Lyrics: Bobby Petersen
Music: Phil Lesh
In his book "Searching For The Sound", Phil Lesh says this song came from:
"a little thing I had pecked out on the studio harpsichord when we were at RCA for our first album - which later, with some lyrics from my mad beatnik college buddy, Bobby Petersen, became New Potato Caboose... It didn't spring into being all at once, but rather amalgamated itself over time, with small but crucial contributions from the whole band. Pig added a celesta part to the intro, Jerry a melodic phrase for the verse, and Mickey a glockenspiel riff and a very important gong roll. Bob sang lead on the song, since I wasn't ready to try singing leads yet."Lyrics:
Last leaf fallen, bare earth where green was, bone (note 1)Notes
Above Madonna, two eagles hang against a cloud (note 2)
Sun comes up blood red
Wind yells among the stone
All graceful instruments are known
When the windows all are broken (note 3)
And your love's become a toothless crone
When the voices of the storm sound
Like a crowd
Winter morning breaks, you're all alone
The eyes are blind
Blue visions are all a seer can own
And touching makes the flesh to cry out loud
This ground on which the seed of love is sown
All graceful instruments are known
Grateful Dead Recordings | |||||
Date | Album | ||||
1967-68 | Anthem Of The Sun (note 3) | ||||
4 Aug 1967 | 30 Days Of The Dead (2010) | ||||
22 Oct 1967 | Anthem Of The Sun (2018 bonus disc) (note 5) | ||||
10 Nov 1967 | 30 Trips Around The Sun | ||||
30 Jan 1968 | Road Trips Volume 2, Number 2 (bonus disc) | ||||
14 Feb 1968 | Road Trips Volume 2, Number 2 | ||||
24 Feb 1968 | Dick's Picks Vol 22 | ||||
17 Mar 1968 | Download Series Vol 6 | ||||
24 Aug 1968 | Two From The Vault | ||||
24 Jan 1969 | Aoxomoxoa (2019 bonus disc) | ||||
1 Mar 1969 | Fillmore West 1969 - The Complete Recordings | ||||
8 Jun 1969 | Fillmore West 1969 - The Complete Recordings (note 2) (note 4) | ||||
4 Jun 1999 | Love Will See You Through (Phil Lesh & Friends) | ||||
3 Jul 2015 | Fare Thee Well (CD and DVD) |