Blow Away

Lyrics: John Barlow
Music: Brent Mydland

A man and a woman come together as strangers
When they part they're usually strangers still
It's like a practical joke played on us by our Maker
Empty bottles that can't be filled

Chorus
Baby who's to say it could have been different now that it's done
Baby who's to say that it should have been, anyway
Baby who's to say that it even matters in the long run
Give it just a minute
And it will blow away
It'll blow away

You fancy me to be the master of your feelings
You barely bruise me with your looks to kill
Though I admit we were sometimes brutal in our dealings
I never held you against your will

[chorus]

Your case against me is so very clearly stated
I plead no contest, I just turn and shrug
I've come to figure all importance overestimated
You must mean water when you beg for blood (note 1)

[chorus]

Like a feather in a whirlwind
Blow away
Just as sure as the world spins
Blow away
[etc]
The following is Brent's rap from Dozin' At The Knick:
Gimme just a little piece of your time
Gimme just a little second now
All I'm asking for is just a little minute
A minute for you to listen, listen to me
Listen, listen to me closely
Come on, gimme an 'm'
Are you out there? Can you hear me?
Let me know
You wanna love me, wanna love me
You think you got love
You think you got love right here in your hand
You're holding on tight to
You think you got love
You think you got love right here in your hand
And it's like you wanna out it inside you
It's like you wanna put it deep inside you
It's like you want to keep love in your heart
And the only way you're going to do it is not to let it go
It's like you think your rib cage is a jail cell
It's like you don't think love can get past your ribs
It's like you don't think love can get out
Get away from you so long as you hold it inside
But you're wrong
The only thing you're doing
Is keeping that case out, keeping love out
Keeping it out, keeping it away from you
You gotta open up the door
You gotta open up the door, let love in
Let it come and go, let it do what it wants to
Do you wanna know love?
Do you wanna know real love?
Real love you don't hold inside you
Real love you can let go
And it'll come back, it'll fly right back to you
That's real, that's real love
So help me out, help me out a minute
Would you help me out
Sing it after me
I want real love
Say I want real, real love
I want real, real, real love
I want real, real, real love
Gimme real love, real love
Real, real, real, real love
Notes
(1) a variant is "You must mean water when you get on your knees and you beg me for blood"

Grateful Dead Recordings
     Date Album
     29 Jul 1988 30 Days Of The Dead (2021)
     studio 1989 Built To Last (note 6)
      3 Apr 1989 Download Series Vol 9
     27 May 1989 30 Days Of The Dead (2015)
      7 Jul 1989 Crimson, White and Indigo (DVD & CD) (note 2) (note 5)
     26 Oct 1989 30 Trips Around The Sun
     16 Mar 1990 Spring 1990 (note 4)
     26 Mar 1990 Dozin' At The Knick (note 3)
     16 Jul 1990 (official YouTube video only)
 
Other Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
      2006 With A Large Slice Of Love The Sandwich Man (Dark Star Orchestra)
     2021 Jerry's Smilin': Guitar Tribute To The Grateful Dead Damià Timoner

Notes
(2) also issued as a bonus track on Built To Last in the box set Beyond Description (1973-1990)
(3) also on the box set Spring 1990
(4) also on the compilation So Glad You Made It
(5) also on the compilations 30 Trips Around The Sun: The Definitive Live Story 1965-1995 and The Best Of The Grateful Dead Live.
(6) also on the compilation The Best Of The Grateful Dead.



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 David Dodd's discussion of this song on dead.net see Greatest Stories Ever Told
For online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com
For sheet music, see:
          Built To Last Songbook (piano arrangment)

 


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