Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia
Great North Special, were you on board?Notes
You can't find a ride like that no more
Night the chariot swung down low
Ninety nine children had a chance to go
One long party from front to end
Tune to the whistle going round the bend
No big hurry, what do you say
Might as well travel the elegant way
Chorus
Might as well, might as well (note 1)
(Might as well, might as well)
Might as well, might as well
(Might as well, might as well)
Might as well, might as well
(Might as well, might as well)
Might as well, might as well
(Might as well, might as well)
Ragtime solid for twenty five miles
Then slip over to the Cajun style
Bar car loaded with rhythm and blues
Rock and roll wailing in the old caboose
Long train running from coast to coast
Bringing 'long the party where they need it the most
Whup on the box car, beat on the bell
Nothing else shaking so you might just as well
[chorus]
Never had such a good time
In my life before
I'd like to have it one time more
One good ride from start to end (note 2)
I'd like to take that ride again
Run out of track and I caught the plane (note 3)
Back in the county with the blues again
Great North Special been on my mind (note 4)
Might like to ride it just one more time
[chorus]
"Well we could talk about 'Might As Well', the song you just lifted off. Actually, I wrote that line. You know, something like thirty years ago, I was in my studio, where I am now, and Jerry came up and we were just sort of messing around, and I had this line "Might as well, might as well", and he liked that, so he traded me that for a descending figure that he was working on that he couldn't figure out what to do with, which I used for the first few lines of 'This Time Forever'"(2) on occasions (eg 6 Apr 1982) Jerry sang "One long ride from start to end" (thanks to Ed Altman for this)
Grateful Dead Recordings | |||||
Date | Album | ||||
studio 1976 | Reflections (Jerry Garcia) (note a) (note b) | ||||
10 Jun 1976 | June 1976 Box Set | ||||
11 Jun 1976 | June 1976 Box Set | ||||
14 Jun 1976 | June 1976 Box Set | ||||
15 Jun 1976 | June 1976 Box Set | ||||
19 Jun 1976 | June 1976 Box Set | ||||
24 Sep 1976 | Dave's Picks Vol 4 | ||||
27 Sep 1976 | 30 Days Of The Dead (2022) | ||||
2 Oct 1976 | Live At The Cow Palace (note c) (note e) | ||||
10 Oct 1976 | Dick's Picks Vol 33 | ||||
3 May 1977 | Dave's Picks Volume 50 | ||||
29 Oct 1977 | Dave's Picks Vol 33 | ||||
2 Nov 1977 | Dick's Picks Vol 34 | ||||
6 Apr 1982 | Road Trips Volume 4, Number 4 | ||||
10 Apr 1983 | 30 Days Of The Dead (2017) | ||||
12 Oct 1983 | In And Out Of The Garden | ||||
26 Jun 1984 | 30 Days Of The Dead (2011) | ||||
17 Jun 1991 | Giants Stadium 1987, 1989, 1991 Boxed Set (CD and DVD) | ||||
Other Recordings | |||||
Date | Album | Recorded By | |||
2000 | Might As Well | The Persuasions (note d) | |||
2018 | Dead Songs Vol 2 | Barton Hills Choir |