Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia
Red and white, blue suede shoesNotes
I'm Uncle Sam, how do you do
Gimme five, still alive
Ain't no luck, I learned to duck
Check my pulse, it don't change
Stay seventy two, come shine or rain
Wave the flag, pop the bag
Rock the boat, skin the goat
Chorus
Wave that flag, wave it wide and high
Summertime done come and gone, my oh my (note 1)
I'm Uncle Sam, that's who I am
Been hiding out, in a rock and roll band
Shake the hand that shook the hand
Of P. T. Barnum and Charlie Chan (note 2)
Shine your shoes, light your fuse
Can you use them old U.S. Blues
I'll drink your health, share your wealth
Run your life, steal your wife
[chorus]
Back to back, chicken shack
Son of a gun, better change your act
We're all confused, what's to lose
You can call this song the United States Blues (note 3)
[chorus]
Grateful Dead Recordings | |||||
Date | Album | ||||
studio 1974 | Mars Hotel (note a) (note b) | ||||
22 Feb 1974 | Dave's Picks Volume 42 (bonus disc) | ||||
24 Feb 1974 | Dave's Picks Volume 13 | ||||
23 Mar 1974 | Dick's Picks Vol 24 | ||||
12 May 1974 | From The Mars Hotel (50th anniversary bonus disc) | ||||
14 May 1974 | Dave's Picks Volume 9 | ||||
17 May 1974 | Pacific Northwest '73-'74 | ||||
19 May 1974 | Pacific Northwest '73-'74 | ||||
21 May 1974 | Pacific Northwest '73-'74 | ||||
16 Jun 1974 | Road Trips Number 2, Volume 3 | ||||
23 Jun 1974 | So Many Roads (1965-1995) (note c) | ||||
28 Jun 1974 | Dick's Picks Vol 12 | ||||
19 Jul 1974 | Dave's Picks Volume 17 | ||||
25 Jul 1974 | 30 Days Of The Dead (2015) | ||||
27 Jul 1974 | 30 Days Of The Dead (2016) | ||||
31 Jul 1974 | Dave's Picks Volume 2 | ||||
4 Aug 1974 | Dick's Picks Vol 31 | ||||
10 Sep 1974 | Dick's Picks Vol 7 | ||||
18 Sep 1974 | 30 Trips Around The Sun | ||||
18 Oct 1974 | Grateful Dead Movie (video, DVD & CD soundtrack) | ||||
19 Oct 1974 | Steal Your Face | ||||
13 Aug 1975 | One From The Vault | ||||
10 Jun 1976 | June 1976 Box Set | ||||
12 Jun 1976 | Road Trips Volume 4, Number 5 | ||||
14 Jun 1976 | June 1976 Box Set | ||||
18 Jun 1976 | Download Series Vol 4 | ||||
29 Jun 1976 | 30 Days of the Dead (2023) | ||||
16 Jul 1976 | Dave's Picks Volume 18 | ||||
17 Jul 1976 | Dave's Picks Volume 18 | ||||
24 Sep 1976 | Dave's Picks Vol 4 | ||||
9 Oct 1976 | Dick's Picks Vol 33 | ||||
26 Feb 1977 | Dave's Picks Volume 29 | ||||
25 Apr 1977 | 30 Trips Around The Sun | ||||
7 May 1977 | May 1977: Get Shown The Light Box | ||||
13 May 1977 | May 1977 Box Set | ||||
28 May 1977 | To Terrapin: Hartford '77 | ||||
7 Jun 1977 | Winterland June 1977 - The Complete Recordings | ||||
9 Jun 1977 | Winterland June 1977 - The Complete Recordings | ||||
22 Jan 1978 | Dave's Picks Volume 23 | ||||
6 Apr 1978 | Friend Of The Devils: April 1978 | ||||
10 Apr 1978 | Friend Of The Devils: April 1978 | ||||
12 Apr 1978 | Friend Of The Devils: April 1978 | ||||
16 Apr 1978 | Friend Of The Devils: April 1978 | ||||
7 May 1978 | 30 Days Of The Dead (2019) | ||||
14 May 1978 | 30 Trips Around The Sun | ||||
7 Jul 1978 | July 1978: The Complete Recordings | ||||
21 Oct 1978 | Road Trips Volume 1, Number 4 ("From Egypt With Love") | ||||
6 Nov 1979 | Road Trips Full Show: Spectrum 11/6/79 | ||||
4 Dec 1979 | Dave's Picks Vol 47 | ||||
4 Sep 1980 | Download Series Vol 7 | ||||
28 Nov 1980 | 30 Trips Around The Sun | ||||
9 Mar 1981 | In And Out Of The Garden | ||||
9 Dec 1981 | Dave's Picks Volume 20 | ||||
7 Aug 1982 | Dick's Picks Vol 32 | ||||
21 Sep 1982 | In And Out Of The Garden | ||||
26 Apr 1983 | Dave's Picks Volume 39 | ||||
11 Sep 1983 | Dave's Picks Vol 52 | ||||
14 Oct 1983 | Dick's Picks Vol 6 | ||||
28 Apr 1985 | Dave's Picks Vol 49 | ||||
24 Jun 1985 | 30 Trips Around The Sun | ||||
27 Mar 1988 | Download Series Vol 5 | ||||
4 Jul 1989 | Truckin' Up To Buffalo (DVD & CD soundtrack) | ||||
13 Jul 1989 | RFK Stadium 1989 Box | ||||
18 Mar 1990 | Spring 1990 (The Other One) | ||||
19 Jul 1990 | Dave's Picks Volume 41 | ||||
20 Mar 1992 | 30 Trips Around The Sun | ||||
4 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 | |||
1991 | Deadicated | Harshed Mellows | |||
1996 | Long Live The Dead | Billy and Terry Smith | |||
1999 | Swingin' To The Grateful Dead | Steve Marsh et al | |||
2000 | Dead Grass | Vassar Clements | |||
2000 | Dirty Ditties and Cover Tunes | Snipe Hunt | |||
2002 | Buckdancer's Choice | Wake The Dead | |||
2004 | Werewolves Of Atlanta: Halloween 2004 | Dark Star Orchestra | |||
2007 | Live 2007 | Mike Kornrich Band | |||
17 Aug 2007 | Live Butter: Petaluma, CA | Hot Buttered Rum | |||
2010 | Let The Music Live | Skeleton Key Band | |||
2013 | Move Me Brightly | Bob Weir et al (DVD) | |||
2013 | Yoga Tribute To Grateful Dead Vol 2 | Yoga Pop Ups | |||
4 Jul 2013 | On The Road: Austin, TX | String Cheese Incident | |||
2020 | Intermediary Stage | Frankenstein 3000 |