Casey Jones, The Grateful Dead

            When The Grateful Dead recorded Casey Jones in 1967 it was during a popular resurgence of Folk music in America set off and brought to the public by Bob Dylan. Although The Grateful Dead’s version of Casey Jones is very different than its first recordings (John Hurt’s for example) by infusing rock sounds such as the power chords, and drum and bass riffs, the “folksiness” and Blues of the song still remains. By focusing on the verses (not the chorus) of Casey Jones these styles, seen mainly in the “Delta Blues,” include the “blue note,” and syncopated singing.

            The “blue note” in The Grateful Dead’s version of Casey Jones can best be heard in the third verse of the song. In the first line Trouble with you is the trouble with me at the second trouble the use of the “blue note” is clearly heard to emphasize that the trouble effects both you and me. Syncopated singing is also heard throughout the song. On the first line of the second verse Trouble ahead, the lady in red when Jerry Garcia (the lead singer of The Grateful Dead) sings the he does it on the offbeat. To represent this, the syncopated word will be underlined: Trouble ahead, the lady in red. Syncopation is also heard in the first verse at Hits river junction at seventeen to / At a quarter to ten you know it’s travelin’ again. Lastly the form of this song is A, A’, B, B’.

Comments

[tehewitt]

I really thought your point about the blue note, and how it stresses the verse about you and me, was right on point. I thought that the lack of pronoun usage also emphasized the point, as it is clearly a song about Casey Jones, but it has an overall theme of pointing out the relevancy that this has with everyone.
Great musical analysis!

[ClareCunningham]

Really interesting commentary on the reemergence of folk in popular music, brought on by Bob Dylan. Since I have been in this class, I've started thinking more critically about the influences behind the music we listen to everyday, whether it is something we picked up from our parents' generation or something more contemporary we found on the radio. The sound of this version of Casey Jones is obviously very different from the other recordings we looked at, but what was most interesting to me was that the Grateful Dead really just took the idea of Casey Jones and reworked it into a completely different song. This kind of lyrical influence is something I haven't thought much about in music that I listen to, but I think it would be a really interesting thing to keep an eye out for in the future.

[JustinGonzalez]

I personally still have trouble hearing the syncopated singing, but the underlining of the word helped. I originally thought of it as a rushed word rather than a held out one but I guess it doesn't matter. I also have trouble hearing the blue notes, but i don't think i have such a tuned ear, however after a few times through I think I finally heard the blue note you are talking about. I was also wondering if you, or some else could point to a spot in the song that would show me as to why its A A' and not A A?