Dead Songs in Depth

    

From Paul Hoffman's blog:

http://lookit.proper.com/archives/000297.html#000297


A different "Me and My Uncle"

Deadheads know Me and My Uncle as the Grateful Dead's most-played song.
It usually came in the first set, and was usually followed by Big
River.  It was written by John Phillips, first played by the Dead in
1966, and then played more than 600 times over the next thirty years.
As you can see from the lyrics, it's your basic manly western song of
gambling, drinking, and killing.

What most people don't know it that it was sung a year earlier by Joni
Mitchell.  She was going by the name "Joan Anderson" at the time, and
sang it on the CBC television show "Let's Sing Out" on October 4,
1965.  The combo of the sweet voice and the macho lyrics is wonderful.


Link to the MP3 (2.5 meg):  

http://lookit.proper.com/archives/Music/MeAndMyUncle-JoniMitchell.mp3
  

    
Thank you so much for that link!
  

    
Wow!  That's certainly a different sound for that song!
  

    
Wonderful. Thanks!
  

    
Posted on behalf of Kevin Sullivan:

Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 15:52:40 -0500
From: Kevin Sullivan <kevinsullivan@realtynetmclain.com>
To: David Dodd <ddodd@well.com>
Subject: Re: Me and My Uncle

David, Thanks for directing me to the MAMU thread in the Well page.  I
was wondering way the "annotated" page guy didn't have it in his list.
Anyway, I don't think I want to pay to join the Well, but do want to
offer my interpretation of two lines in the song.

In gambling there is a game I've played where the winner leaves a chip
on the table, "winner stakes the (next) hand".  Next, in the American
folk vernacular there is an expresion often used as a preface to
understatement, and would read as follows: I shot him down...shot me
another... "I'll dare they won't grow old".

Each of my interpretations are based in my experiences.  The poker one
has had plenty of debate, and considering the history of how the song
was originaly written it is possible there is no correct answer, but if
Phillips didn't meant to write "I'll dare", he should have!

Kevin
  

    
"I'll dare" being an abbreviation of "I'll dare say". I have never
heard anything like that but it certainly has the right sort of feel
for the tune. "Winner stakes the hand" is an interesting possibility.
  

    

A VERY young Joni Mitchell singing "Me and My Uncle" on Canadian TV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of4YQBgJ3ck&mode=related&search=
  

    
Damn!  I got lost in there. Both sides now will bring tears to your eyes. 
And Woodstock was pretty neat, with a brief Croz flash in the 
background.
  

    
It's great to see those early performances.  I love Joni.
  

    
Here is a mp3 of Dino Valenti's version I just found online.
Just click Download

http://www.zshare.net/download/05-me-and-my-uncle-mp3.html
  

    
Pretty good. A little histronic and rushed, as Valenti could often be.
Still, it was nice to hear his rendition. Thanks!
  

    


Neil Anderson writes:

I like Weir's rendition best for its near-deadpan; for the same reason, I
prefer the simple 'And left him lying dead...., to the meaner '...dead
arse...,'   (A change to 'Left him dying there...,' would be even colder---
though his uncle probably taught him better than to be that sloppy....)
  

    
My sentiments run along the same course.
  

    

One of those cowboys, he starts to draw
I shot him down, lord - HAD TO!
He never saw...


5/8/81
  

    
left his dead ass dead by the side of the road. Great ironic
comeuppance in one line.

Looks like the two links above to Joni doing Me and My Uncle have
been shut down. 
  

    
Try <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp3lJg07u4w>.
  

    
Fantastic.
  

    
Thanks!
  

    
She was so young.  I really don't know life, at all.