Grateful Dead (album)

This article is about the band's 1971 live album. For their 1967 studio album, see The Grateful Dead (album).

"Skull and Roses" redirects here. For the card game with that name, see Skull (card game).

1971 live album by Grateful Dead

Grateful Dead

Live album by

Grateful Dead

Released| September 24, 1971 (1971-09-24)
Recorded| March 24 – April 29, 1971
Genre|

* Jam rock
* roots rock
* psychedelic rock
* blues rock

Length| 70:12
Label| Warner Bros. (#2WS-1935)
Producer| Grateful Dead with Betty Cantor and Bob Matthews
Grateful Dead chronology
| Historic Dead
(1971)  | Grateful Dead
(1971)  | Europe '72
(1972)

|
|

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [1]
The Village Voice| A−[2]

Grateful Dead is a live album by rock band the Grateful Dead. Released on September 24, 1971[3] on Warner Bros. Records, it is their second live double album and their seventh album overall. Although published without a title, it is generally known by the names Skull and Roses (due to its iconic cover art) and Skull Fuck (the name the band originally wanted to give to the album, which was rejected by the record company). It was the group's first album to be certified gold by the RIAA[4] and remained their best seller until surpassed by Skeletons from the Closet.

## Recording and release

[edit]

Unlike Live/Dead, the album contained several lead and background vocal overdubs. For the three new original compositions ("Bertha", "Playing in the Band", and "Wharf Rat"), the band invited Jerry Garcia associate Merl Saunders to overdub organ parts. This made the organ playing of Saunders more prominent than that of Pigpen, whose contributions tend to be buried in the mix.

"Playing in the Band" received a good amount of airplay, and became one of the Dead's most played song in concert (a studio version was released the following year on rhythm guitarist Bob Weir's solo album Ace).[5] The closing segue of "Not Fade Away" into "Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad" also received airplay and became a fan favorite.

The album's cover art, composed by Alton Kelly and Stanley Mouse, is based on an illustration by Edmund Joseph Sullivan for an old edition of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.[4] Though the album has been known by the sobriquet "Skull & Roses", the original vertical gatefold cover unfolds to reveal the entire skeleton. The graphic became one of the images most associated with the band.

Opening track "Bertha" fades in on the original version of the album, in semblance of entering the performance space. A longer, full opening is used on CD/digital copies. More tracks from the same source concerts were later released on Ladies and Gentlemen... the Grateful Dead.

The 7" single release of "Johnny B. Goode" (a split single with Elvin Bishop) was actually the version from the album Fillmore: The Last Days. However, the version from this album was later used as a B-side on the re-release of the "Truckin'" single.

The album was remastered and expanded for the 2001 box set The Golden Road. This version, with three bonus tracks (two contemporaneous live tracks and a hidden promotional track) and the extended "Bertha", was released separately, in 2003.

The 50th Anniversary Edition of Skull and Roses was released on June 25, 2021, in CD, LP, and digital formats. The CD includes a bonus disc of songs recorded live at the Fillmore West in San Francisco on July 2, 1971.[6]

## Title and message

[edit]

Look up mind-blowing in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

When the band submitted Skull Fuck (a contemporary phrase meaning "something that blows your mind") as the album title, it was rejected by the record label. Ultimately the agreement was made that the album would be published without the title appearing anywhere on the record labels or cover artwork. Though the band refers to the album by this title, and it has long been known to fans (through interviews with band members, the Deadhead network and other outlets), the alternate, descriptive title "Skull & Roses" developed among distributors, music buyers and reviewers as a graphic incipit from the cover artwork.

Drummer Bill Kreutzmann explained the lack of a title on the artwork and labels, "...the original name was going to be 'Skull Fuck'. This was a time long before rap artists like Eminem numbed concerned citizens to the idea of offensive language in music. Warner Brothers freaked out on us. They said stores would boycott it and we wouldn't be able to get it on shelves."[7]

Inside the gatefold of the original LP, the band reached out directly to its burgeoning fan base, which had begun to attend multiple concerts in a row and collect live audio tapes of each concert, with a message reading:

> Dead Freaks Unite: Who are you? Where are you? How are you?
> Send us your name and address and we'll keep you informed.
> Dead Heads, P.O. Box 1065, San Rafael, California 94901.

The mailing address is no longer valid.[citation needed]

## Track listing

[edit]

Side oneNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Recording notes| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "Bertha"| Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter| April 27, 1971, Fillmore East| 5:27
2.| "Mama Tried"| Merle Haggard| April 26, 1971, Fillmore East| 2:42
3.| "Big Railroad Blues"| Noah Lewis| April 5, 1971, Hammerstein Ballroom| 3:34
4.| "Playing in the Band"| Bob Weir, Hunter| April 6, 1971, Hammerstein Ballroom| 4:39

Side twoNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Recording notes| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "The Other One" (includes drum solo)| Weir, Bill Kreutzmann| April 28, 1971, Fillmore East| 18:05

Side threeNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Recording notes| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "Me and My Uncle"| John Phillips| April 29, 1971, Fillmore East| 3:06
2.| "Big Boss Man"| Luther Dixon, Al Smith| April 26, 1971, Fillmore East| 5:12
3.| "Me and Bobby McGee"| Fred Foster, Kris Kristofferson| April 27, 1971, Fillmore East| 5:43
4.| "Johnny B. Goode"| Chuck Berry| March 24, 1971, Winterland Ballroom| 3:42

Side fourNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Recording notes| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "Wharf Rat"| Garcia, Hunter| April 26, 1971, Fillmore East| 8:31
2.| "Not Fade Away / Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad"| Charles Hardin, Norman Petty / Traditional, arr. Grateful Dead| April 5, 1971, Hammerstein Ballroom| 9:14
Total length:| 70:12

The four sides of the vinyl album were combined as tracks 1–11 on CD reissues.

2001/2003 reissue bonus tracksNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Recording notes| Length

|
|
|
|

12.| "Oh, Boy!"| Sonny West, Bill Tilghman, Petty| April 6, 1971, Hammerstein Ballroom| 2:50
13.| "I'm a Hog for You"| Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller| April 6, 1971, Hammerstein Ballroom| 4:08
14.| "Grateful Dead radio spot"|  |  | 1:00

50th Anniversary Edition bonus discNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Recording notes| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "Good Lovin'"| Rudy Clark, Artie Resnick| July 2, 1971, Fillmore West| 17:47
2.| "Sing Me Back Home"| Haggard| July 2, 1971, Fillmore West| 10:16
3.| "Mama Tried"| Haggard| July 2, 1971, Fillmore West| 3:08
4.| "Cryptical Envelopment"| Garcia| July 2, 1971, Fillmore West| 2:25
5.| "Drums"| Kreutzmann| July 2, 1971, Fillmore West| 5:13
6.| "The Other One"| Weir, Kreutzmann| July 2, 1971, Fillmore West| 15:51
7.| "Big Boss Man"| Dixon, Smith| July 2, 1971, Fillmore West| 5:27
8.| "Not Fade Away"| Hardin, Petty| July 2, 1971, Fillmore West| 3:57
9.| "Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad"| Traditional, arr. Grateful Dead| July 2, 1971, Fillmore West| 9:39
10.| "Not Fade Away"| Hardin, Petty| July 2, 1971, Fillmore West| 2:35
Total length:| 76:26

Note: More songs from the April 25 – 29, 1971 shows at the Fillmore East are included in Ladies and Gentlemen... the Grateful Dead.

## Personnel

[edit]

Grateful Dead

* Jerry Garcia – lead guitar, vocals
* Bob Weir – rhythm guitar, vocals
* Phil Lesh – bass guitar, vocals
* Bill Kreutzmann – drums
* Ron "Pigpen" McKernan – organ, harmonica, vocals

Additional musicians

* Merl Saunders – organ on "Bertha", "Playing in the Band", "Wharf Rat"

Production

* Produced by Grateful Dead
* Recording: Bob Matthews, Betty Cantor
* Artwork: Alton Kelley
* Photo: Bob Seidemann

Production – 50th Anniversary Edition

* Produced for release by David Lemieux
* Mastering: David Glasser
* Tape restoration and speed correction: Jamie Howarth, John Chester
* Recording – Fillmore West bonus disc: Rex Jackson
* Design: Steve Vance
* Liner notes essay: Gary Lambert

## Charts and certification

[edit]

Billboard

Year  | Chart  | Position

|
|

1971  | Pop Albums  | 25[8]

RIAA certification

Certification  | Date

|

Gold | November 15, 1971[9]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Planer, Lindsay. "Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses)". AllMusic. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
2. ^ Christgau, Robert (October 14, 1971). "Consumer Guide (19)". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
3. ^ Shackleford, Tom (March 24, 2021). "Rhino to Reissue Grateful Dead's 'Skull & Roses' Live Album for 50th Anniversary". Live for Live Music. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
4. ^ a b Grateful Dead (Skull and Roses) at the Grateful Dead Family Discography
5. ^ Scott, John W.; Dolgushkin, Mike; Nixon, Stu. (1999). DeadBase XI: The Complete Guide to Grateful Dead Song Lists. Cornish, NH: DeadBase. ISBN 1-877657-22-0.
6. ^ Bernstein, Scott (March 24, 2021). "Grateful Dead Confirms 'Skull & Roses' 50th Anniversary Reissue". JamBase. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
7. ^ Kreutzmann, Bill (2015). Deal. St. Martin's Press, New York. Chapter 10. ISBN 978-1-250-03380-2.
8. ^ "Grateful Dead | Awards". AllMusic.
9. ^ "RIAA Gold & Platinum database-The Grateful Dead". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 1, 2017.

* v
* t
* e

Grateful Dead

* John Perry Barlow
* Tom Constanten
* Jerry Garcia
* Donna Jean Godchaux
* Keith Godchaux
* Mickey Hart
* Robert Hunter
* Bill Kreutzmann
* Phil Lesh
* Ron "Pigpen" McKernan
* Brent Mydland
* Bob Weir
* Vince Welnick

Studio albums|

* The Grateful Dead
* Anthem of the Sun
* Aoxomoxoa
* Workingman's Dead
* American Beauty
* Wake of the Flood
* From the Mars Hotel
* Blues for Allah
* Terrapin Station
* Shakedown Street
* Go to Heaven
* In the Dark
* Built to Last

Live albums|

| Contemporary|

* Live/Dead
* Vintage Dead
* Historic Dead
* Grateful Dead
* Europe '72
* History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice)
* Steal Your Face
* Reckoning
* Dead Set
* Dylan & the Dead
* Without a Net

|

Retrospective|

| 1990s|

* One from the Vault
* Infrared Roses
* Two from the Vault
* Grayfolded
* Hundred Year Hall
* Dozin' at the Knick
* Fallout from the Phil Zone
* Terrapin Station (Limited Edition)
* Live at the Fillmore East 2-11-69
* So Many Roads (1965–1995)

|

2000s|

* Ladies and Gentlemen... the Grateful Dead
* Nightfall of Diamonds
* Postcards of the Hanging
* Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead: England '72
* Go to Nassau
* Birth of the Dead
* The Closing of Winterland
* Rockin' the Rhein with the Grateful Dead
* The Grateful Dead Movie Soundtrack
* Rare Cuts and Oddities 1966
* Truckin' Up to Buffalo
* Fillmore West 1969: The Complete Recordings
* Fillmore West 1969
* Live at the Cow Palace
* Three from the Vault
* Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings
* Rocking the Cradle: Egypt 1978
* To Terrapin: Hartford '77
* Winterland June 1977: The Complete Recordings

2010s|

* Crimson White & Indigo
* Formerly the Warlocks
* Europe '72: The Complete Recordings
* Europe '72 Volume 2
* Dark Star
* Spring 1990
* Spring 1990: So Glad You Made It
* Winterland: May 30th 1971
* May 1977
* Sunshine Daydream
* Family Dog at the Great Highway, San Francisco, CA 4/18/70
* Live at Hampton Coliseum
* Spring 1990 (The Other One)
* Wake Up to Find Out
* Houston, Texas 11-18-1972
* 30 Trips Around the Sun: The Definitive Live Story 1965–1995
* 30 Trips Around the Sun
* Shrine Exposition Hall, Los Angeles, CA 11/10/1967
* Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ, 4/25/77
* July 1978: The Complete Recordings
* Red Rocks: 7/8/78
* July 29 1966, P.N.E. Garden Aud., Vancouver Canada
* May 1977: Get Shown the Light
* Cornell 5/8/77
* Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, D.C., July 12 & 13, 1989
* Fillmore West 1969: February 27th
* Pacific Northwest '73–'74: The Complete Recordings
* Pacific Northwest '73–'74: Believe It If You Need It
* Portland Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR, 5/19/74
* Playing in the Band, Seattle, Washington, 5/21/74
* The Warfield, San Francisco, California, October 9 & 10, 1980
* Fillmore West 1969: February 28th
* Giants Stadium 1987, 1989, 1991
* Saint of Circumstance
* Ready or Not

2020s|

* June 1976
* Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 12-10-71
* Listen to the River: St. Louis '71 '72 '73
* Lyceum '72: The Complete Recordings
* Lyceum Theatre, London, England 5/26/72
* In and Out of the Garden: Madison Square Garden '81, '82, '83
* Madison Square Garden, New York, NY 3/9/81
* Here Comes Sunshine 1973
* RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. 6/10/73
* Friend of the Devils: April 1978
* Duke '78

View from
the Vault|

* 1
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* 3
* 4

Dick's Picks|

* 1
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Road Trips|

* Vol 1 No 1
* Vol 1 No 2
* Vol 1 No 3
* Vol 1 No 4
* Vol 2 No 1
* Vol 2 No 2
* Vol 2 No 3
* Vol 2 No 4
* Vol 3 No 1
* Vol 3 No 2
* Vol 3 No 3
* Vol 3 No 4
* Vol 4 No 1
* Vol 4 No 2
* Vol 4 No 3
* Vol 4 No 4
* Vol 4 No 5

Dave's Picks|

* 1
* 2
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* 4
* 5
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Download Series|

* 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* 6
* 7
* 8
* Family Dog at the Great Highway
* 9
* 10
* 11
* 12
* Spectrum 11/5/79
* Spectrum 11/6/79

Compilations|

* Skeletons from the Closet: The Best of Grateful Dead
* What a Long Strange Trip It's Been
* The Arista Years
* Selections from the Arista Years
* The Very Best of Grateful Dead
* Flashback with the Grateful Dead
* The Best of the Grateful Dead
* Long Strange Trip
* The Best of the Grateful Dead Live
* Sage & Spirit

Box sets|

* Dead Zone: The Grateful Dead CD Collection (1977–1987)
* The Golden Road (1965–1973)
* Beyond Description (1973–1989)
* The Warner Bros. Studio Albums
* All the Years Combine: The DVD Collection
* Grateful Dead Records Collection
* The Story of the Grateful Dead

Videos|

* The Grateful Dead Movie
* Dead Ahead
* So Far
* Dead Ringers: The Making of Touch of Grey
* Backstage Pass
* Infrared Sightings
* Ticket to New Year's
* Downhill from Here
* Anthem to Beauty
* Sunshine Daydream
* Long Strange Trip

Side projects and
spin-off bands|

* The Other Ones
* The Dead
* Furthur
* Dead & Company
* 2015 tour
* Summer 2016 tour
* Summer 2017 tour
* Fall 2017 tour
* Summer 2018 tour
* Summer 2019 tour
* Fall Fun Run 2019
* Jerry Garcia Band
* RatDog
* Phil Lesh and Friends
* Rhythm Devils
* Donna Jean Godchaux Band
* Heart of Gold Band
* Missing Man Formation
* New Riders of the Purple Sage
* Old & In the Way
* Legion of Mary
* Reconstruction
* Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band
* JGB
* Kingfish
* Bobby and the Midnites
* SerialPod
* BK3
* 7 Walkers
* Billy & the Kids

Related topics|

* Acid Tests
* Bill Graham Archives v. Dorling Kindersley, Ltd.
* Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead 1987 Tour
* Dark Star Orchestra
* Day of the Dead
* Deadhead
* Deadheads for Obama
* Deadicated: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead
* Fare Thee Well (album)
* Fare Thee Well (concert tour)
* Grateful dead
* Grateful Dead Archive
* The Grateful Dead Channel
* Grateful Dead Comix
* Grateful Dead discography
* The Grateful Dead Family Album
* Grateful Dead Meet-Up at the Movies
* Grateful Dead Origins
* Grateful Dead Records
* Jazz Is Dead
* List of Grateful Dead members
* Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions
* The Music Never Stopped (album)
* The Music Never Stopped (film)
* Pickin' on the Grateful Dead: A Tribute
* The Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra
* Relix
* Reunions of the Grateful Dead
* Rex Foundation
* Shakedown Street (vending area)
* Summer Jam at Watkins Glen
* Unfinished Grateful Dead album
* Wall of Sound
* Wharf Rats

Related people|

* Eric Andersen
* Bob Bralove
* Jerilyn Lee Brandelius
* Candace Brightman
* Betty Cantor-Jackson
* Bob Dylan
* Carolyn Garcia
* Bill Graham
* Gerrit Graham
* Rick Griffin
* David Grisman
* Lenny Hart
* Dan Healy
* Bruce Hornsby
* Alton Kelley
* Steve Kimock
* Ned Lagin
* Dick Latvala
* David Lemieux
* Branford Marsalis
* Stanley Mouse
* Ronald Leon Rakow
* Merl Saunders
* Rock Scully
* Bob Seidemann
* Laurence Shurtliff
* Owsley Stanley
* Howard Wales

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