Psychedelic songwriter John Dawson dies at 64(New Riders Of The Purple Sage)

AP ^ | 7/23/09

[mylife]

SAN FRANCISCO — John "Marmaduke" Dawson, a longtime Grateful Dead collaborator who co-wrote "Friend of the Devil" and developed a devoted following with his psychedelic country group New Riders of the Purple Sage, has died. He was 64.

Dawson died Tuesday from stomach cancer in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where he had retired several years ago

[Mark]

64 is a long life. At least under obambi care.

[justkate]

OK A question for some of you...

I had no idea that NRPS was a “psychedelic” band.
And I really like their music...

What exactly made a band “psychedelic”?

[stormer]

I remember you now! You were the guy wearing tie-dye!

[mylife]

Hmmmm I was like 8 years old then.

I found the GD in the 80s. I had always shunned the group because of the name, and then on day I heard old and in the way.

Well, these folks did a LOT to keep Americana alive

[mylife]

Heyup

[mylife]

I guess it was Panama Red

[allmendream]

Take enough dope and any GD song is “psychedelic” I guess.

EV’RY YEAR ALONG ABOUT THIS TIME IT ALL GOES DRY
THERE’S NOTHING ROUND FOR LOVE OR MONEY
THAT’LL GET YOU HIGH
HENRY GOT PISSED OFF AND SAID HE’D RUN TO MEXICO
TO SEE IF HE COULD COME BACK HOLDIN’
TWENTY KEYS OF GOLD

NOW THE ROAD TO ACAPULCO IS VERY HARD INDEED
AND IT ISN’T ANY BETTER IF YOU HAVEN’T ANY WEED
HENRY’S DRIVING HARD AND STRAIGHT
ON TWISTY MOUNTAIN ROADS
THERE’S FIFTY PEOPLE WAITING BACK
AT HOME FOR HENRY’S LOAD

AND NOW HE’S ROLLIN’ DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
GOING FAST, FAST, FAST
AND IF HE BLOWS IT THIS ONE’S GONNA BE HIS LAST
RUN TO ACAPULCO TO TURN THE GOLDEN KEYS
HENRY KEEP THE BRAKES ON FOR THIS CORNER IF YOU PLEASE

HENRY GOT TO MEXICO AND TURNED HIS TRUCK AROUND
HE’S TALKING TO THE MAN WHO HAS IT
GROWING FROM THE GROUND
HENRY TASTED, HE GOT WASTED, COULDN’T EVEN SEE
HOW HE’S GONNA DRIVE LIKE THAT IS NOT TOO CLEAR TO ME

AND NOW HE’S ROLLIN’ DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
GOING FAST, FAST, FAST
AND IF HE BLOWS IT THIS ONE’S GONNA BE HIS LAST
RUN TO ACAPUCO TO TURN THE GOLDEN KEYS
HENRY KEEP THE BRAKES ON FOR THIS CORNER IF YOU PLEASE

SUNDAY AFTERNOON TIJUANA IS A LOVELY TOWN
BULLFIGHT BRINGS THE TOURISTS AND
THEIR MONEY FLOWING DOWN
THE BORDER GUARDS ARE MUCH TOO BUSY
THERE AT FIVE O’ CLOCK
HENRY’S TRUCKIN’ RIGHT ON THROUGH,
HE HARDLY EVEN STOPPED (REPEAT CHORUS)

[mylife]

"Old and in the way" Pig In A Pen

[Richard Kimball]

Aw, heck, in honor of John, let's make this a redneck rock music thread:

Hey, Good Lookin Linda Ronstadt and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Pancho and Lefty Townes Van Zandt. Townes wrote the song. My blog article about the song.

[mylife]

Jack Straw

[mylife]

Pancho and Lefty is a great tune

[50cal Smokepole]

He’ll steal your woman
Then rob your head....

[blam]

"Hmmmm I was like 8 years old then."

1967 was The Summer Of Love. My only child (Dr blam) was conceived then.

Grateful Dead

[mylife]

Happy days L0L!

Seems the world is just as crazy now as back then without all the fun “let yer hair down stuff”

[mylife]

Great pics

[Richard Kimball]

I suppose in some ways they could be considered psychedelic, but that wasn't really their genre. The Grateful Dead were considered psychedelic, but I think that was more because of their affiliation with Ken Kesey than their actual music. NRPS were more part of the movement with Willie Nelson, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Jerry Jeff Walker, B. W. Stevenson, and Waylon Jennings that mixed rock and country.

Ronstadt, the Eagles and Browne mixed in more folk, creating what was called the California sound, while the rest mixed in Rock. The songs were frequently very strongly influenced by the drug culture, although they tended more towards cocaine and marijuana than LSD and other psychedelics drugs. In Lonesome LA Cowboy, for example:

I've been smokin dope, snortin coke, trying to write a song,

Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen were another group in this genre, along with the Flying Burrito Brothers.

[dersepp]

All you no good smelly hippies postin' here tonight....

Get a haircut and get a job!

Bet you haven't missed that, eh? As for me. I think I'll turn on and tune out to the cover of The Walrus by Spooky Tooth.

[Richard Kimball]

Here's another one I've always liked: If You've Got the Money. Supposedly the Lefty in Pancho and Lefty was Lefty Frizzell.

[Liberty Valance]

Purple Sage Bump

[mylife]

Frizell was a fine songwriter

Max Stalling~I-35