Black-Throated Wind
Grateful Dead
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You're bringing me down, I'm running aground, Blind in the lights of the interstate cars, Passing me by, the busses and the semis, Plugging like stones from a slingshot from mars. But I'm here on the road, bound to the load, That I picked up in ten thousand cafes and bars. Alone with the rush of the drivers that won't pick me up, The highway, the moon, and clouds and the stars. Black throated wind, keeps on pourin' in, With it's words of a life where nothing is new, Ah, mother american night, I pass from the light, Ah, I'm drownin' in you. I left st. louie, city of blues, In the midst of a storm I'd rather forget. I tried to pretend it came to an end, Cause you weren't the women I once thought I'd met. But I can't deny, times have gone by, Well I never had doubts or thoughts of regret, And I was a man when all this began, Who wouldn't think twice about being there yet. Black throated wind, whisper in sin, And speaking on life that passes like dew. It's forced me to see you've done better by me, Better by me that I've done by you. Now what's to be found by racing around, You carry your pain wherever you go, Full of blues, and tryin' to lose, You ain't gonna learn what you don't wanna know. So I give you my eyes and all of their lies, Please help them to learn as well as to see. Capture a glance, and make it dance, But looking at you is looking at me. Black throated wind, keeps on pourin' in, With it's words of a life that could almost be true, Ah, mother american night, here comes a light. I'm turning around, that's what I'm gonna do. Going back home that's what I'm gonna do. I'm turning around, that's what I'm gonna do. Going back home that's what I'm gonna do. Cause you've done better by me than I've done by you, I'm drowning in you.
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Written by: JOHN BARLOW, ROBERT HALL WEIR
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Song Origin"Black-Throated Wind" is a guitar-based rock song by the American psychedelic rock band, Grateful Dead. It originates from their sixth studio album "Wake of the Flood" which was released in 1973.
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SongwritersThe lyrics of the song were penned by the band's lyricist Robert Hunter, while the music was developed by Bob Weir, one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead.
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Concept & InspirationThe song's lyrics tell a story about a lonely and disillusioned man feeling like a black-throated wind, which is a metaphor for harsh, uncontrollable forces in life. Robert Hunter reportedly wrote the song on a highway in Arizona, inspired by the windy weather.
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Live Performances"Black-Throated Wind" was frequently performed at Grateful Dead concerts during the early 1970s and then disappeared from their live playlist for nearly twenty years. It was reintroduced in their concert setlists in 1990.
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Album PerformanceDespite not being released as a single, "Black-Throated Wind" stands as one of the memorable tracks from "Wake of the Flood" which reached number 18 on the Billboard 200 chart.
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Fan ReceptionThe song is popular among the Grateful Dead's fan base and is renowned for its lyrical depth and emotional resonance, often being covered by other artists due to its strong powerful story.
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Bob Weir's PerspectiveBob Weir regarded "Black-Throated Wind" as one of his personal favorites from the Grateful Dead's repertoire, and stated that the song's narrative-style lyrics accurately encapsulate the transient, nomadic nature of the band's touring experiences.
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Song RegistrationsIt wasn't until 2002 that "Black-Throated Wind" was officially registered with the U.S Copyright Office, nearly three decades after it was first written and performed.
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Song CoverJohn Mayer, a member of "Dead & Company" (a band consisting of former Grateful Dead members and other artists), has covered "Black-Throated Wind" during their performances, helping to introduce the song to a new generation of listeners.
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Ironic ElementsDespite the somewhat somber lyrics and mood of "Black-Throated Wind," it is often performed with a lively and energetic tempo, serving as a quintessential example of the Grateful Dead's ability to meld lyrics and music in ironical and compelling ways.
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