West Virginia Steel Guitar

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Robert Hunter

One of the bonus tracks on the 50th Anniversary edition of Tales Of The Great Rum Runners. It generally circulates on tapes under the titles "Ballad Of Buddy Holly", "All The Same" or "All The Same To Me." In a 1977 concert with Comfort, Robert Hunter introduced the song by saying Rodney Albin was going to "play a tune that never made it onto my Rum Runners record, but we've been doing it a long time."

It seems to be a song that Robert Hunter wrote in the early 70s, and performed several times in the mid to late 1970s. The version immediately below comes from a live performance on 20 July 1978. The song contains some patter sung at break-neck speed that I've only partially transcribed. The lyric doesn't appear in "Box Of Rain."

While the version below is from Robert Hunter's solo performances in the late 1970's, the song's earlier incarnation did not have the references to Buddy Holly. It looks as if Hunter in fact made a copyright registration under the title "West Virginia Steel Guitar", with the original song being set in West Virginia, with the protagonist being "Charlie" rather than "Buddy". Hunter then adapted it subsequently to make the connection with Buddy Holly.

Way down in Lubbock, Texas
When the night fairly met the day
There's an evening star, a pedal steel guitar
And a boy named Buddy liked to play, play, play

When his hands get to slipping and a-sliding
The notes get to flowing like a mountain stream
Country blues or your rock 'n' roll music
You can bet it's all the same to me

Well Betty said Buddy when you play your guitar
Won't you play it just for me
Buddy says sweet Betty if you want it that way it
That's the way it's gonna be

You know West Texas girls likes to scream and shout
And they only love it just that way
Slipping and a-sliding to the slide guitar
Just a-humming all night and day

Well in came Buddy's mamma, sweet mamma
Just as pretty as a mamma can be
She said that steel guitar ain't gonna take you far
It'll take me where I wanna be

'Cause my hands get to slipping and a-sliding
The notes get to flowing like a mountain stream
Country blues or your rock 'n' roll music
You can bet it's all the same to me
You can bet it's all the same to me

I met a girl walking down the street
The kind of girl I like to meet
She had blond hair and eyes of blue
Baby I'm a-gonna have a party with you

Peggy-Sue, Peggy-Sue
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty Peggy-Sue
My Peggy, my Peggy-Sue
Well I love you girl and I want you Peggy-Sue

Well I bet it's all the same to me, great god
I bet it's all the same to me

I went to the well and the well was dry
I couldn't find water in a clear blue sky
I went to the [?] and the rock wouldn't [hide me]
And the places, all the places where [?] wouldn't find me
[?] said mother said you bet
Sixy seven dollars on a twenty three bet
[?] power of the institution
And the same old [?] to me
I hear those things coming in my ears
[fast patter]
You can bet it's all the same to me

Peggy-Sue, Peggy-Sue
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty Peggy-Sue
My Peggy, my Peggy-Sue
Well I love you girl and I want you Peggy-Sue

[more fast patter]
Don't forget your overcoat
[?] motor boat, looking sun rising
When the water in the creek and the fishing were rising
And the fish is pretty good and the [?] made the bay
[?] just like it that way
I bet it's all the same to me, great god
You can bet it's all the same to me

In the hills of West Virginia
When the night barely meets the day
There's an evening star, a pedal steel guitar
And a boy named Buddy loved to play, play, play

And his hands got to slipping and a-sliding, dear god
The notes get to flowing like a mountain stream
Country blues or your rock 'n' roll music
You can bet it's all the same to me
You can bet it's all the same to me
This is the version played with Roadhog on 30 July 1976. It is very similar to the earlier studio version.
In the hills of West Virginia
When the night nearly meets the day
There's an evening star, a pedal steel guitar
And a boy named Charlie loved to play, play, play

Well his hands get to slipping and a-sliding
The notes get to flowing like a mountain stream
Country blues or your rock 'n' roll music
You can bet it's all the same to me

Well Lulu said to Charlie when you play your guitar
Won't you play it just for me
Charlie says sweet baby if you want it that way it
That's the way it's gonna be

Virginia girls likes to scream and shout
You know they like it just that way
Slipping and a-sliding to the steel guitar
Just a-humming through the night and day

Well in comes Charlie's mamma, sweet mamma
Just as patient as a mamma can be
She said that steel guitar ain't gonna take you far
It'll take me where I wanna be

'Cause my hands get to slipping and a-sliding
The notes get to flowing like a mountain stream
Country blues or your rock 'n' roll music
You can bet it's all the same to me

In the hills of West Virginia
When the night nearly meets the day
There's an evening star, a pedal steel guitar
And a boy named Charlie loved to play, play, play

Well his hands get to slipping and a-sliding
The notes get to flowing like a mountain stream
Country blues or your rock 'n' roll music
You can bet it's all the same to me
You can bet it's all the same to me
You can bet it's all the same to me
You can bet it's all the same to me
You can bet it's all the same to me
Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
     1974 Tales Of The Great Rum Runners 50th Anniversary bonus disc Robert Hunter

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

 


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