tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post3183277612149571105..comments2024-03-17T11:10:04.872-07:00Comments on Grateful Dead Guide: Viola Lee BluesLight Into Asheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-32074918932945132992023-03-30T21:09:44.641-07:002023-03-30T21:09:44.641-07:00Bob Dylan played Viola Lee Blues once in '97: ...Bob Dylan played Viola Lee Blues once in '97: <br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZgNL6ZBkCM <br />It's more in the old-time style, not like the Dead's. He uses the White Lightning verse. <br />I'm glad the Dead heard the "wrote a letter" version, it adds a lot to the song! Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-88471209639405671732023-03-14T12:17:18.678-07:002023-03-14T12:17:18.678-07:00There are two versions of Viola Lee Blues recorded...There are two versions of Viola Lee Blues recorded by the Jugstompers. In the first version the last verse mentions the protagonist drinking White Lightning and going home to bed. This is inconsistent with a lifetime sentence of course. But Viola Lee might have been the wife of one of the jailbirds left out for one reason or the other. At least it would make sense that the women associated with Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-40559136259980104962020-02-15T04:53:46.029-08:002020-02-15T04:53:46.029-08:00And the proof was staring me in the face! Blair Ja...And the proof was staring me in the face! Blair Jackson wrote that Big Railroad Blues “Garcia learned in 1965 off a four-song British EP Eric Thompson owned.” (Garcia, p.210) So they got Viola Lee off the same record. Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-80882919622842598942020-02-12T05:14:01.749-08:002020-02-12T05:14:01.749-08:00There is more to the story here... Another writer ...There is more to the story here... Another writer asked an interesting question about the Dead's source: <br />"Blair Jackson suggested that the Dead probably learned this song from the Jim Kweskin Jug Band's 1966 recording (Garcia acknowledges both Kweskin and Lewis in the [1967] Gleason interview...) Kweskin is believed to have learned it from the original Victor label 78 recordingLight Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-70101625492831469502018-07-06T19:23:44.123-07:002018-07-06T19:23:44.123-07:00Possibly part of that tape comes from a second set...Possibly part of that tape comes from a second set of that show, although the Cold Rain is a different version than on 10/22. For the time, it's a decent, listenable audience recording, though most people won't want to listen through the murk. <br />One thing that stands out is that Pigpen's playing is much more equal with the others in this show - the Viola Lee jam, for instance, Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-84346421889397394052018-07-06T16:40:53.514-07:002018-07-06T16:40:53.514-07:00I listened to the "1/27/67" show for the...I listened to the "1/27/67" show for the first time in probably 12 years the other day and I just cannot get over how stunning VLB and Caution are. I wonder if those two songs and Alligator were also recorded at the 10/22 Winterland Show but not recorded on the better sounding source.<br /><br />I'll give my nod to that VLB as the best ever.Will Ruddockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236741903558836229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-56782446775731393492017-07-28T18:35:25.649-07:002017-07-28T18:35:25.649-07:00The little instrumental intro that the Dead play i...The little instrumental intro that the Dead play in the July 1966 Viola Lee Blues is Wagner's "Wotan's Spear" leitmotif from the Ring cycle: <br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq_slOPWrGI <br />See also: <br />https://www.well.com/user/woodman/singthing/ring/themusic.html <br /><br />Presumably this was Phil's idea; what the connection is to Viola Lee, I don't know... Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-16941083594777841872016-08-01T13:17:49.289-07:002016-08-01T13:17:49.289-07:00For completists, a new Viola Lee Blues has come to...For completists, a new Viola Lee Blues has come to light - a February 1966 rehearsal in LA, taped by Bear. One of the earliest Dead versions, it's still short (under 7 minutes), rough & awkward - the band get confused coming out of the jam - but spirited, and they at least have the idea of the climactic meltdown in place.Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-118754472189585822016-07-09T09:59:06.749-07:002016-07-09T09:59:06.749-07:00Thank you Light into Ashes....this is one of my fa...Thank you Light into Ashes....this is one of my fav tunes and have always wondered who or what Viola Lee refers to...your history is AMAZING...thanks for sharing :-) Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04062192974846263790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-52453057763998585972016-05-25T09:39:05.899-07:002016-05-25T09:39:05.899-07:00A followup:
Almost all the titles of Cannon's...A followup: <br />Almost all the titles of Cannon's Jug Stompers' songs are taken from the song lyrics, so I think "Viola Lee" was originally mentioned in the song, but left out of the recording. Blues songs at the time weren't fixed, verses could change from one performance to another - for instance the third verse is different on the two takes of this song, for no apparentLight Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-16872392376545124612016-05-23T00:03:19.244-07:002016-05-23T00:03:19.244-07:00I don't think anyone living knows. It could be...I don't think anyone living knows. It could be a random woman that Noah Lewis knew - but it's odd for an old blues song to have a title unrelated to the song. Usually song titles were drawn from the theme or lyrics, but there's no telling what connection Viola Lee might have to this song. <br />Several of the verses are shared with Kansas Joe McCoy's song 'Joliet Bound,' Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-66975225391707332302016-05-22T11:33:06.600-07:002016-05-22T11:33:06.600-07:00Does anybody know who was Viola Lee from the song ...Does anybody know who was Viola Lee from the song "Viola Lee Blues".<br />Kristijan K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14937909466149947817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-69748540987335006362016-04-05T23:39:02.961-07:002016-04-05T23:39:02.961-07:00Garcia's comments to Ralph Gleason in March &#...Garcia's comments to Ralph Gleason in March '67 show that the Dead were familiar with both the original record and Jim Kweskin's cover (which had come out on record in '66, but the Dead may have heard him do it live much earlier).<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ayY7cOpXhE <br /><br />One thing I didn't note in this post was that Cannon's Jug Stompers had actually Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-22809139624356008382014-12-09T14:04:43.084-08:002014-12-09T14:04:43.084-08:00Doing research on the Aladdin Theater in Denver, C...Doing research on the Aladdin Theater in Denver, Colorado, I find that the organist at the theater in 1927 was named "Viola K. Lee." Wow. I wonder if she was the inspiration for the original song? I can't find out much else about her . ... anyway - amazing... the year was right. ..Organuzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12569578062430406996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-36151674420789898992013-08-11T23:37:32.309-07:002013-08-11T23:37:32.309-07:00I suggested that the Butterfield Blues Band was an...I suggested that the Butterfield Blues Band was an influence on Viola Lee Blues...however, I think I was mistaken. <br />While the Dead were fans of the BBB from their first album, I don't think the Dead saw them until early 1966 - maybe Feb/March while they were in Los Angeles, or at least in April at the Fillmore. The East/West album didn't come out until August 1966, but the BBB were Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-32382374097568693912012-04-23T20:41:51.280-07:002012-04-23T20:41:51.280-07:00You do a great job addressing the early history of...You do a great job addressing the early history of this tune, very informative and in-depth! I will be posting a piece on Viola Lee on my blog (www.thedeadvault.net) on Wednesday, which will gloss over what you've covered here to focus on the Phil & Friends breakout of Viola Lee in 2000 and some versions done by Furthur and a few other bands since. I'll be sure to send my readers overCosmic Charliehttp://www.thedeadvault.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-77233866320575484402012-03-28T18:32:47.270-07:002012-03-28T18:32:47.270-07:00Thanks for noting the upgrade - although I should ...Thanks for noting the upgrade - although I should mention that the original video, despite being in inferior sound, was also synced & edited by the actual filmmakers. So this person probably used their soundtrack as a guideline.Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-46603785975087998062012-03-28T05:49:11.324-07:002012-03-28T05:49:11.324-07:00FYI, LIA, someone posted a new version of the Mont...FYI, LIA, someone posted a new version of the Monterey Viola a few weeks ago on YouTube, syncing (as best he could to what is in many places just a montage) the SBD to the video. Very nice work considering the difficulty this must have posed.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amWqLamEBkU" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amWqLamEBkU</a>JasWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15002044015543468171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-91550251774495459842011-01-06T19:18:42.143-08:002011-01-06T19:18:42.143-08:00I think what Anonymous is referring to is that in ...I think what Anonymous is referring to is that in their New, New Minglewood Blues, the Dead were taking their cue from the Noah Lewis Jug Band's New Minglewood Blues, not the original Cannon's Jug Stompers' Minglewood Blues, which has no lyrics in common. (Though the Dead may have known both songs.)<br /><br />A bit of sloppiness on my part. More details on Minglewood history here: <Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-3154967043897944322011-01-06T14:45:31.179-08:002011-01-06T14:45:31.179-08:00Do not confuse Noah Lewis' Minglewood Blues wi...Do not confuse Noah Lewis' Minglewood Blues with his later recorded New Minglewood Blues. Two different songs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-91165853485106567692010-10-07T15:40:28.161-07:002010-10-07T15:40:28.161-07:00thanks for being arsed to give such a great song t...thanks for being arsed to give such a great song this mini-biography, complete with audio links.......hoo-hahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-508596483308849125.post-52367696947557704882010-09-24T00:54:34.049-07:002010-09-24T00:54:34.049-07:00Ralph Gleason interviewed Garcia in March '67 ...Ralph Gleason interviewed Garcia in March '67 - the interview is in the Grateful Dead Reader and is well worth looking up. Garcia talked about the songs on the upcoming album release, and these were his comments on Viola Lee: <br /><br />"The words to that and a certain amount of the phrasing, the way the words are sung, come from a record by Noah Lewis, who used to be the harmonica Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.com