Comes A Time

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia

Chorus
Comes a time when the blind man takes your hand (note a)
Says "don't you see?"
Gotta make it somehow
On the dreams you still believe
Don't give it up
You got an empty cup
Only love can fill
Only love can fill

Been walking all morning
Went walking all night
I can't see much difference
Between the dark and light
And I feel the wind (note b)
And I taste the rain
Never in my mind
To cause so much pain

[chorus]

From day to day
Just letting it ride (note c)
You get so far away
From how it feels inside
You can't let go
'Cause you're afraid to fall
But the day may come
When you can't feel at all

[chorus]

Garcia sang the following verse when the song was being developed in 1971 (eg in the version on 26 October 1971 on the Download Series Vol 3). It was sung as the second verse.

When the words come out
Like an angry stream
You hear yourself say
Things you could never mean
When the heat cools down
And you find your mind
You got a lot of words
You've got to stand behind

Hunter's handwritten lyrics include this verse, and show the development of this song:

And the words come out
Like an angry stream
Hear your own voice say
Things you could never mean
When the heat cools down
You find your mind
Got a lot or words
You got to stand behind

Comes a time when the deaf man takes your hand
Says "can't you hear?"

If she's good for you
It isn't what you say
It's who you are for her
Just from day to day
She knows you short
She knows you long
A love like that
Can make a weak man strong

Comes a time when the blind man takes your hand
Says "don't you see?"
Gotta make it somehow
On the dreams you still believe
Don't give it up
You got an empty cup
Only love can fill
Only love can fill
Just one dream to call across the years

Notes
(a) Garcia sang "when the blind man takes your arm" in some early performances
(b) Garcia sang "Ad I hear wind" in some early performances
(c) On a couple of occasions Garcia sang "Just letting it slide"

Grateful Dead Recordings
	Date	Album
	22 Oct 1971	Dave's Picks Volume 3
	26 Oct 1971	Download Series Vol 3
	30 Oct 1971	30 Days Of The Dead (2015)
	4 Dec 1971	30 Days Of The Dead (2017)
	10 Dec 1971	Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73 (note 1)
	11 Apr 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	26 Apr 1972	Hundred Years Hall (note 2)
	23 May 1972	Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead: England '72 (note 2)
	25 May 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	21 Jul 1972	Download Series Vol 10
	12 Jun 1976	Road Trips Volume 4, Number 5
	17 Jul 1976	Dave's Picks Volume 18
	28 Sep 1976	Dick's Picks Vol 20
	3 Oct 1976	30 Trips Around The Sun
	4 May 1977	Dave's Picks Volume 50 (bonus disc)
	9 May 1977	May 1977: Get Shown The Light Box
	12 May 1977	Winterland June 1977 - The Complete Recordings (bonus disc) (note 4)
	21 May 1977	Dick's Picks Vol 29
	26 Aug 1980	30 Days Of The Dead (2019) (note 6)
	2 Oct 1980	30 Days Of The Dead (2016)
	24 Jun 1985	30 Trips Around The Sun
	1 Nov 1985	Dick's Picks Vol 21
	3 May 1986	30 Trips Around The Sun (note 5)
	27 Mar 1993	30 Trips Around The Sun

Jerry Garcia Recordings
	studio 1976	Reflections (note 3)

Other Recordings
	Date	Album	Recorded By
	2001	Built To Grass	The Grass Is Dead
	2009	Acoustic Sessions Vol 1	Real Eyes
	2015	Punk Is Dead	Punk Is Dead

Notes
(1) also released on 30 Days Of The Dead (2014)
(2) also on the box set Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
(3) although this is included on a Jerry Garcia Band album, the track was recorded by the members of the Grateful Dead.
(4) also in the May 1977 Box Set
(5) also on the compilation 30 Trips Around The Sun: The Definitive Live Story 1965-1995
(6) also released on 30 Days Of The Dead (2023)

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 David Dodd's discussion of this song on dead.net see Greatest Stories Ever Told
For online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com
For details of every time played, see Grateful Sets
For sheet music, see:
          Grateful Dead Anthology Volume 2 (piano arrangement)
          Hundred Year Hall songbook (guitar TAB)
          Garcia/Hunter Songbook (vocal line and chords/TAB)