YOU KEPT ME UP ‘TIL 4
(formerly CUMBERLAND BLUES by the Grateful Dead)
WHITEBREAD listened almost exclusively to the EUROPE ’72 album by the Dead. Every track was a winner. We especially loved when they would purposely send songs sideways. It was the sound of an Escher painting in my mind. You had no ground under your feet and gravity disappeared. All you could do was use the Force and land where the other guys landed. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn’t, but when it did it was AWESOME. We were so young and inexperienced that we didn’t know this was something we shouldn’t even be attempting before we could play a ballad or something with delicate dynamics. We were going to do this regardless.
There’s no backing vocals here which is something we severely lacked. However, we play the shit out of this song and it took incredible teamwork. Scotty’s train beat is impeccable and Jodi just walks all over the song effortlessly. I am MORE than happy to be the Bob Weir that Derek needed.
People:
LISTEN TO DEREK PLAY.
He was barely 21. He came in as a Texas gunslinger at 20 yrs old playing Stevie Ray Vaughan and Allman Brothers licks but by this time he was just EATING. This song is 6 or 7 in to the show and he’s warmed up. Brilliant. Dynamically he has to carry the whole load with the guitar.
We lay it down and he dances all over like Fred Astaire on mushrooms.
Derek Reeves 8/31/1971 – 8/14/2017
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