Darling Corey

Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional

Only ever played once by the Dead, on 20 November 1970 during a jam with Jorma Kaukonen. Also played by Garcia, Hunter and Leicester in July 1961. I had assumed from the list in DeadBase that Jorma sang it at the 1970 show. But on listening to the tape, I believe it is Garcia.

He sings only two verses, which are pretty hard to decipher.

Wake up, wake up, darling Corey
What makes you sleep so sound
[The revenue officers are coming]
They're gonna tear your still house down

Dig a hole, dig a hole in the meadow
Dig a hole in the cold ground
[Dig a hole, dig a hole in the meadow]
We're gonna lay him in the ground

The Garcia/Hunter/Leicester version from 1961 includes an additional verse:

Wake up, wake up darling Corey (note 1)
Quit hanging around my bed
Bad liquor ruined my body
Pretty women gone to my head

Versions by others have yet another couple of verses:

Well the first time I seen daring Corey
She was sitting by the banks of the sea
Had a forty-four round her body
And a five-string on her knee

Can't you hear them bluebirds a-singing?
Don't you hear that mournful sound?
They're preaching darling Corey's funeral
In some lonesome graveyard ground

Notes
(1) other versions have "Go away, go away darling Corey" here, which makes better sense.

Recordings
None by the Dead. There are versions (some as "Darling Corey", some as "Darlin' Corey") available by Bill Monroe, the Weavers, Seldom Scene, Pete Seeger etc.

Futher Information
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography