Shakedown Street

Released in 1978, this was the tenth studio album by the Grateful Dead and a friend of mine once referred to this album as “the Dead’s answer to disco.” I don’t know about that, but the album is certainly a good one, with the typical Grateful Dead insouciant air, great guitar licks and an eclectic song lineup. The title track, Shakedown Street, certainly sounds like it could be a version of disco after it was filtered through the unconventional prism of Dead songwriting and their unique, laid back performance style. It’s a good tune and I like it. Other songs that I especially like on this album are Fire on the Mountain and France. There is also a cover of Good Lovin’ sung by Bob Weir. The song was written by Clark and Resnick and later popularized by The Young Rascals.

Here is the Greatful Dead performing an 8 plus minute version of Fire on the Mountain in concert. R.I.P. Jerry.