't you worry anymore
'Cause when life looks like Easy Street
There is danger at your door
Think this through with me
Let me know your mind
Woah, oh, what I want to know
Is are you kind?
It's a buck dancer's choice my friend
Better take my advice
You know all the rules by now
And the fire from the ice
Will you come with me?
Won't you come with me?
Woah, oh, what I want to know
Will you come with me?
Goddamn, well, I declare
Have you seen the like
Their walls are built of cannon balls
Their motto is don't tread on me
Come hear Uncle John's Band
Playing to the tide
Come with me or go alone
He's come to take his children home
It's the same story the crow told me
It's the only one he know
Like the morning sun you come
And like the wind you go
Ain't no time to hate
Barely time to wait
Woah, oh, what I want to know
Where does the time go?
I live in a silver mine
And I call it "Beggar's Tomb"
I got me a violin
And I beg you call the tune
Anybody's choice
I can hear your voice
Whoa-ho what I want to know
How does the song go?
Come hear Uncle John's Band
By the riverside
Got some things to talk about
Here beside the rising tide
Come hear Uncle John's Band
Playing to the tide
Come on along or go alone
He's come to take his children home
Whoa-ho what I want to know
How does the song go?
Come hear Uncle John's Band
By the riverside
Got some things to talk about
Here beside the rising tide
Come hear Uncle John's Band
Playing to the tide
Come on along or go alone
He's come to take his children home
Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh (To fade)
Songwriters: Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter
Uncle John’s Band Q&A
Who wrote Uncle John’s Band's ?
Uncle John’s Band was written by Jerry Garcia & Robert Hunter.
Who produced Uncle John’s Band's ?
Uncle John’s Band was produced by Betty Cantor & Bob Matthews & The Grateful Dead.
When did The Grateful Dead release Uncle John’s Band?
The Grateful Dead released Uncle John’s Band on Sun Jun 14 1970.
What did The Grateful Dead say about "Uncle John's Band"?
Garcia discussing the origins of the song:
And for me, at that time I was listening to records of the Bulgarian Women’s Choir and also this Greek-Macedonian music – these penny-whistlers – and on one of those records there was a song that featured this little turn of melody that was so lovely that...