The WELL: deadsongs.vue.78: Friend Of The Devil

#5: Lightning in a Box (unkljohn) Tue 28 Feb 06 06:01

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 06:01:00 PST

That is pretty cool. Out of curiousity I went to my 1973 GD songbook and it says Music by Jerry Garcia and John Dawson, Words by Robert Hunter. [Read entire topic]

#4: gravity and gluttony (comet) Sun 26 Feb 06 20:48

Sun, 26 Feb 2006 20:48:00 PST

Cool that Hunter is big enough to remember Dawson came up with the integral line. [Read entire topic]

#3: Christian Crumlish (xian) Sun 26 Feb 06 14:54

Sun, 26 Feb 2006 14:54:00 PST

I wonder what were his suspicions [Read entire topic]

#2: David Gans (tnf) Sun 26 Feb 06 10:36

Sun, 26 Feb 2006 10:36:00 PST

http://www.dead.net/RobertHunterArchive/files/newjournal/56journal_2006.html#anchor12558063

Buddy Cage called last night and we had a good rave about plans to revive the Riders. He doesn't want to call it a reunion since, as he pointed out, half the guys are dead. He wants to call it a renaissance. Why not?

I was just remembering how Friend of the Devil got written. First off I wrote these four verses one afternoon back in 1969.

I was living in Madrone canyon with the Garcias. The NRPS had asked me if I wanted to play bass with them and it seemed like a good idea at the time. So I worked up that song on bass, added a few verses plus a chorus and went over to where David Nelson and John Dawson were living in Kentfield and taught them the tune. The "Sweet Anne Marie" verse which was later to become a bridge was only one of the verses, not yet a bridge. The chorus went:

I set out running but I take my time It looks like water but it tastes like wine If I get home before daylight I just might get some sleep tonight.

I'd changed the fourth verse, about parlaying the twenty dollars into five thousand and, except for the all important Friend of the Devil hook, the lyrics were pretty much as they stand today minus a fifth verse which goes:

You can borrow from the Devil You can borrow from a friend But the Devil give you twenty When your friend got only ten

We all went down to the kitchen to have espresso made in Dawson's new machine. We got to talking about the tune and John said the verses were nifty except for "it looks like water but it tastes like wine" which I had to admit fell flat. Suddenly Dawson's eyes lit up and he crowed "How about "a friend of the devil is a friend of mine." Bingo, not only the right line but a memorable title as well! We ran back upstairs to Nelson's room and recorded the tune. I took the tape home and left it on the kitchen table. Next morning I heard earlybird Garcia (who hadn't been at the rehearsal - had a gig, you know) wanging away something familiar sounding on the peddle steel. Danged if it wasn't "Friend of the Devil." With a dandy bridge on the "sweet Anne Marie" verse. He was not in the least apologetic about it. He'd played the tape, liked it, and faster than you can say dog my cats it was in the Grateful Dead repertoire. Although I learned all the tunes, I never did play a gig with the NRPS, who were doing strictly club dates at the time. For one reason or another I never quite fathomed, though I have my suspicions, I got shut out. Either that or I misread the signs and wasn't inclined to push. Nothing was ever said. In any event, a fellow named Dave Torbert showed up about that time. Just as well. One dedicated songwriter in the band was enough. [Read entire topic]

#1: Alex Allan (alexallan) Thu 4 Sep 03 19:00

Thu, 04 Sep 2003 19:00:00 PDT

Friend Of The Devil Lyrics: Robert Hunter Music: Jerry Garcia

Copyright Ice Nine Publishing; used by permission.

I lit out from Reno, I was trailed by twenty hounds Didn't get to sleep that night till the morning came around

Chorus: Set out running but I take my time A friend of the devil is a friend of mine If I get home before daylight I just might get some sleep Tonight

I ran into the devil babe, he loaned me twenty bills I spent the night in Utah in a cave up in the hills

[chorus]

I ran down to the levee but the devil caught me there He took my twenty dollar bill and vanished in the air

[chorus]

Got two reasons why I cry away each lonely night The first one's named sweet Anne Marie and she's my heart's delight Second one is prison baby, sheriff's on my trail And if he catches up with me I'll spend my life in jail

Got a wife in Chino babe, and one in Cherokee First one says she's got my child but it don't look like me

[chorus]

Additional verse:

You can borrow from the devil, you can borrow from a friend But the devil will give you twenty, when your friend got only ten [Read entire topic]

#0: David Dodd (ddodd) Wed 3 Sep 03 12:48

Wed, 03 Sep 2003 12:48:00 PDT

Friend Of The Devil w: Hunter m: Garcia, Dawson AGDL: http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/fotd.html LASF: http://www.whitegum.com/songfile/FRIENDDE.HTM [Read entire topic]