Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional
Played by the Grateful Dead from their earliest days up till 1983 (and subsequently in 2003 by The Dead). It was also played by Jerry with David Nelson in 1962 and with his then wife Sarah in 1963.
Different versions have the verses in different order (note 1), but these are the building blocks:
1.Notes (1) the order of verses in various versions is:
Well if you go down to Deep Elem, put your money in your shoes (note 2)
Women in Deep Elem got them Deep Elem blues
Chorus
Oh sweet mama, your daddy's got them Deep Elem blues
Oh sweet mama, your daddy's got them Deep Elem blues
2.
Once I had a girlfriend, she meant the world to me
She went down to Deep Elem, now she ain't what she used to be
[chorus]
3.
When you go down to Deep Elem, have a little fun (note 3)
Have that ten dollars ready when the policeman comes (note 4)
[chorus]
4.
Once I knew a preacher, preached the bible through and through
Went down to Deep Elem now his preaching days are through
[chorus]
5.
When you go down to Deep Elem, put your money in your pants
The women in Deep Elem they don't give a man a chance (note 5)
[chorus]
6.
When you go down to Deep Elem, put your money in your socks (note 6)
The redheads in Deep Elem, they'll put you on the rocks (note 7)
[chorus]
(2) Garcia varies between singing "Well if you go down to Deep Elem" and "When you go down to Deep Elem".
Dick's Picks 8: 1,2,3,4,5 Reckoning: 1,4,6,3,1 Almost Acoustic: 3,1,4,2,3 Garcia/Nelson 1962: 3,4,5,6,3 Dead Ringers: 3,5,4,6,2,1 Good Old Boys: 3,6,4,5 Prairie Ramblers: 3,2,1,5,4,6
Grateful Dead Recordings | |||||
Date | Album | ||||
18 Apr 1970 | Family Dog at the Great Highway | ||||
2 May 1970 | Dick's Picks Vol 8 | ||||
15 May 1970 | Road Trips Vol 3 No 3 (late show) | ||||
17 Nov 1978 | Reckoning (note a) | ||||
11 Oct 1980 | Reckoning | ||||
28 Nov 1980 | 30 Trips Around The Sun (note c) | ||||
9 Mar 1981 | In And Out Of The Garden | ||||
25 Apr 1981 | Sing Out! Bear's Sonic Journals | ||||
7 May 1981 | The Tomorrow Show (DVD) | ||||
5 Apr 1982 | Road Trips Volume 4, Number 4 | ||||
5 Apr 1982 | Road Trips Volume 4, Number 4 | ||||
Jerry Garcia Recordings | |||||
Date | Album | Recorded By | |||
4 May 1963 | Before The Dead | Jerry and Sara Garcia | |||
21 Feb 1975 | Good Old Boys - Live | Good Old Boys | |||
27 Jan 1986 | GarciaLive Volume 14 | Jerry Garcia/John Kahn | |||
28 Feb 1986 | Pure Jerry: Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium | Jerry Garcia/John Kahn | |||
29 Aug 1987 | Electric On The Eel (bonus disc) | Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band | |||
27 Oct 1987 | Ragged But Right | Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band | |||
28 Oct 1987 | On Broadway: Act One | Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band | |||
31 Oct 1987 | Pure Jerry 2: Lunt-Fontanne | Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band | |||
5 Dec 1987 | Almost Acoustic | Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band | |||
Other Recordings | |||||
Date | Album | Recorded By | |||
1976 | Pistol Packin' Mama | Good Old Boys (note d) | |||
1993 | Dead Ringers | Dead Ringers | |||
2010 | Songs Of The Grateful Dead | Jesse McReynolds | |||
2011 | The Wheel: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Garcia | Jesse McReynolds, David Nelson et al | |||
2017 | Blackberry Smoke with Bob Weir: An Evening at TRI | Blackberry Smoke | |||
31 Dec 2018 | Rising Up To Paradise | Big Swell |
When you go in Deep Elem, to have a little funThe closest antecedent appears to be "Georgia Black Bottom" recorded by the Georgia Crackers (including the Cofer Brothers) in 1927. The tune is the same, and several of the verses are the same (apart from the change from "Black Bottom" to "Deep Elem"):
You better have your fifteen dollars when that policeman comes
Oh sweet mama, daddy's got them Deep Elem blues
Once I had a sweetheart, who meant the world to me
But she hung around Deep Elem, now she ain't what she used to be
Oh sweet mama, daddy's got them Deep Elem blues
Oh sweet mama, daddy's got them Deep Elem blues
When you go down in Deep Elem, keep your money in your shoes
'Cause the women in Deep Elem's got the Deep Elem blues
Oh sweet mama, daddy's got them Deep Elem blues
When you go down in Deep Elem, keep your money in your pants
'Cause the redheads in Deep Elem never give a man a chance
Oh sweet mama, daddy's got them Deep Elem blues
Oh sweet mama, daddy's got them Deep Elem blues
Once I knew a preacher, preached the bible through and through
But he went down in Deep Elem, now his preaching days are through
Oh sweet mama, daddy's got them Deep Elem blues
When you go down in Deep Elem, keep your money in your socks
'Cause the women in Deep Elem will throw you on the rocks
Oh sweet mama, daddy's got them Deep Elem blues
Oh sweet mama, daddy's got them Deep Elem blues
If you go down in Black Bottom, put your money in your shoeThere are several songs with similar or related titles. These include "Elm Street (Woman) Blues" by Ida Mae Mack, and "Deep Elm (You Tell 'em I'm Blue)", recorded in 1925 by Willard Robison. These seem to be unrelated to the song Jerry sang. Similarly, there are a number of "Black Bottom Blues" that are unrelated to this song.
The women in Black Bottom got them Black Bottom blues
Oh good mama, daddy's got them Black Bottom blues
If you go down in Black Bottom, let my [hog] ride along
Don't begin to [?] take you to that [driver's home]
Oh good mama, daddy's got them Black Bottom blues
If you go down in Black Bottom, just to have a little fun
Have sixteen dollars ready when that police wagon come
Oh good mama, daddy's got them Black Bottom blues
Once I had a good little woman, and I taken her to the fair
She would have won that premium but she had bad hair
Oh good mama, daddy's got them Black Bottom blues
The billy goat drown in Black Bottom just to get a drink of booze
But now he's in the chain gang wearing broken shoes
Oh good mama, daddy's got them Black Bottom blues
The [cooper] goes down in Black Bottom, just to get a drink of booze
But now he's in the chain gang wearing them broken shoes
Oh good mama, daddy's got them Black Bottom blues
If you got a good little woman, better keep her by your side
'Cause that old cooper's gonna take your baby for a ride
Oh good mama, daddy's got them Black Bottom blues