The Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead (1970)

                                                                            1970

                                 Produced by - Bob Matthews & Betty Cantor with The Grateful Dead

                                                                            35:33

      Released on Warner Bros. Records in 1970, Workingman's Dead was the Grateful Dead's fifth album, and their first studio release of 1970. Workingman's Dead however, was not Aoxomoxoa. Aoxomoxoa, the band's third record, was marred by lengthy recording sessions and studio fees over $180,000, and was also their most experimental record. Workingman's Dead marked a new direction for the Dead. Jerry Garcia, the creative force behind most of this record had been spending a lot of time with Stephen Stills and David Crosby, of Crosby, Stills, and Nash. CSN's music was distinguishable by its intricate vocal harmonies, and acoustic warmth, and because of this, Garcia began to incorporate the voice as more of an instrument. The Dead up to this point had been mostly a jam/improvisational band, but turned more towards a fuller acoustic sound for this record, and the follow up ( Also in 1970), American Beauty. Workingman's Dead was recorded in San Francisco, and took only nine days to record, compared to the nearly eight months it took to make Aoxomoxoa. The band also made use of more folk and country inspired instruments such as banjo and pedal steel guitar. Garcia was responsible for coloring this album, the next, and many other major releases in 1970 with his pedal steel guitar playing. The Grateful Dead proved their versatility with Workingman's Dead, moving from a free-form psychedelic style to an acoustic roots sound, which mirrored the kind of music the band was into before they made it big.

     At only eight tracks, Workingman's Dead, a first many seem incomplete and abridged. But each song is a concise, tight arrangement, drawing from blues, country, folk, and bluegrass roots. Vocal harmonies are explored on most of the tracks, with an intricacy that is absent from the Dead's previous records. "Uncle John's Band" was the Grateful Dead's first single from Workingman's Dead and the first song non "Deadheads" would be able to recognize easily. Before releasing Workingman's Dead, the Dead had been more of an underground group, but in 1970 began to put out songs that could be enjoyed by anyone. The pedal steel guitar, played by Garcia, can be found prominently on "High Time" and "Dire Wolf", hinting at country music influences. "Cumberland Blues" takes on a bluegrass vibe with Garcia's banjo picking, while "Black Peter" is a acoustic guitar driven folky song, with organ and harmonica from none other than Pigpen, contributing his howling blues also on "Easy Wind". Beginning with the sound of bumping coke, "Casey Jones" is based off an old folk song called "The Ballad of Casey Jones", with the Dead twist on it. 

    Workingman's Dead  was a remarkable achievement for the Grateful Dead, expanding their playing styles, breaking into the mainstream, and not being in debt as a result of recording the album. The songs are tight arrangements, warm, and laid-back, and stripped. As a result, this psychedelic jam band showed they could be country/folk crooners too, and among the best of the time. (Workingman's Dead was voted best album of 1970 by the readers of Rolling Stone). 

Key Tracks - "Uncle John's Band", "Dire Wolf", "Black Peter", "Casey Jones"