My 10 Favorite Grateful Dead Songs, Ranked
In 1992, I skipped my ballet recital to see The Grateful Dead with the Steve Miller Band. While I barely remember the setlist (here), the concert stands out as a turning point in my youth. I would go on to see the band, fronted by the legendary Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir, about two or three more times before 1995, even in the midst of discovering music I liked more — namely grunge, punk, and alternative rock. When Jerry died in 1995, I had already migrated to other genres. Nevertheless, as I reflect on Weir’s legacy upon his passing at age 78, I still smile when I hear certain songs — especially these top 10 tunes.
#10: “St. Stephen” (Aoxomoxoa)
This catchy song from the band’s 1969 album Aoxomoxoa captures the 60s Woodstock hippie spirit while referencing a Bible tale.
#9: “Truckin'” (American Beauty)
One of Weir’s most memorable lead-vocal tunes, “Truckin'” possesses what Rolling Stone called “one of the defining” lyrics of the 20th century … ‘What a long, strange trip it’s been.’
#8: “Fire on The Mountain” (Shakedown Street)
With its groovy wah-pedal hooks and pointed lyrics, ‘long distance runner, what are you standing there for?’, “Fire on The Mountain” speaks to me on many levels. I loved hearing the Dead play this as a mashup with “Scarlet Begonia.”
#7: “Casey Jones” (Workingman’s Dead)
Dead songs hook listeners in the opening verse; in this case, “driving that train/high on cocaine/Casey Jones you better watch your speed!” “”Casey Jones” is the anthem to a good party, and it was kind of cool that the band played it when I saw them in June 1992 for the first time in eight years. I didn’t realize the magnitude of that moment until speaking to Deadheads much later. Fun fact: Robert Hunter, who wrote the lyrics, stated in a 2015 Rolling Stone interview that “‘Casey Jones’ didn’t start out as a song, it just suddenly popped into my mind.”
#6: “China Doll” (From the Mars Hotel)
Blending strings and what sounds like a harpsichord, this emotive 1974 murder ballad isn’t on most “Top 10” Grateful Dead lists, but it has haunted me since I first heard it, while driving and listening to a bootleg (cassette) of another show.
#5: “Althea” (Go To Heaven)
With one of the most recognizable twangy intros in ’70s rock, the Dead’s “Althea” is a gem of a song about a wise woman’s sage guidance. It’s also one of the most memorable tracks off their lesser-known 1980 album, Go To Heaven.‘
#4: “Ripple” (American Beauty)
This casual, singalong jam is perfect for campfire hangouts. It’s also one of the band’s most popular tracks, played frequently during live sets in the early seventies.
#3: “Touch of Grey” (In The Dark)
“Touch of Grey” is the Dead’s only official, radio-ready hit — peaking at #9 on Billboard’s Top 40 in 1987 — though I recall my Deadhead ex boyfriend Pete telling me (in 1993) that “real” fans weren’t wild for it. But honestly, I prefer this ’80s staple to “Dark Star” any day of the week, with its upbeat pop riff and inspiring message.
#2: “Sugar Magnolia” (American Beauty)
This groovy, whimsical song written with Hunter features Weir in lead vocals, and is one of the band’s most infectious tunes. It’s a tribute to Weir’s former girlfriend Frankie, too. The lyrics are as catchy as the melody, which makes it no surprise that this tune was apparently performed more than 600 times live.
#1: “Uncle John’s Band” (Workingman’s Dead)
This jangly acoustic classic is quintessential summer camp music, and symbolizes everything I liked about The Grateful Dead. And it’s the song of theirs that always stays with me, in the back of my head, weaving its way into impromptu jam sessions with my friends. It’s no wonder Wikipedia notes that “Uncle John’s Band” offers one of the Dead’s “most immediately accessible and memorable melodies,” Admittedly, I’ll never forget seeing The Dead in 1993, when Garcia sung this tune and forgot the lyrics (but the entire audience knew what to do!). It was an amazing moment of my youth, and certainly the youths of so many others.
