Dead Songs in Depth

    
Ramble On Rose
w: Hunter m: Garcia
AGDL: http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/ramble2.html
LASF: http://www.whitegum.com/songfile/RAMBLEON.HTM
  

    
Ramble On Rose 
Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia

Copyright Ice Nine Publishing; used by permission.

Just like Jack the Ripper
Just like Mojo Hand
Just like Billy Sunday
In a shotgun rag-time band

Just like New York City
Just like Jericho
Pace the halls and climb the walls
And get out when they blow

Chorus
Did you say your name was Rambling Rose?
Ramble on baby, settle down easy
Ramble on Rose

Just like Jack and Jill
Mama told the sailor
One heat up and one cool down
Leave nothing for the tailor

Just like Jack and Jill
Papa told the jailer
One go up and one come down
Do yourself a favour

[chorus]

Bridge
I'm gonna sing you
A hundred verses of ragtime
I know this song
It ain't never gonna end
I'm gonna march you up and down
Along the county line
Take you to the leader
Of the band

Just like Crazy Otto
Just like Wolfman Jack
Sitting plush with a royal flush
Aces back to back

Just like Mary Shelley
Just like Frankenstein
Clank your chains and count your change
And try to walk the line

[chorus]
[bridge]

Goodbye Mama and Papa
Goodbye Jack and Jill
The grass ain't greener, the wine ain't sweeter
Either side of the hill

[chorus]

Ramble on Rose
  

    


Adan writes:



Just a comment on the line "the grass ain't greener."  Turns out it is and
it's not.

According to Cecil Adams (the Straight Dope), if you look at your neighbor's
grass, you'll see it at a different angle than when you see the grass under
your feet.  Due to that angular difference, you'll see the brown soil in
between grass blades, etc., desaturating the green in your own grass, whereas
you see all green when you're looking at your neighbor's grass.
(http://www.straightdope.com/columns/041126.html)

All in all, a beautiful real-life metaphor on "truth."  It all depends on
your point of view...

Adan
  

    

but the wine, Adan, the wine.  Is it sweeter?
  

    
Probably if you are on the north side of the hill...
  

    
Sub rosa - "under the rose" - an ancient symbol of secrecy.

Cupid gave Harpocrates, the god of silence, a rose to bribe him not to
betray the confidence of Venus. 

Hence the ceilings of Roman banquet-rooms were decorated with roses to
remind guests that what was spoken sub vino (under the influence of
wine) was also sub rosa.