Grateful Dead “Europe ’72”

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#165 in the Series, and #1 in the Live, Saturday Night Series) is the Grateful Dead, Europe ’72.

As you can see by the intro, we are breaking new ground this evening.

Previously, we have not feature ‘live’ albums on our blog.  I’ve only written up two in all these days. They were Poco, Live at Columbia Studios, Hollywood 9/30/71 and Little Feat, Waiting For Columbus.

The Poco entry was to help promote a great new release while the Feat album was to honor the drumming of Richie Hayward. Hayward had just passed away.

But this evening that all changes as from today on, we start anew. Every Saturday we will be featuring a live album.  Why Saturday? We’ll which night did you see your most concerts? Probably Saturday.

We will be calling the new series…..Live, Saturday Night. If you didn’t think I was clever before.. We’ll now you know for sure that I’m not.

We start the new Series with the Grateful Dead’s epic, triple album, Europe 72!

Europe ’72 was actually my first real into to the band. I’m not sure what year this was but I know it was a few years after.

I loved the first side.  Bang, Bang, Bang….You get “Cumberland Blues,” “He’s Gone” and “One More Saturday Night.”  I’m partial to Bob Weir so I love “One More Saturday Night.” but all three tracks here are superb.

Side Two.  You have another winning spin with Bob Weir’s “Jack Straw” followed by Hank Williams, Jr.’s “You Win Again” and Garcia’s “China Cat Sunflower.” The side ends with the traditional “I Know You Rider.”

Side Three. Jerry Garcia takes front stage on this side with a couple songs, two of his writing. “Brown Eyed Woman,” Some great blues on “It Hurts Me Too” (This one with PigPen on lead)  and “Ramble on Rose.”

Side Four. This is my Favorite side on the disc.  Bob Weir is strong once again with “Sugar Magnolia” followed by Jerry taking lead on “Mr. Charlie” and “Tennessee Jed.”  Pure magic on this side!

Dead Heads may disagree, but there is a good amount of filler here. I can do without some of the noodling on the 5^th and 6^th sides.

Yeah, I love “Truckin'”  but overall… I just always found myself skipping these sides.

Rereleases of the disc had some bonus tracks that included “Good Lovin’” and Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love.”

The Grateful Dead in 1972 were of course Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir along with Keith and Donna Godchaux, Phil Lesh, Ron (Pig Pen) McKernan and Bill Kreutzman.  Special Mention to Robert Hunter whose lyrics are all over the album.

One of the things that I had forgotten about was that Mickey Hart was NOT on Europe ’72. I had forgotten that he left the band for a few years in the early 70s.  Now I know.

Europe ’72 peaked at #12 on the Billboard Album Chart.

The only single to chart was Sugar Magnolia which reached #91 in the Billboard Singles Chart.

The Grateful Dead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994

Personnel

• Jerry Garcia – lead guitar, vocals
• Bob Weir – rhythm guitar, vocals
• Phil Lesh – electric bass, vocals
• Ron (Pigpen) McKernan – organ, harmonica, vocals
• Keith Godchaux – piano
• Bill Kreutzmann – drums
• Donna Godchaux – vocals

Track Listing

Side One

1. “Cumberland Blues” (Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Robert Hunter) – 5:47
2. “He’s Gone” (Garcia, Hunter) – 7:12
3. “One More Saturday Night” (Bob Weir) – 4:45

Side Two

1. “Jack Straw” (Weir, Hunter) – 4:46
2. “You Win Again” (Hank Williams) – 3:54
3. “China Cat Sunflower” (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:33
4. “I Know You Rider” (trad., arr. The Grateful Dead) – 4:55

Side Three

1. “Brown-Eyed Women” (Garcia, Hunter) – 4:55
2. “It Hurts Me Too” (Elmore James) – 7:18
3. “Ramble On Rose” (Garcia, Hunter) – 6:09

Side Four

1. “Sugar Magnolia” (Weir, Hunter) – 7:04
2. “Mr. Charlie” (Ron McKernan, Hunter) – 3:40
3. “Tennessee Jed” (Garcia, Hunter) – 7:13

Side Five

1. “Truckin'” (Garcia, Lesh, Weir, Hunter) – 13:08
2. “Epilogue” (The Grateful Dead) – 4:33

Side Six

1. “Prelude” (The Grateful Dead) – 8:08
2. “(Walk Me Out in the) Morning Dew” (Bonnie Dobson, Tim Rose) – 10:35

Here are some videos from the tour in which the album was recorded.  I tossed in a tasty treat from ’91 at the end because I felt like it!