Dead Songs in Depth

    
Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues
w: Petersen m: Mydland, Lesh
AGDL: http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/hams.html
LASF: http://www.whitegum.com/songfile/REVOLHAM.HTM
  

    
Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues 
Lyrics: Bobby Petersen
Music: Phil Lesh/Brent Mydland

Copyright Ice Nine Publishing; used by permission.

Halfway past two on Monday through the silent loom
Rolling down Wild Hair Boulevard with the rising of the [poon]
Hot damn, it's Mother's Day, don't you all look fine
Promenading down the long car ocean, yes it's nice and sipping wine

We got poets, shuckers and godzilla's grandmother
Sweet little frozen no suit 
We got Speed Racer and his arcade androids
Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues

See here lover, may I tighten your cap?
Honey, may I loosen your load?
You hold on to this hand grenade while I ...

I remember some chicks from the skid row
Come along the city streets too 
Silly says, I say it once, for you it's cold steel and slow 

Its sounds have all ruptured, with chairs and flying glass 
Silly swept out in the sauna, shouting verse and kickin' ass 
Back then, what seemed to happen nightly, that'll make the 6 o'clock
news 
Speed Racer and the band here playing 

As I recall I went for the window, but I never did get to it 
Hit me hard with his hickory stick, was the last thing I saw that year

Drag me down and tangle, you can read the charges if you please 
Pray thirty days and on my [jail] gonna fill 'em with [extasy] 

But honey may I tighten your cap?
Come on and let me loosen your load 
You hold on to this grenade for me, while I ...

The full moon irradiates Wild Hair Boulevard now, dumb shits talk so
bold 
Reminds me of old, Silly, and how we did it all over 
Did it all over, did it all over the road 

We got poets, shuckers and Godzilla's grandmother 
Sweet little frozen no suit 
We got Speed Racer and his arcade androids
Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues 
  

    
This note from a reader of the Annotated GD Lyrics:

(and email exchange with me):

-----Original Message-----
From: lc putgenter jr [mailto:jose4@comcast.net]
Sent: Sunday, September 21, 2003 9:21 PM
To: Dodd, David
Subject: Re: revolutionary hamy


hey david

sorry it's taken me awhile to get back to you.

i'm glad you found my take on the two lines
of Revolutionary sound.  it got me thinking
about the rest of the song, and after re-reading
the two versions posted on your site, and cross-
checking them with several other sites
(more or less repeated "verbatim"), i realized
that my take on RHB differs more than most.

it seems to me that what these posted lyrics
lack is cohesion, and if you read even a little
of petersen you see that the guy did NOT write
in a cryptic, elliptical style.

certainly, my take on it could be wrong
here and there, and in fact there are two
places in particular that i'm still trying
to untangle.

however, with careful (and repeated listening) i
think it's possible to plumb the great majority
of words to RHB with sufficient exactitude to
satisfy both fans of the dead, and of petersen.

if i can work out the leftover kinks i'll let
you know.  anyway, here's the way i hear it:

Halfway past clear on Monday
Through this side of the moon
Rollin' down Wild Hair Boulevard
With the riders enough to prove (it)

Hot damned, it's Mother's Day
Don't you all look fine
Prom'nadin' down a long car watch (phil:"ocean"?)
Drinkin' schnapps and sippin' wine

We got poets, shuckers,
and Godzilla's Grandmother's
Sweet little frozen cold soup
We got Speed Razor and His Arcade Androids
Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues

Singin' Momma may i tighten your cap?
Now honey, may i loosen your load?
Here, hold on to this hand grenade
While i...

I remember some (phil:"act") (brent:"chick")
from The Sheer Thrill
Comin' on to Silly's squeeze, too
Silly said if i say it once
"For you it's caught stealin' slow"

Xanadu Bar erupted
Mid the chairs and flyin' glass
Silly smack dab in the zone, now
Shoutin' words and kickin' ass

Back then what seemed to happen nightly
Now would make the 6 o'clock news
Speed Racer and the band kept playin'

As i recall i went for the window
But i never did get the kid
Hit me hard
Henry's hickory stick
Was the last thing i saw that year

Drag me down to your jammed fuckin' jail
(phil:"Where") you can charge us if you please
Laid thirty days upon my cell
For their [feelin' with their nookie]?

Momma may i tighten your cap?
Yo, momma let me loosen your load
Here, hold on to this grenade for me
While i...

Full moon irradiates Wild Hair Boulevard now
Gun ships tussle home
Reminds me of old Silly
And how we did it all over
did it all over
did it all over the road

We got poets, shuckers
and Godzilla's Grandmother's
Sweet little frozen old soup
We got Speed Racer and His Arcade Androids
Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues


"Dodd, David" wrote:
>
> Howdy Larry,
> Your take makes MUCH more sense. I'd like to post your comment to a
> newly-created (not yet launched) site, Deadsongs.vue, which will take
> comments on any song in the GD repertoire and gradually build up a
> database of common wisdom about the songs. Would it be ok with you to
> see your comment posted like that? Also, most likely, on the Annotated
> Lyrics site, of course...
> Best,
> --David
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lc putgenter jr [mailto:jose4@comcast.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 9:02 PM
> To: ddodd@mcflmail.org
> Subject: revolutionary hamy
>
> hi david.
>
> to my ears (judging from my tape of the single live
> performance of Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues), brent says
>
> "back then what seemed to happen nightly
> now would make the six o'clock news...."
>
> this humorous, whimsical, and somewhat brash line is,
> i think, not only in keeping with the narrative voice of
> Revolutionary, but is also considerably less cryptic and
> rather more ironic than the two versions you've posted:
> (http://arts.ucsc.edu/GDead/AGDL/hams.html):
>
> "i felt the city have a narly,
> don't make the 6 o'clock news"
>
> and christian crumlish's interpretation
> from his tape,
>
> "back then, the sweep-you hopped the 90,
> don't make the six o'clock news".
>
> just thought i'd throw in my 2 cents.
> thanks
>
  

    
David, do you have the mail I sent you when I was writing my Petersen
paper for the Dead caucus (and later for Nick's Dead Letters Magazine)?
My lyrics interpretation diverged from the original draft at your
site, but there are still some mysteries.

I see you had Ice Nine permission but when I checked with Alan Trist
they had no RHB lyrics on file. I'd love to see if Phil can remember
any of the details!

I was at the one performance of this song and we were up half the
night listening to our audience tape of the show and trying to
transcribe the song.
  

    
Christian,
I remember something--let me go paw through my old email files...
  

    
I may have it too...
  

    
Posted on Nick Meriwether's "Documenting the Dead" blog post on
dead.net, a typescript (in all caps) with the following lyrics for
RHB
(http://www.dead.net/features/blog/documenting-dead-robert-m-petersen-papers)

Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues

Halfway past gloomy Monday
Further side of loon
Rollin down wild hair boulevard
With the rising of the poon
Hot damn – midwinters day
Dont you all look fine
Promenadin down the carwash
Passin snipes and sniffin wine
We got poets, shuckers, Godzilla’s grandmutha
Sweet little frozen-nose Sue
We got Speed Razor & the Arcade Androids…

Mama may I tighten your cap?
Honey let me loosen your load
Here, hold onto this hand grenade
While I….

Whats his face from the shit club
Comin on to Silly’s squeeze Joe
Silly sez, I’ll say it once
For you—its cold steel, and slow
So the Sand Dune Bar erupted
Splintered chairs & flyin glass
Silly smack dab in the stormeye
Spoutin verse and kickin ass

Back then what seemed to happen nightly
Now would make the front page news
Still Speed Razor and the band kept playin
Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues

Petersen/Lesh/Mydland copyright 1983
  

    
And Nicholas has kindly provided Page 2, with the further lyrics:

I headed for the window
Never did get clear 
Deputy Hawg and his hickory stick
Was the last thing I saw that year 
Drag us down to Kangaroo Cave
Read the charges if you please 
Laid thirty days upon my tail
For interferin' with entropy 

Your Honor, may I tighten your cap?
[Your Honor], let me loosen your load 
Here, hold on to this hand grenade
While I ...

Yes, the full moon irradiates Wild Hair Boulevard
Where gunships prowl so bold 
Which is when we remember ol' Silly
And how he did it all over the road 

Boy, have you paid your reality tax?
Gimmie 'nother hit of that Mendocino skunk
Girl, y'paid up your institutional dues?
Gimmie 'nother jug of that good German brew
You, you're gonna road test that Oregon boot
Gimmie 'nother glass of that sweet brown death

What the hell do you mean?
And you're asking me?

Note that the Grateful Dead didn't sing the last verse in the only
live performance.
  

    
Good work and thanks, Nick, David and Alex. 

It seems to me this is a kaleidoscope rather than a microscope.
  

    
Nice!

Now, to get to work on the annotations...this could make it into the
October reprint of the book. Yay!
  

    
Seeking thoughts on some of the lingo in this lyric.
Poom -- short for poontang? Would make some sense in context.
Passing snipes -- passing pipes wordplay?
Kangaroo Cave -- Kangaroo Court?
Did it all over the road -- nod to the Beatles
  

    
Or is it snipes as an abbreviation for guttersnipes?
  

    
Aha. Nice. 
  

    
Here's a shot an an annotation for RHB as newly-unearthed. Thanks,
Alex, for all your work, some of which is incorporated here.

Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues[1]
 
Halfway past gloomy Monday
Further side of loon
Rollin down wild hair boulevard
With the rising of the poon[2]
Hot damn – midwinters day[3]
Dont you all look fine
Promenadin down the carwash
Passin snipes and sniffin wine
We got poets, shuckers, Godzilla’s[4] grandmutha
Sweet little frozen-nose Sue
We got Speed Razor[5] & the Arcade Androids
Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues[6]
 
Mama may I tighten your cap?
Honey let me loosen your load
Here, hold onto this hand grenade
While I….
 
Whats his face from the shit club
Comin on to Silly’s squeeze Joe
Silly sez, I’ll say it once
For you—its cold steel, and slow
So the Sand Dune Bar erupted
Splintered chairs & flyin glass
Silly smack dab in the stormeye
Spoutin verse and kickin ass
 
Back then what seemed to happen nightly
Now would make the front page news[7]
Still Speed Razor and the band kept playin
Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues[8]
 
I headed for the window[9]
Never did get clear
Deputy Hawg[10] and his hickory stick
Was the last thing I saw that year
Drag us down to Kangaroo Cave[11]
Read the charges if you please
Laid thirty days upon my tail
For interferin' with entropy
 
Your Honor, may I tighten your cap?
[Your Honor], let me loosen your load
Here, hold on to this hand grenade
While I ...
 
Yes, the full moon irradiates Wild Hair Boulevard
Where gunships prowl so bold
Which is when we remember ol' Silly
And how he did it all over the road
 
Boy, have you paid your reality tax?[12]
Gimmie 'nother hit of that Mendocino skunk
Girl, y'paid up your institutional dues?
Gimmie 'nother jug of that good German brew
You, you're gonna road test that Oregon boot
Gimmie 'nother glass of that sweet brown death
 
What the hell do you mean?
And you're asking me?
 
 
Words by Robert M. Petersen
Music by Phil Lesh and Brent Mydland
 
 
 
[1] Note: The Grateful Dead didn't sing the final verse in the only
live performance, on March 27, 1986 Cumberland County Civic Center
in Portland, Maine.
For years, the lyrics of this song were the subject of intense
speculation, as the original typescript had been lost. Recently
discovered in the Grateful Dead Archive at the University of
California, Santa Cruz’s McHenry Library, they are presented here
with brief annotations. Credit for scholarly work on the lyrics goes
to Christian Crumlish and Nicholas Meriwether (now director of the
Grateful Dead Archive), who published their article “Revolutionary
Hamstrung Blues: A First Transcription,” replete with notes and
annotations, in Dead Letters, vol. 1 (inaugural issue.)
 
[2] Rising of the poon: possible reference to the presence of
prostitutes in the song’s milieu—“poon” being a shortened form of
“poontang,” a slang for female genitalia or for intercourse, derived
from the Ilokano Filipino dialect word “putang”: prostitute.
 
[3] Midwinter’s Day: The Dead sang “Hot damn, it’s Mother’s Day.”
 
[4] Godzilla: English version of the Japanese name for the fictional
movie character “gojira,” which first appeared in a 1954 film of the
same title. Since then, the character and its name have become
synonymous with a sense of the ominous results of genetic mutation
brought about by the atom bomb—originally, the character itself was
seen as a metaphor for nuclear weapons.
 
[5] Speed Razor: variant spelling of a 1970s cartoon character,
still alive in the world of anime, Speed Racer.
 
[6] Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues: this line is not in the
typescript, but was sung in the performance.
 
[7] Front page news: The Dead sang “six o’clock news.”
 
[8] Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues: This line wasn’t sung here by the
Dead.
 
[9] Went for the window: The Dead sang "As I recall I went for the
window."
 
[10] Deputy Hawg: another possible cartoon reference variant, this
one referring  to Deputy Dawg, lead character in a weekly Saturday
morning television cartoon which ran from 1962 to 1963.
 
[11] Kangaroo Cave: A reformulation of the phrase “kangaroo court,”
i.e., a sham courtroom proceedings. Merriam-Webster defines it as "a
mock court in which the principles of law and justice are
disregarded or perverted.’
 
[12] Boy, have you paid your reality tax?  The text from here on is
in the typescript copyright registration, but was not sung by the
Dead.