Friday, July 11, 2008

Friday afternoon music

The Grateful Dead doing "New Speedway Boogie" from the film Festival Express, the performance is from somewhere in Canada in early July 1970. This is a song that has been stuck in my head for weeks, it was written in the aftermath of the Altamont fiasco but the lyrics still ring true as a political anthem nearly 40 years later.



Please don't dominate the rap, Jack,
if you've got nothing new to say.
If you please, don't back up the track
this train's got to run today.

I spent a little time on the mountain,
I spent a little time on the hill,
I heard some say "Better run away",
others say "Better stand still".

Now I don't know, but I been told
it's hard to run with the weight of gold,
other hand I have heard it said,
it's just as hard with the weight of lead.

Who can deny, who can deny,
it's not just a change in style?
One step done and another begun
and I wonder how many miles.

I spent a little time on the mountain,
I spent a little time on the hill,
I heard some say "Better run away",
others say "Better stand still".

Now I don't know, but I been told
it's hard to run with the weight of gold,
other hand I have heard it said,
it's just as hard with the weight of lead.

Things went down we don't understand,
but I think in time we will.
Now, I don't know, but I was told
in the heat of the sun a man died of cold.

Keep on coming or stand and wait,
with the sun so dark and the hour so late.
You can overlook the lack, Jack,
of any other highway to ride.
It's got no signs or dividing lines
and very few rules to guide.

I spent a little time on the mountain,
I spent a little time on the hill,
I heard some say "Better run away",
others say "Better stand still".

Now I don't know, but I been told
it's hard to run with the weight of gold,
other hand I have heard it said,
it's just as hard with the weight of lead.

I saw things getting out of hand,
I guess they always will.
Now I don't know, but I been told
if the horse don't pull you got to carry the load.
I don't know whose back's that strong,
maybe find out before too long.

One way or another, one way or another,
one way or another, this darkness got to give.
One way or another, one way or another,
one way or another, this darkness got to give.
One way or another, one way or another,
one way or another, this darkness got to give.

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