Big Boss Man

Lyrics: Smith/Dixon
Music: Smith/Dixon

This was sung regularly by Pigpen with the Dead during the 60's and early 70's. It was revived a few times by Bob Weir with the Dead during the 80's. He also played it a few times with Kingfish in the mid-70's, and more recently with Ratdog. Phil Lesh also plays it with Phil & Friends.

Chorus
Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call
Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call
Well you ain't so big, you just tall that's just about all

Now you got me workin', boss man
Workin' round the clock
I want a little shot of whiskey (note a)
But you sure don't let me stop

[chorus]

I'm gonna get me a boss man
One 'bout to treat me right
I work hard in the morning
Sure get stoned at night (note b)

[chorus]
Notes
(a) Bob Weir sometimes sings "Want a little drink of water, but you won't let Bobby stop"
(b) Pigpen sometimes sang "Sure get drunk at night". And Bob Weir sings "Get fucked up at night" (thanks to Gene Baran for pointing that out).

Grateful Dead Recordings
     Date Album
      Jul 1966 Birth Of The Dead (note 1)
      3 Jul 1966 30 Trips Around The Sun
     29 Jul 1966 The Grateful Dead: 50th Anniversary Edition
     Fillmore 1967 Grateful Dead Documentary (note 2)
     2 Nov 1969 Dave's Picks Volume 43
      3 Jan 1970 Dave's Picks Volume 30
     18 Jan 1970 Download Series Vol 2
      5 Feb 1970 Bear's Choice (note 3)
     18 Feb 1971 American Beauty (50th Anniversary Edition)
     18 Mar 1971 30 Trips Around The Sun
     13 Apr 1971 Dave's Picks Volume 51
     26 Apr 1971 Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses)
     30 May 1971 Winterland 1971
      2 Jul 1971 Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) (50th Anniversary Bonus Disc)
     31 Jul 1971 Road Trips Number 1, Volume 3 (bonus disc)
      7 Aug 1971 Dick's Picks Vol 35
     24 Aug 1971 Dick's Picks Vol 35
      7 Dec 1971 Dave's Picks Volume 22
      9 Dec 1971 Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
     14 Dec 1971 Dave's Picks Volume 26
     26 Mar 1972 Dave's Picks Vol 14
      7 Apr 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
     11 Apr 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
     14 Apr 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
     29 Apr 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
      4 May 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
      7 May 1972 Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead: England '72 (note 4)
     10 May 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
     25 May 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
     16 Jun 1990 View From The Vault III (video/DVD & CD soundtrack)
 
Other Dead-related Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
      [?] 1985 Alive in '85 Kingfish (without Weir)
      5 Jun 1999 Love Will See You Through Phil Lesh & Friends
     2001 Blues Tribute To The Grateful Dead Various (Anders Osborne)
     2017 Blackberry Smoke with Bob Weir: An Evening at TRI Blackberry Smoke
Notes
(1) originally released as part of the Rhino box set The Golden Road (1965-1973)
(2) The Grateful Dead Documentary by Michael Wanger and Vance Frost includes (longish) excerpts from a version of Big Boss Man listed as "Live at the Fillmore 1967"
(3) included as a bonus track on remastered album, first released as part of the box set The Golden Road (1965-1973)
(4) also on the box set Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings



Further Information
For an online discussion of the lyrics to this song see the deadsongs.vue conference on The Well.
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography

 


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