Built to Last
Encyclopedia
Built to Last is the thirteenth and final studio album
by the Grateful Dead
. It was recorded between February 1 and October 20, 1989 and originally released on October 31, 1989.
The album was released on CD in 1989 by Arista Records
before being rereleased in 2000 by BMG International. It was then remastered, expanded, and released as part of the Beyond Description (1973-1989)
12-CD box set in October 2004. The remasted version was later released separately on CD on April 11, 2006 by Rhino Records.
This album features the most songs by keyboard player Brent Mydland
, who has four song credits in collaboration with Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow
. This mirrored accurately Mydland's increasing vocal presence in the band over the decade he spent with the Dead. His death less than a year later would prove to end the Dead's studio album tenure.
Side 2
:
Production:
Singles – Billboard
RIAA Certification
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
. It was recorded between February 1 and October 20, 1989 and originally released on October 31, 1989.
The album was released on CD in 1989 by Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
before being rereleased in 2000 by BMG International. It was then remastered, expanded, and released as part of the Beyond Description (1973-1989)
Beyond Description (1973-1989)
Beyond Description is the second twelve-CD boxed set retrospect of the Grateful Dead's studio and live albums. It covers their time with Grateful Dead and Arista Records from 1973 to 1989....
12-CD box set in October 2004. The remasted version was later released separately on CD on April 11, 2006 by Rhino Records.
This album features the most songs by keyboard player Brent Mydland
Brent Mydland
Brent Mydland was the fourth keyboardist to play for the American rock band the Grateful Dead. He was with the band for eleven years, longer than any other keyboardist.- Early life :...
, who has four song credits in collaboration with Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow
John Perry Barlow
John Perry Barlow is an American poet and essayist, a retired Wyoming cattle rancher, and a cyberlibertarian political activist who has been associated with both the Democratic and Republican parties. He is also a former lyricist for the Grateful Dead and a founding member of the Electronic...
. This mirrored accurately Mydland's increasing vocal presence in the band over the decade he spent with the Dead. His death less than a year later would prove to end the Dead's studio album tenure.
Original release
- "Foolish Heart" (GarciaJerry GarciaJerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
, HunterRobert Hunter (lyricist)Robert C. Hunter is an American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator, and poet, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.-Biography:He was born Robert Burns in San Luis Obispo, California...
) – 5:10 - "Just a Little Light" (BarlowJohn Perry BarlowJohn Perry Barlow is an American poet and essayist, a retired Wyoming cattle rancher, and a cyberlibertarian political activist who has been associated with both the Democratic and Republican parties. He is also a former lyricist for the Grateful Dead and a founding member of the Electronic...
, MydlandBrent MydlandBrent Mydland was the fourth keyboardist to play for the American rock band the Grateful Dead. He was with the band for eleven years, longer than any other keyboardist.- Early life :...
) – 4:42 - "Built to Last" (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:03
- "Blow Away" (Barlow, Mydland) – 6:09
- "Victim or the Crime" (GrahamGerrit GrahamGerrit Graham is an American actor and songwriter. He's appeared in such films as Used Cars, TerrorVision, National Lampoon's Class Reunion, and Greetings, where he worked with Brian DePalma for the first time...
, WeirBob WeirBob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
) – 7:33 - "We Can Run" (Barlow, Mydland) – 5:30*
- "Standing on the Moon" (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:20
- "Picasso Moon" (Barlow, BraloveBob BraloveBob Bralove was an auxiliary keyboard–synthesizer player for the Grateful Dead in the 1990s. His more notable works included such songs as "Picasso Moon", "Way to Go Home", "Easy Answers", the rare tunes "Parallelogram", "Little Nemo in Nightland", and other works on the albums Infrared Roses and...
, Weir) – 6:40 - "I Will Take You Home" (Barlow, Mydland) – 3:45
LP Track Listing
Side 1- "Foolish Heart" (GarciaJerry GarciaJerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
, HunterRobert Hunter (lyricist)Robert C. Hunter is an American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator, and poet, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.-Biography:He was born Robert Burns in San Luis Obispo, California...
) – 5:10 - "Just a Little Light" (BarlowJohn Perry BarlowJohn Perry Barlow is an American poet and essayist, a retired Wyoming cattle rancher, and a cyberlibertarian political activist who has been associated with both the Democratic and Republican parties. He is also a former lyricist for the Grateful Dead and a founding member of the Electronic...
, MydlandBrent MydlandBrent Mydland was the fourth keyboardist to play for the American rock band the Grateful Dead. He was with the band for eleven years, longer than any other keyboardist.- Early life :...
) – 4:42 - "Victim or the Crime" (GrahamGerrit GrahamGerrit Graham is an American actor and songwriter. He's appeared in such films as Used Cars, TerrorVision, National Lampoon's Class Reunion, and Greetings, where he worked with Brian DePalma for the first time...
, WeirBob WeirBob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
) – 7:33 - "Standing on the Moon" (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:20
Side 2
- "Blow Away" (Barlow, Mydland) – 6:09
- "Picasso Moon" (Barlow, BraloveBob BraloveBob Bralove was an auxiliary keyboard–synthesizer player for the Grateful Dead in the 1990s. His more notable works included such songs as "Picasso Moon", "Way to Go Home", "Easy Answers", the rare tunes "Parallelogram", "Little Nemo in Nightland", and other works on the albums Infrared Roses and...
, Weir) – 6:40 - "Built to Last" (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:03
- "I Will Take You Home" (Barlow, Mydland) – 3:45
2004 reissue
- "Foolish Heart" (GarciaJerry GarciaJerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
, HunterRobert Hunter (lyricist)Robert C. Hunter is an American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator, and poet, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.-Biography:He was born Robert Burns in San Luis Obispo, California...
) – 5:12 - "Just a Little Light" (BarlowJohn Perry BarlowJohn Perry Barlow is an American poet and essayist, a retired Wyoming cattle rancher, and a cyberlibertarian political activist who has been associated with both the Democratic and Republican parties. He is also a former lyricist for the Grateful Dead and a founding member of the Electronic...
, MydlandBrent MydlandBrent Mydland was the fourth keyboardist to play for the American rock band the Grateful Dead. He was with the band for eleven years, longer than any other keyboardist.- Early life :...
) – 4:43 - "Built to Last" (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:05
- "Blow Away" (Barlow, Mydland) – 6:11
- "Victim or the Crime" (Graham, WeirBob WeirBob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
) – 7:37 - "We Can Run" (Barlow, Mydland) – 5:33
- "Standing on the Moon" (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:22
- "Picasso Moon" (Barlow, Bralove, Weir) – 6:43
- "I Will Take You Home" (Barlow, Mydland) – 3:55
- "Foolish Heart" (live) – 11:30
- "Blow Away" (live) – 12:02
- "California Earthquake (Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On)" (live) (Crowell) – 5:59
Personnel
Grateful DeadGrateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
:
- Jerry GarciaJerry GarciaJerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
– guitar, vocals - Bob WeirBob WeirBob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
– guitar, vocals - Brent MydlandBrent MydlandBrent Mydland was the fourth keyboardist to play for the American rock band the Grateful Dead. He was with the band for eleven years, longer than any other keyboardist.- Early life :...
– keyboards, vocals - Phil LeshPhil LeshPhillip Chapman Lesh is a musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career....
– bass - Bill KreutzmannBill KreutzmannBill Kreutzmann is an American drummer who played with the rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year career...
– drums - Mickey HartMickey HartMickey Hart is an American percussionist and musicologist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band the Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 to February 1971, and from October 1974 to August 1995...
– drums, percussion
Production:
- John Cutler – producer, engineer
- Tom Flye, Justin Kreutzmann, Peter Miller, David Roberts, Jeff Sterling, Chris Wiskes – engineers
Bonus tracks production details
- "Foolish Heart" – recorded live at Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, WI on July 19, 1989
- "Blow Away" – recorded live at John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, PA on July 7, 1989
- "California Earthquake (Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On)" – recorded live at The SpectrumWachovia SpectrumThe Spectrum, formerly known as the CoreStates Spectrum , First Union Spectrum , and Wachovia Spectrum was an indoor arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
in Philadelphia, PA on October 20, 1989
Reissue production credits
- David Lemieux, James Austin – reissue producers
- Reggie Collins, Blair Jackson – liner notes
- Sheryl Farber – editorial supervision
- Cameron Sears – executive producer
- Joe Gastwirt – mastering, production consultant
- Tom Flye – mixing
- Robert Gatley – mixing assistant
- Hugh Brown, Steve Vance – art coordinator
- Jimmy Edwards, Robin Hurley, Hale Milfgrim, Scott Pascucci – associate producer
- Eileen Law – research
- Vanessa Atkins, Steven Chean, Bill Inglot, Jeffrey Norman, Randy Perry – project assistants
- John McEntire – coordination
- Ken Friedman, Herbert Greene – photography
- Maude Gilman, Greg Gyuricsko – artwork
- Dan Healy – concert sound
- Alton Kelley – direction, cover art
- John McEntire – coordination
- Billy Candelario, Steve Parish, Harry Popick, Robbie Taylor – crew
Charts
Album – Billboard| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | The Billboard 200 | 27 |
Singles – Billboard
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "Foolish Heart" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 8 |
RIAA Certification
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
| Certification | Date |
|---|---|
| Gold | January 3, 1990 |