Dead Songs in Depth

    
Comes A Time
w: Hunter m: Garcia
AGDL: http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/come.html
LASF: http://www.whitegum.com/songfile/COMESTIM.HTM
  

    
Comes A Time 
Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia

Copyright Ice Nine Publishing; used by permission.

Chorus:
Comes a time when the blind man takes your hand
Says "don't you see?"
Gotta make it somehow
On the dreams you still believe
Don't give it up
You got an empty cup
Only love can fill
Only love can fill

Been walking all morning
Went walking all night
I can't see much difference
Between the dark and light
And I feel the wind
And I taste the rain
Never in my mind
To cause so much pain

[chorus]

From day to day
Just letting it ride
You get so far away
From how it feels inside
You can't let go
'Cause you're afraid to fall
But the day may come
When you can't feel at all

[chorus]


Additional verse:

When the words come out
Like an angry stream
You hear yourself say
Things you could never mean
When the heat goes down
And you find your mind
You got a lot of words
You've got to stand behind
  

    



L. Dana Gartenlaub writes:




To the community:

I specifically remember the song "Comes a Time" with the following verse sung
as the SECOND verse:

Words come out, in an angry stream
Find yourself saying things you could never, ever mean
When the heat cools down, and you've found your mind
Got a lot of words you have to stand behind

It makes more sense to me in the second verse position, and it would have to
have been sometime from 1969 to 1971 at the Fillmore East, the University of
Rochester, or the Buffalo concert with all the snow, with the Buffalo
symphony.

Anyone else have any input?

Thanks,

L. Dana Gartenlaub
  

    

I remember that verse.  The first time I heard the song was on a tape from
the Harding Theater in SF 11/7/71, and that verse was in there.
  

    
I also think it was a good idea to cut it. It scans awkwardly compared
to the other verses and the song is stronger and tighter without,
though I love to hear variations and earlier takes, et.
  

    
I dunno. I'm gonna keep the notion in my back pocket.
  

    
Someone just posted this Rolling Stone article from 9/2/71 that talks
about Lenny Hart getting busted...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=717520658293693&set=oa.101524154240797
69&type=1&theater

After reading it, the first thing that crossed my mind was the lyrics
to Comes a Time, especially the early versions with the original
lyrics.  It seems that the timing could be right.  Do you think this
song may have been inspired about Lenny burning the band and getting
his just due?
  

    
never caught that "pouring" thing before but that's vintage Hunter.

Also "went down unto the sea" which most people naturally hear as
"under the sea"
  

    

(Was that meant for the Bertha topic?)
  

    
yes, not sure how that happened!
  

    
The dropped verse was recently cited by Judge Charles Breyer in a
federal criminal case in which the defendant made a series of emails
and calls to Mitch McConnell. The government interpreted as credible
criminal threats. Judge Breyer dismissed the case and used the verse
below in a footnote, adding "While the Court concludes that the
words herein were protected political speech, the defendant would do
well to cool down before sending future emails." Judge Breyer was
motivated to include the quote because the pictures of the defendant
at his computer featured a large poster of Jerry in his room.

When the words come out
Like an angry stream
You hear yourself say
Things you could never mean
When the heat goes down
And you find your mind
You got a lot of words
You've got to stand behind
  

    
He's on the 9th Circuit, right?
  

    
Down one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Breyer

The United States District Court for the Northern District of
California

Appeals from there go to the 9th.
  

    
Yep, Alex. Chuck Breyer is a trial level District Judge in SF. his
brother Steven in on SCOTUS. They are born and raised in SF. I enjoy
practice in front of C.B., a witty, genial and super smart Judge.
  

    
And, apparently up on his GD Lyrics. We should invite him to
<deadsongs.vue>!
  

    
yeah!
  

    
Yeah it is safe for all the dead heads to come out of the closet. 
  

    
I'm not sure that is true across all of the corporate world. Not so
long ago I sussed out a Deadhead Verizon executive, and his fear was
palpable until I conveyed to him that it takes one to know one, and
that I would not out him.
  

    
When I was in the corporate world, I made no secret if asked about
me being a DeadHead...even my regional VP knew I was a
DeadHead...when I had tickets to a three-night run at the Omni in
Atlanta, my boss asked me to attend a meeting in Dallas, TX...so we
flew in in the morning and flew back that afternoon...I brought my
Grateful Dead-boots and outfit for the show in the trunk and changed
in the parking lot of the Omni and only missed the first couple of
songs
  

    
!!!
  

    
I should add that when I got a voicemail on my work phone that Jerry
had died, I was so distraught and sad that I went in and told my
immediate boss that I was taking the rest of the day off and went to
the bar, to have drink to his memory...my immediate boss understood
and gave me no static...it was about 12 Noon that day Eastern
Time...