Might As Well

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia

Great North Special, were you on board?
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]

Notes
(1) in an interview with David Gans on the KPFA Marathon on 9 February 2008, Bob Weir commented on the origin of the 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)
(3) on occasions (eg 6 Apr 1982) Jerry sang "Ran out of track and I lost the train" (thanks to Ed Altman for this)
(4) on 6 Apr 1984 it sounds as if Jerry sang "The late John Lennon's been on my mind" (thanks to Tim Lynch for spotting 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

Notes
(a) although it appears on a Jerry Garcia solo album, the recording was made by the members of the Grateful Dead.
(b) also on the compilation The Best Of Jerry Garcia
(c) on bonus disc Spirit Of '76 issued with advance orders from GDStore
(d) re-released in 2011 on "Persuasions of the Dead"
(e) 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 online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com
For sheet music, see:
Grateful Dead Anthology Volume 2 (piano arrangement)
Garcia/Hunter Songbook (vocal line and chords/TAB)