Scarlet Begonias
| "Scarlet Begonias" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"Scarlet Begonias" is a song by the Grateful Dead. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter and the music by Jerry Garcia.[1] The live debut of "Scarlet Begonias" came on March 23, 1974 at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California.[1]
The song begins in Grosvenor Square in London and also references "Tea for Two" from No, No, Nanette by Irving Caesar and Vincent Youmans.
The line "Everybody's playing in the Heart of Gold Band", was used by Keith and Donna Godchaux to name their new group "Heart of Gold Band" when they left the Grateful Dead in 1979.
The recording first appears on the 1974 release From the Mars Hotel. When "Fire on the Mountain" was written in 1977, "Scarlet Begonias" would often be paired with "Fire on the Mountain" when played live. This resulted in what would be nicknamed "Scarlet > Fire".[2]
Covers
- A version of the song appears on the Sublime album 40oz. to Freedom (1992), which samples James Brown's "Funky Drummer" prominently.[3]
- Jimmy Buffett released a version of the song on his album License to Chill in 2004.[4]
- A bluegrass version of the song appeared on the 2008 album Rex (Live at the Fillmore) by Keller Williams with Keith Moseley and Jeff Austin. Keller performs the song frequently as part of his solo concerts..[5]
- After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, it was (and still is) performed in concert by Dead spin-off bands Phil Lesh & Friends, Bob Weir & RatDog, Rhythm Devils, BK3, Mickey Hart Band and Donna Jean Godchaux Band, as well as The Dead, and Furthur.[citation needed]
- Phish played "Scarlet > Fire" at their very first show under the name Blackwood Convention at Harris-Millis Hall at the University of Vermont on December 2, 1983.
- Thievery Corporation played a version in Chicago, IL, on July 2, 2015, as part of 'The Music Never Stopped' series, with Loulou Ghelichkhani on vocals.
Notes
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- ↑ Keller Williams album for REX charity, news.jamradio.org, May 7, 2008, Retrieved May 15, 2008.
External links
- Dead.net, the official homepage of the Grateful Dead.
- Full lyrics with notations
