Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia
Recorded for Workingman's Dead, but not included on the original release of that album. It was played live less than 20 times in total in 1969 and 1970.
It has recently been revived by Phil Lesh & Friends, and by "The Dead".
These are the lyrics in Robert Hunter's book "Box Of Rain" (where he added a comment "An unreleased GD song dealing obliquely with Altamont"):
Mason died on MondayRobert Hunter's (few) solo performances follow that pretty closely, though in one 1997 performance he sang "Friday came then Saturday".
We bricked him in the wall
All his children grew and grew
They never grew so tall before
They may never grow so tall again
We dug him up on Tuesday
He'd hardly aged a day
Taught us all we ever knew
We never knew so much before
We may never know so much again
Mason was a mighty man
A mighty man was he
All he said: When I"m dead and gone
don't you weep for me
The wall collapsed on Wednesday
We chalked it up to fate
All his children ran and hid
We never hid so well before
Swore we'd never show our face again
Thursday came, then Friday
With fires tall and bright
Mason's children cooked the stew
and cleaned up when the feast was through
Swore we'd never had such times before
Take me to the Reaper Man
to pay back what was loaned
If he's in some other land
write it off as stoned
The Mason died on Monday (note 1)Notes
We bricked him in the wall
All his children grew and grew
They never grew so tall before
They may never grow so tall again
We dug him up on Tuesday
He'd hardly aged a day
Taught them all he ever knew
They never knew so much before
They may never know so much again
Mason was a mighty man
A mighty man was he
All he said, when I'm dead and gone
Don't you weep for me
The wall collapsed on Wednesday
We chalked it up to fate
All his children ran and hid
They never hid so well before
Swore they'd never show their face again
Thursday came, then Friday
With fires tall and bright
The Mason's children cooked the stew
And cleaned up when the feast was through
Swore they'd never had such times before
Take me to the Reaper Man
To pay back what was loaned
If he's in some other land
Write it off as stoned
Grateful Dead Recordings | |||||
Date | Album | ||||
20 Dec 1969 | Dave's Picks Volume 6 | ||||
21 Dec 1969 | Dave's Picks Volume 6 (Bonus disc) | ||||
2 Jan 1970 | Fallout From The Phil Zone (note 6) | ||||
3 Jan 1970 | Dave's Picks 2019 Bonus Disc | ||||
10 Jan 1970 | 30 Days Of The Dead (2010) | ||||
18 Jan 1970 | Download Series Vol 2 | ||||
24 Jan 1970 | Workingman's Dead (note 1) (note 4) | ||||
2 Feb 1970 | Dave's Picks Volume 6 | ||||
14 Feb 1970 | Dick's Picks Vol 4 | ||||
studio 1970 | So Many Roads (1965-1995) | ||||
3 Jul 2015 | Fare Thee Well (CD and DVD) | ||||
(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.) | |||||
Other Recordings | |||||
Date | Album | Recorded By | |||
1978 | Living Earth | Living Earth | |||
1987 | Eternity Blue | Henry Kaiser | |||
1988 | Those Who Know History ... | Henry Kaiser | |||
1989 | Alternate Versions | Henry Kaiser (note 2) | |||
1993 | Comin' Down Fast | Motorpsycho (note 3) | |||
studio 2002 | There And Back Again | Phil Lesh & Friends (bonus CD single) | |||
9 Nov 2011 | Live: Bloomington, IL | Yonder Mountain String Band (note 5) | |||
2015 | Demon Box | Motorpsycho |