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Grateful Dead — Saint Stephen (live)
Album: Live Dead
Avg rating:
6.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 217









Released: 1969
Length: 6:32
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Saint Stephen with a rose
In and out of the garden he goes
Country garden in the wind and the rain
Wherever he goes the people all complain

Stephen prospered in his time
Well he may and he may decline
Did it matter, does it now?
Stephen would answer if he only knew how

Wishing well with a golden bell
Bucket is hanging clear to hell
Halfway twixt now and then
Stephen fill it up and lower down and lower down again

Lady finger, dipped in moonlight,
Writing "what for?" across the morning sky
Sunlight splatters dawn with answers
Darkness shrugs and bids the day goodbye

Speeding arrow, sharp and narrow
What a lot of fleeting matters you have spurned
Several seasons with their treasons
Wrap the babe in scarlet colors, call it your own

Did he doubt or did he try?
Answers aplenty in the by and by
Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills
One man gathers what another man spills

Saint Stephen shall remain, all he lost he shall regain
Seashore washed by the suds and foam
Been there so long, he's got to calling it home.

Fortune comes a crawlin', calliope woman
Spinnin' that curious sense of your own
Can you answer?
Yes I can!
But what would be the answer to the answer man?
Comments (45)add comment
this is and always will be my favorite song .
Posted 14 years ago by peacockangel    [ Reply ]
God-awful. Please make it stop.
Posted 19 years ago by MuadDib    [ Reply ]
This is a great campfire song.
Posted 19 years ago by Lazy8    [ Reply ]
samiyam wrote:
"Sometimes works of art are beautiful not for what they acheived but for what they attempted to acheive." ~~Doctor Seagull~~
Sometimes Grateful Dead was bad.
Posted 19 years ago by timandjuliet    [ Reply ]
shayde wrote:
Ugh, this is awful. Even for deadheads, they can't possibly say this has any merit whatsoever. Sheesh.
Well stated. I dig some of the Dead's stuff, but there is a lot of it that is pretty schlocky. I was listening to Terrapin Station yesterday and heard their disco version of Dancin' in the Streets--which has not stood the test of time. Here's some more heresy--I have always thought that their drumming was crap. I believe they generally may have had a couple drummers at once, but I've never felt that their drummers went beyond any basic rythm...
Posted 19 years ago by Gregorama    [ Reply ]
shayde wrote:
Ugh, this is awful. Even for deadheads, they can't possibly say this has any merit whatsoever. Sheesh.
"Sometimes works of art are beautiful not for what they acheived but for what they attempted to acheive." ~~Doctor Seagull~~
Posted 19 years ago by samiyam    [ Reply ]
kctomato wrote:
for those who missed my favorite part: High green chilly winds and windy vines in loops around the twining shafts of lavender, they're crawling to the sun Wonder who will water all the children of the garden when they sigh about the barren lack of rain and droop so hungry 'neath the sky... Underfoot the ground is patched with climbing arms of ivy wrapped around the manzanita, stark and shiny in the breeze William Tell has stretched his bow till it won't stretch no furthermore and/or it may require a change that hasn't come before
you are so cool. thanks. i corrected the order for you.
Posted 19 years ago by MisterVErb    [ Reply ]
Stone 'enge....
Posted 19 years ago by timandjuliet    [ Reply ]
Ugh, this is awful. Even for deadheads, they can't possibly say this has any merit whatsoever. Sheesh.
Posted 19 years ago by shayde    [ Reply ]
Egrey wrote:
At this risk of bringing down the wrath of Deadheads everywhere, I must say that this song is hideous.
There are definitely better Dead tunes. In my opinion, this is one of the worst.
Posted 19 years ago by Minstrelette    [ Reply ]
Posted 19 years ago by fungus6507    [ Reply ]
At this risk of bringing down the wrath of Deadheads everywhere, I must say that this song is hideous.
Posted 19 years ago by Egrey    [ Reply ]
First Christian Martyr. Deacon. Preacher. All we know of him is related in the Acts of the Apostles. While preaching the Gospel in the streets, angry Jews who believed his message to be blasphemy dragged him outside the city, and stoned him to death. In the crowd was a man who would later be known as Saint Paul.
Posted 19 years ago by kaosmonkey    [ Reply ]
I guess I must have been there cos I cant remember this cacaphony
Posted 19 years ago by stornoway    [ Reply ]
and how does your garden grow?
Posted 19 years ago by coding_to_music    [ Reply ]
:sunny.gif: :daisy.gif:
Posted 19 years ago by MisterVErb    [ Reply ]
Posted 19 years ago by meatbee    [ Reply ]
Right On! (pimp)
Posted 19 years ago by MsfStl    [ Reply ]
THANK YOU!!! 8)
Posted 19 years ago by Mugro    [ Reply ]
:sunny.gif:
Posted 19 years ago by MisterVErb    [ Reply ]
Ah................ I'm back there, well the bits of me that can remember :goodvibes.gif:
Posted 19 years ago by g1lgam3sh    [ Reply ]
Probably my favorite Dead tune. That still doesn't rank it too awful high on the larger list, but . . .
Posted 19 years ago by Xeric    [ Reply ]
YAY!
Posted 19 years ago by ankhara99    [ Reply ]
:daisy.gif:
Posted 19 years ago by coding_to_music    [ Reply ]
Wasn't here when this played, still a 9 in my book. Will have to play it tonight when I get home.
Posted 19 years ago by Al_Koholic    [ Reply ]
..............veryhalloweenskeletonsrosesdancingteddybearsscaaarrystuffkids............
Posted 20 years ago by trekhead    [ Reply ]
Wooohoo! :crowded.gif: :highfive.gif: :daisy.gif: :propeller.gif: :grouphug.gif: I always imagine a tripping hippie-chick waif playing the the bells on the middle section. Heehee.
Posted 20 years ago by Grantus    [ Reply ]
DJB wrote:
This is allright... but I wonder if there is room for "Eyes of the World" w/ Branford Marsalis from Without a Net?
Oh my....I forget about Eyes, my favorite Dead song! The one time I saw the Dead they were 2 hours late to show up in Cincinatti and played for 90 mins, so I'm not an affecianado of GD jams. Nonetheless, for me this cooks.
Posted 20 years ago by rulebritannia    [ Reply ]
"One man gathers what another one spills" Great lyric.
Posted 20 years ago by chinacat    [ Reply ]
This is allright... but I wonder if there is room for "Eyes of the World" w/ Branford Marsalis from Without a Net?
Posted 20 years ago by DJB    [ Reply ]
kctomato wrote:
for those who missed my favorite part: High green chilly winds and windy vines in loops around the twining shafts of lavender, they're crawling to the sun Underfoot the ground is patched with climbing arms of ivy wrapped around the manzanita, stark and shiny in the breeze Wonder who will water all the children of the garden when they sigh about the barren lack of rain and droop so hungry 'neath the sky... William Tell has stretched his bow till it won't stretch no furthermore and/or it may require a change that hasn't come before
Thanks for that :goodvibes:
Posted 20 years ago by philarktos    [ Reply ]
tedious.
Posted 20 years ago by BooKitty    [ Reply ]
I think Live Dead belongs another place where you can see them...On radio the point is missing... :P
Posted 20 years ago by masterhead    [ Reply ]
Love most of the Dead's stuf-but hated that.
Posted 20 years ago by Gregorama    [ Reply ]
phobos wrote:
It is the Live Dead version, and it is all of St. Stephen, but without the segue into The Eleven it does indeed come out sounding merely like an excerpt. I've always loved the Live Dead version, but I also very highly recommend Dick's Picks 16 (11/8/69 Fillmore Auditorium).
DP16 is on my wish list. Thanks for the endorsement. I am glad the Dead get some play on RP. Like Zappa, they followed their own paths against the commercial stampede. They made some great music, and RP is the kind of place to hear those who marched to their own drummers. (All puns were intended)
Posted 20 years ago by pseudafred    [ Reply ]
for those who missed my favorite part: High green chilly winds and windy vines in loops around the twining shafts of lavender, they're crawling to the sun Underfoot the ground is patched with climbing arms of ivy wrapped around the manzanita, stark and shiny in the breeze Wonder who will water all the children of the garden when they sigh about the barren lack of rain and droop so hungry 'neath the sky... William Tell has stretched his bow till it won't stretch no furthermore and/or it may require a change that hasn't come before
Posted 20 years ago by kctomato    [ Reply ]
gregorbill wrote:
Sounds like a bad "Thick as a Brick" wannabe.
It predates Thick as a Brick by three years.
Posted 20 years ago by phobos    [ Reply ]
philarktos wrote:
If this is from "Live Dead" Bill's only playing an excerpt. Now I was under the impression that much of the "Live Dead" music was not performed again after the death of "Pigpen", and since I never cared much for "Workingman's Dead" and on, I never became a Deadhead in later years, however God Like I found them at first. So I don't know the discography. Can you suggest a better version available on CD ?
It is the Live Dead version, and it is all of St. Stephen, but without the segue into The Eleven it does indeed come out sounding merely like an excerpt. I've always loved the Live Dead version, but I also very highly recommend Dick's Picks 16 (11/8/69 Fillmore Auditorium).
Posted 20 years ago by phobos    [ Reply ]
Sounds like a bad "Thick as a Brick" wannabe.
Posted 20 years ago by gregorbill    [ Reply ]
Leslie wrote:
ugh! There are so many better live versions of this. Oh well, at least we can hear it here and nowhere else (other than my own living room or car)
If this is from "Live Dead" Bill's only playing an excerpt. Now I was under the impression that much of the "Live Dead" music was not performed again after the death of "Pigpen", and since I never cared much for "Workingman's Dead" and on, I never became a Deadhead in later years, however God Like I found them at first. So I don't know the discography. Can you suggest a better version available on CD ?
Posted 20 years ago by philarktos    [ Reply ]
ugh! There are so many better live versions of this. Oh well, at least we can hear it here and nowhere else (other than my own living room or car)
Posted 20 years ago by Leslie    [ Reply ]
At Last !!!! MORE "LIVE DEAD"!!!!!
Posted 21 years ago by philarktos    [ Reply ]
This caused a double-take. The miniplaylist was out of sync this morning, saying this was Emmylou Harris's DeeperWell. Hmm.. On LSD, maybe.
Posted 21 years ago by eamonn_sullivan    [ Reply ]