Brokedown Palace

Grateful Dead

About Brokedown Palace

Brokedown Palace is a fantasy novel novel by American writer Steven Brust, the only stand-alone novel set in Dragaera. It was originally published as a paperback original by Ace Books in 1986 and reprinted several times over the next decade. A British edition appeared in 1991. Orb, an imprint of Tor Books, brought the novel back into print in trade paperback in 2006. It is also notable for being set in Fenario, the human-populated portion of that world. Brokedown Palace opens in a medieval setting where a young man lies with grave wounds beside a river. He is the victim of his brother, the king, who has a very evil temper. There are four brothers in total, and this book is mainly about their relationships and battles. The pace is kept off-kilter by brief chapters interjecting folklore or sidestepping to other seemingly unrelated stories. The story incorporates Hungarian folklore and is filled with metaphors; the castle, for instance, represents a body, as well as being a metaphor for the disintegration of the family and the kingdom. 


Year:
1981
5:41
409 
#1

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Fare you well my honey
Fare you well my only true one
All the birds that were singing
Have flown except you alone

Going to leave this broke-down palace
On my hands and my knees I will roll roll roll
Make myself a bed by the waterside
In my time, in my time, I will roll roll roll

In a bed, in a bed
By the waterside I will lay my head
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

River gonna take me
Sing me sweet and sleepy
Sing me sweet and sleepy
All the way back back home
It's a far gone lullaby
Sung many years ago
Mama, Mama, many worlds I've come
Since I first left home

Going home, going home
By the waterside I will rest my bones
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Going to plant a weeping willow
On the banks green edge it will grow grow grow
Sing a lullaby beside the water
Lovers come and go, the river roll roll roll

Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

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Grateful Dead

The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long musical improvisation. "Their music," writes Lenny Kaye, "touches on ground that most other groups don't even know exists." These various influences were distilled into a diverse and psychedelic whole that made the Grateful Dead "the pioneering Godfathers of the jam band world." They were ranked 57th in the issue The Greatest Artists of all Time by Rolling Stone magazine. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and their Barton Hall Concert at Cor… more »

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Written by: Robert Hunter, Jerry Garcia

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

General Information
"Brokedown Palace" is a song by the American rock band Grateful Dead, which was first released in 1970 on their album "American Beauty."
Album Information
The "American Beauty" album is considered one of the Dead's best works, making "Brokedown Palace" a key track on a very successful project.
Composition Analysis
"Brokedown Palace" begins in the key of G and the song is composed in a double meter, which is not very common in rock music.
Song Inspiration
Lyricist Robert Hunter claimed that the lyrics for "Brokedown Palace" came to him in a single afternoon in London, along with the lyrics for "Ripple" and "To Lay Me Down."
Album Trilogies
"Brokedown Palace," along with "Ripple" and "Truckin'," is part of what the band's fans refer to as the 'American Beauty' triptych - three transitioning songs on the album.
Connection to Fare Thee Well
The song was played as the encore of the last "Fare Thee Well" concert marking the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead in 2015, making it the last song the four surviving original members played together under the Grateful Dead name.
Romantic Influence
The song's lyrics have drawn comparisons to a traditional American song called "Farewell, Darling," indicating a love ballad influence.
Critical Interpretation
Some critics interpret "Brokedown Palace" as an elegy or a song of mourning, due to its melancholic melody and lyrics.
Live Performances
Despite its popularity, "Brokedown Palace" was not played frequently live by the Grateful Dead. The band only performed the song 216 times in their 30-year career.
Song Duration
The recorded studio version of "Brookedown Palace" has a duration of 4 minutes and 9 seconds. This is relatively short compared to many other Grateful Dead songs, which often stretch beyond 10 minutes.
Similarity with Gospel Songs
Some fans and critics have mentioned the song's similarity to American gospel music, due to its use of harmonies and emotive, spiritual lyrics.
Cover Versions
Several artists have covered "Brokedown Palace," including Joan Osborne and Richard Shindell, attesting to its enduring popularity and influence.

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