Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site unmvax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!lanl!unmvax!cliff
From: cliff@unmvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.music.gdead
Subject: Are they political?
Message-ID: <771@unmvax.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 7-Apr-85 08:08:16 EST
Article-I.D.: unmvax.771
Posted: Sun Apr  7 08:08:16 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 9-Apr-85 03:35:46 EST
References: <765@unmvax.UUCP> <1388@druny.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Lines: 28

I thought this subject might be a good discussion starter for net.music.gdead.
>> = Me, > = Don Stein

>> Hmmm... the Dead are also one of the few bands that started in the 60's that
>> were decidedly (as a band at least) non-political.  Perhaps that is one of
>> the reasons they lasted so long.

> I wonder about the non-politicalness or apoliticalness of the Dead, even
> in their early days. Songs like "Morning Dew", "Cumberland Blues", and
> "Throwing Stones" come immediatelly to mind. Also, my memory seems to
> recall the Dead being  heavily involved in the "Tune In, Turn On, and Drop
> Out" philosophy of the late sixties. This seems to me to be an active, if
> uneffective, way of protesting the values and actions of society.

Quick bit of background ... I saw the dead of my first time on January 15, 1979.
Obviously my knowledge is less than direct.  The most political actions that
I can think of are the benefits that have been played, not the songs that have
been sung.  Dew, Cumberland and Throwing Stones all depict unfortunate
situations that many people have political solutions to, but none of the songs
advocates a particular solution.  I didn't think the trips festivals were as
much of a protest as they were an experience.  Politically I don't feel out
of place at a dead concert, even though my Libertarianism clashes with the
political views of many deadheads I know and have met.

	--Cliff [Matthews]
	{purdue, cmcl2, ihnp4}!lanl!unmvax!cliff
	{csu-cs, pur-ee, convex, gatech, ucbvax}!unmvax!cliff
	4744 Trumbull S.E. - Albuquerque  NM  87108 - (505) 265-9143