Bird Song

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia

A regular for the Dead, this was also performed by Jerry Garcia with John Kahn, and more recently with all the post-Dead bands.

All I know is something like a bird within her sang (note a)
All I know she sang a little while and then flew on
Tell me all that you know
I'll show you
Snow and rain

If you hear that same sweet song again, will you know why? (note b)
Anyone who sings a tune so sweet is passing by
Laugh in the sunshine
Sing, cry in the dark
Fly through the night

Don't cry now
Don't you cry
Don't you cry any more
La da da da

Sleep in the stars
Don't you cry
Dry your eyes on the wind
La da da da da da

All I know is something like a bird within her sang
All I know she sang a little while and then flew on
Tell me all that you know
I'll show you
Snow and rain

Notes
(a) Robert Hunter originally wrote the song as a tribute for Janis Joplin. Phil Lesh now sings "All I know is something like a bird within him sang", transfering it Jerry Garcia instead
(b) it's hard to make out, but I believe Garcia sometimes sang "When you hear that same sweet song again" in later years.

Grateful Dead Recordings
	Date	Album
	19 Feb 1971	Three From The Vault
	21 Feb 1971	Workingman's Dead (50th Anniversary Edition)
	24 Feb 1971	30 Days Of The Dead (2014) (note 9)
	14 Apr 1971	30 Days Of The Dead (2022)
	28 Apr 1971	Ladies And Gentleman ... The Grateful Dead
	31 Jul 1971	Road Trips Number 1, Volume 3
	22 Jul 1972	Download Series Vol 10
	25 Aug 1972	Dave's Picks Volume 24
	27 Aug 1972	Sunshine Daydream (CD and DVD)
	9 Sep 1972	Dave's Picks Volume 46
	10 Sep 1972	30 Days Of The Dead (2013) (note 12)
	17 Sep 1972	Dick's Picks Vol 23
	19 Sep 1972	Dave's Picks Bonus Disc 2023
	21 Sep 1972	Dick's Picks Vol 36
	24 Sep 1972	30 Trips Around The Sun
	27 Sep 1972	Dick's Picks Vol 11
	2 Oct 1972	30 Days Of The Dead (2012)
	17 Oct 1972	Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	18 Oct 1972	Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	19 Oct 1972	Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	17 Nov 1972	Dave's Picks Volume 11
	10 Jun 1973	Here Comes Sunshine (note 11)
	22 Jun 1973	Pacific Northwest '73-'74
	7 Sep 1973	Dave's Picks Volume 38
	9 Oct 1980	The Warfield, San Francisco, CA 10/9/80 & 10/10/80
	10 Oct 1980	The Warfield, San Francisco, CA 10/9/80 & 10/10/80
	14 Oct 1980	Reckoning (note 8)
	31 Oct 1980	Dead Ahead (video/DVD)
	30 Nov 1980	Dave's Picks Volume 8
	26 Feb 1981	30 Days Of The Dead (2016)
	9 Mar 1981	In And Out Of The Garden
	7 Jul 1981	30 Days Of The Dead (2024)
	9 Dec 1981	Dave's Picks Volume 20
	31 Jul 1982	30 Trips Around The Sun (note 6)
	11 Oct 1983	In And Out Of The Garden
	15 Oct 1984	30 Days Of The Dead (2018)
	28 Apr 1985	Dave's Picks Vol 49
	26 Mar 1987	Dave's Picks Volume 36 (note 10)
	26 Jul 1987	View From The Vault IV (DVD & CD soundtrack)
	18 Sep 1987	30 Trips Around The Sun
	31 Dec 1987	Ticket To New Year's (video/DVD only)
	3 Jul 1988	30 Trips Around The Sun
	9 Jul 1989	Giants Stadium 1987, 1989, 1991 Boxed Set
	12 Oct 1989	30 Days Of The Dead (2021)
	9 Dec 1989	Without A Net
	16 Mar 1990	Spring 1990 (note 4)
	25 Mar 1990	Spring 1990 (The Other One)
	29 Mar 1990	So Many Roads (1965-1995) (note 3) (note 5)
	10 Jul 1990	(official YouTube video only)
	27 Oct 1990	30 Trips Around The Sun
	20 Jun 1991	Download Series Vol 11
	20 Mar 1992	30 Trips Around The Sun
	1 Jul 1992	(official YouTube video only)
	26 Jun 1993	(official YouTube video only)
	4 Jul 2015	Fare Thee Well (CD and DVD)

Dead-related Recordings
	studio 1972	Garcia		Jerry Garcia	(note 2)
	27 Jan 1986	GarciaLive Volume 14	Jerry Garcia/John Kahn
	28 Feb 1986	Pure Jerry: Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium	Jerry Garcia/John Kahn
	25 Apr 2001	Live At The Roseland	Ratdog
	26 Apr 2001	Live At The Roseland	Ratdog

(Plus live recordings by The Dead, Furthur, Dead & Company, Ratdog, Phil Lesh & Friends etc not listed here. See Grateful Dead Family Discography for a full list.)

Tribute Albums And Other Recordings
	Date	Album	Recorded By
	1996	DeadBeats Acoustic	DeadBeats
	1997	Jake's Leg	Jake's Leg
	1997	Reggae Celebrates The Grateful Dead Vol 2	Ken Boothe
	1997	Pickin' On The Grateful Dead	David West et al
	1998	Live, Vol 1	Joe Gallant & Illuminati
	1999	Frozen: A Selection Of Polarized Country	The International Tussler Society
	1999	The Rockin' Banjos Of Bluegrass	[self titled]
	2000	Wake The Dead	Danny Carahanet al
	2000	Lost Marbles	Lost Marbles
	2001	Pickin' On Jerry Garcia	David West et al
	2001	The Electric Roses Tour	Elegy
	2003	The Tussler (re-issue)	Motorpsycho
	2004	Stage	Keller Williams
	2004	I'll Take A Melody	Heidi Joy
	2005	The 1000th Show	Dark Star Orchestra
	8 Feb 2006	Live At The Fillmore	Grateful Grass
	2007	Dead Symphony	Lee Johnson
	2008	Fennario: Songs by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter	Emory Joseph
	2009	Better Off Dead	Great Caessar's Ghost
	2010	Songs Of The Grateful Dead	Jesse McReynolds
	2010	Celtar	Von Cello
	2012	Run For The Roses	Tim Bluhm et al (Rex Foundation)
	2013	Keys	Keller Willams
	2013	First Reearsals	Sycamore Slough String Band
	2013	Move Me Brightly	Bob Weir et al (DVD - bonus track)
	2015	A Grand Piano Tribute to the Grateful Dead	Rob Catterton
	2015	In A Hurry	Blue Mule
	2015	Songs Of Their Own	Nicki Bluhm & The Gamblers
	2016	Songs To Fill The Air (WFMU Pledge Drive)	Lake Mary
	2016	Day Of The Dead	Bonnie "Prince" Billy & Friends
	2016	Better Left Unsung	Holly Bowling
	2016	Aug 12 2016 Alta WY	The Infamous Stringdusters (note 7)
	2018	Cut The Dead Some Slack	Stephen Inglis
	2019	Sabertooth Plays Dead	Sabertooth
	2019	Dead Air	Charlottesville Day School
	2019	Chip's Picks Vol 1	High Time
	2020	Time Has Come	Full Moonalice
	2021	The Relix Sessions	Keller Williams
	2023	Grateful Deadication 2	Dave McMurray

Notes
(2) also on the compilation The Best Of Jerry Garcia
(3) this track (with Branford Marsalis) was previously released on the CD "Warriors: KFOG Jam" in 1994.
(4) also on the compilation So Glad You Made It
(5) also in Wake Up To Find Out, and included in box set Spring 1990 (The Other One)
(6) also on the compilation 30 Trips Around The Sun: The Definitive Live Story 1965-1995
(7) The list above includes only one illustrative example of the series of live recordings by this band.
(8) also on the compilation The Best Of The Grateful Dead Live. For a full list see the Grateful Dead Family Discography.
(9) also on 30 Days Of The Dead (2020)
(10) also made available on 30 Days Of The Dead (2017)
(11) also made available on 30 Days Of The Dead (2011)
(12) also made available on 30 Days Of The Dead (2024)

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
For information on references in the lyrics see David Dodd's Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics
For online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com
For sheet music, see:
          Grateful Dead Anthology Volume 2 (piano arrangement)
          Garcia Songbook (piano arrangement)
          Without A Net Songbook (piano arrangement)
          Jerry Garcia Songbook (vocal line and chords)
          Garcia/Hunter Songbook (vocal line and chords/TAB)