Dead Songs in Depth

    
New Speedway Boogie
w: Hunter m: Garcia
AGDL: http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/spee.html
LASF: http://www.whitegum.com/songfile/NEWSPEED.HTM
  

    
New Speedway Boogie 
Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia

Copyright Ice Nine Publishing; used by permission.

Please don't dominate the rap, Jack
If you got nothing new to say
If you please, don't back up the track
This train's got to run today

I spent a little time in the mountain
Spent a little time on the hill
I heard some say "better run away"
Others say "better stand still"

Now I don't know but I've been told
It's hard to run with the weight of gold
Other hand I heard it said
It's just as hard with the weight of lead

Who can deny? Who can deny?
It's not just a change in style
One step done and another begun
In I wonder how many miles?

I spent a little time on the mountain
Spent a little time on the hill
Things went down we don't understand
But I think in time we will

Now I don't know but I was told
In the heat of the sun a man died of cold
Do we keep on coming or stand and wait
With the sun so dark and the hour so late?

You can't overlook the lack Jack
Of any other highway to ride
It's got no signs or dividing lines
And very few rules to guide

I spent a little time on the mountain
Spent a little time on the hill
I saw things getting out of hand
I guess they always will

Now, I don't know but I've been told
If the horse don't pull, you got to carry the load
I don't know whose back's that strong
Maybe find out before too long

One way or another
One way or another
One way or another
This darkness got to give
[etc]
  

    
Posted on behalf of Dave Vecsey:

David, 

Always love cruising through your site ... 

One thought on New Speedway Boogie's first line, and dovetailing with
whole first stanza: 

Since this song is pegged as a response to Altamont, couldn't the
first line be a reference to Mick Jagger (aka Jumpin' Jack Flash) and
his futile efforts to talk to the crowd as the scene kept spiraling
downward. To me: 

Please don't dominate the rap, Jack 
 If you got nothing new to say 
 If you please, don't back up the track 
 This train's got to run today 


sounds like: Mick, stop talking and get on with the show, this train's
got to run today. 

Then the second verse: 

 I spent a little time in the mountain 
 Spent a little time on the hill 
 I heard some say "better run away" 
 Others say "better stand still" 

Sounds like the conflicting advice the Dead was getting as to whether
they should play or not as things kept getting uglier. 

Just my own little interpretation; probably has nothing to do with
reality. 

Dave Vecsey
  

    
Might well do have to do with reality. Who can tell nor deny ;-)
  

    
Especially the second verse.