Welcome To The World

Lyrics: John Barlow, Bob Weir
Music: Bob Weir/Ratdog

One of the new Ratdog songs, introduced mid-1999 and now released on the Ratdog CD.

Here's a rose for the innocent
Fully knowing roses fail
Singing songs so free of consequence
Grabbing for the comet's tail

Chorus
Welcome to the world
It's not all I'd have given you
Just shining pieces of a dream
That almost could've been
Could've been
And still might yet come true

And when I look through your eyes
And see again each day as new
I can see my soul reborn
And what I know, I never knew

[chorus]

But take a walk with me
Take a walk down Rain Street
Come on and talk with me

And let's dance lightly, folks are sleeping here (note 1)
Who could be me or you
Don't pretend that we can wake them (note 2)
Like I always want to try to do
Try to do

How can I say these things to you?
What more really need be said?
How can I make it new enough
True enough
Shine it through enough
To turn your head

[chorus]

But take a walk with me
Come on and walk down Rain Street
Come on and talk with me

We could stay inside this starry night
But tomorrow's coming soon
Should I hold you till the morning light?
Or just go howling at the moon?
Howling at the moon

And after all, the point is trying
Some will win and some will lose
Better to die living than live dying
Somebody else will start anew
Just as you have shown me to do

Notes
(1) on the album, Bob Weir sings "We best dance lightly now"
(2) on the album, Bob Weir sings ""Don't pretend we can save them, we can wake them"

"Welcome To The World" went through several variations while it was being developed. An early version was:

Here's a rose for the innocent
Fully knowing roses fail
Singing songs so free of consequence
Grabbing for the comet's tail

Chorus
Welcome to the world
It's not all that I'd have given you
Just shining pieces of a dream
That isn't what it seems
That almost could've been
Still might yet come true

I can see through the window of your eyes
I see all things are true, all things are true
Only infinitely impossible
That seems available to you

[chorus]

Take a walk in the afternoon
Could be me or you
There's no pretending we can save them all
Like people always do

Freakish things on this starry night
But tomorrow's coming soon
Should I hold you till daylight
Or just go howling at the moon

[chorus]

Welcome to the world [etc]

Bob Weir Recordings
	Date	Album	Recorded By
	Sep 2000	Evening Moods	Ratdog

It doesn't sound as if we're going to hear it played live by Ratdog any more. In a 2005 interview, Bob Weir gave the following answers:

Q: Welcome to the World?
A: Nah, once again the lyric didn't gel.
Q: That one's fallen by the wayside?
A: Yeah. There are all kinds of mouthfuls in there. I can't make that one live.

Further Information
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography