Shakedown Street
Encyclopedia
Shakedown Street is the tenth studio album
by the Grateful Dead
. It was released on November 15, 1978 by Arista
.
The album was released for the first time on CD in 1990 by Arista Records
before being re-released in 2000 by BMG International. It was then remastered, expanded, and released as part of the band's Beyond Description (1973-1989)
box set in October 2004. The remastered version was later released separately on CD on March 7, 2006 by Rhino Records. This is the band's second album on the Arista
label after releasing three albums on its own Grateful Dead Records
.
The album cover art was by underground comics
artist Gilbert Shelton
.
The record was produced by Lowell George
, of Little Feat
fame (also formerly of Frank Zappa
's Mothers of Invention.)
, Carlin, Nevada
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 released on November 15, 1978 by Arista
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...
.
The album was released for the first time on CD in 1990 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 re-released in 2000 by BMG International. It was then remastered, expanded, and released as part of the band's 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....
box set in October 2004. The remastered version was later released separately on CD on March 7, 2006 by Rhino Records. This is the band's second album on the Arista
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...
label after releasing three albums on its own Grateful Dead Records
Grateful Dead Records
In 1973, the Grateful Dead established their own record label, Grateful Dead Records. The band released several vinyl record LPs on this label in the mid-1970s, including Wake of the Flood in 1973, From the Mars Hotel in 1974, Blues for Allah in 1975, and a live double album, Steal Your Face, in...
.
The album cover art was by underground comics
Underground comix
Underground comix are small press or self-published comic books which are often socially relevant or satirical in nature. They differ from mainstream comics in depicting content forbidden to mainstream publications by the Comics Code Authority, including explicit drug use, sexuality and violence...
artist Gilbert Shelton
Gilbert Shelton
Gilbert Shelton is an American cartoonist and underground comix artist. He is the creator of The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, Fat Freddy's Cat, Wonder Wart-Hog, Philbert Desanex, Not Quite Dead, and the cover art to The Grateful Dead's 1978 album Shakedown Street.He graduated from Lamar High...
.
The record was produced by Lowell George
Lowell George
Lowell Thomas George was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, who was the main guitarist and songwriter for the rock band Little Feat.- Early years :...
, of Little Feat
Little Feat
Little Feat is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles....
fame (also formerly of Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
's Mothers of Invention.)
Track listing
- "Good Lovin'" (Rudy ClarkRudy ClarkRudy Clark is an American songwriter about whom little biographical information seems to be known. Supposedly a former mail carrier hailing from New York City, he was most active from the early 1960s through the early 1970s...
, Arthur Resnick) – 4:51 - "France" (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...
, Robert 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...
, 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...
) – 4:03 - "Shakedown StreetShakedown Street (song)"Shakedown Street" is a song by the Grateful Dead. It was written by lyricist Robert Hunter and composed by guitarist Jerry Garcia. It was released as the title track on the album Shakedown Street in November of 1978.The song was first performed live on August 31, 1978 at the Red Rocks...
" (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...
, Hunter) – 4:59 - "Serengetti" (Hart, Bill KreutzmannBill KreutzmannBill Kreutzmann is an American drummer who played with the rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year career...
) – 1:59 - "Fire on the MountainFire on the Mountain (Grateful Dead song)"Fire on the Mountain" is a song by the Grateful Dead. It was written by lyricist Robert Hunter and composed by drummer Mickey Hart. It was commercially released on the album Shakedown Street in November 1978. An earlier instrumental version of this song titled "Happiness is Drumming" appeared in...
" (Hart, Hunter) – 3:46 - "I Need a Miracle" (John Perry 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...
, Weir) – 3:36 - "From the Heart of Me" (Donna Jean Godchaux) – 3:23
- "Stagger LeeStagger Lee (song)"Stagger Lee", also known as "Stagolee", "Stackerlee", "Stack O'Lee", "Stack-a-Lee" and several other variants, is a popular folk song based on the murder of William "Billy" Lyons by Stagger Lee Shelton...
" (Garcia, Hunter) – 3:25 - "All New Minglewood Blues" (Traditional) – 4:12
- "If I Had the World to Give" (Garcia, Hunter) – 4:50
2004 reissue
- "Good Lovin'" (Clark, Resnick) – 4:50
- "France" (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...
, 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...
, 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...
) – 4:04 - "Shakedown Street" (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...
, Hunter) – 4:59 - "Serengetti" (Hart, KreutzmannBill KreutzmannBill Kreutzmann is an American drummer who played with the rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year career...
) – 2:02 - "Fire on the Mountain" (Hart, Hunter) – 3:48
- "I Need a Miracle" (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...
, Weir) – 3:35 - "From the Heart of Me" (Godchaux) – 3:25
- "Stagger Lee" (Garcia, Hunter) – 3:28
- "All New Minglewood Blues" (Traditional) – 4:16
- "If I Had the World to Give" (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:00
- "Good Lovin'" (studio outtake) – 4:56
- "Ollin Arageed" (live) (Hamza El DinHamza El DinHamza Alaa El Din was a Nubian composer, oud player, tar player, and vocalist.-Early life:Born in the village of Toshka, near Wadi Halfa in southern Egypt, he was originally trained to be an electrical engineer...
) – 6:30 - "Fire on the Mountain" (live) – 13:43
- "Stagger Lee" (live) – 6:39
- "All New Minglewood Blues" (live) – 4:34
Grateful Dead
- 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...
– lead guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, 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...
– guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, vocals - Keith GodchauxKeith GodchauxKeith Richard Godchaux was a musician best known for his tenure in the rock group the Grateful Dead.-Biography:Keith Godchaux was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in Concord, California...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals - Donna Jean Godchaux – 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....
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Bill KreutzmannBill KreutzmannBill Kreutzmann is an American drummer who played with the rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year career...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - 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...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Other musicians
- Jordan Amarantha – percussionDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Matthew KellyMatthew Kelly (musician)Matthew Kelly, also known as Matt Kelly, is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He plays guitar and harmonica. Kelly is best known for being the leader of the rock band Kingfish, and for his association with Bob Weir and the Grateful Dead....
– harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes... - Lowell GeorgeLowell GeorgeLowell Thomas George was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, who was the main guitarist and songwriter for the rock band Little Feat.- Early years :...
– vocals on the studio outtake of "Good Lovin'" - Steve Schuster - horn, "From the Heart of Me"
Production
The album was recorded and mixed at Club Le Front, and mastered by George Horn at the Automat, San Francisco. "Serengetti" was recorded by MERT at Meta TantayRolling Thunder (person)
Rolling Thunder was a Native American medicine man. He was born into the Cherokee nation and later moved to Nevada and lived with the Western Shoshone...
, Carlin, Nevada
Carlin, Nevada
Carlin is a city located near the western border of Elko County in northeast Nevada, west of the city of Elko. It is part of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area. Carlin sits along Interstate 80 at an elevation of approximately . As of the 2000 census, its population was 2,161...
- Brett Cohen – engineering
- Bob Matthews – engineering
- Lowell GeorgeLowell GeorgeLowell Thomas George was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, who was the main guitarist and songwriter for the rock band Little Feat.- Early years :...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - John KahnJohn KahnJohn Kahn was an American rock bass player. For a period of about twenty five years Kahn was Jerry Garcia's principal collaborator outside of the Grateful Dead.-Biography:...
- horn arrangements
Bonus tracks production details
- "Good Lovin'" – studio outtake featuring Lowell George on vocals, July 28, 1978
- "Ollin Arageed" by Hamza El DinHamza El DinHamza Alaa El Din was a Nubian composer, oud player, tar player, and vocalist.-Early life:Born in the village of Toshka, near Wadi Halfa in southern Egypt, he was originally trained to be an electrical engineer...
– recorded live at Gizah Sound and Light Theatre in Cairo, Egypt on September 16, 1978 - "Fire on the MountainFire on the Mountain (Grateful Dead song)"Fire on the Mountain" is a song by the Grateful Dead. It was written by lyricist Robert Hunter and composed by drummer Mickey Hart. It was commercially released on the album Shakedown Street in November 1978. An earlier instrumental version of this song titled "Happiness is Drumming" appeared in...
" – recorded live at Gizah Sound and Light Theatre in Cairo, Egypt on September 16, 1978 - "Stagger Lee" – recorded live at Gizah Sound and Light Theatre in Cairo, Egypt on September 15, 1978
- "All New Minglewood Blues" – recorded live at Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey on November 24, 1978
Reissue production credits
- David Lemieux – reissue producers
- James Austin – reissue producers
- Reggie Collins – liner notes
- Rip Rense – liner notes
- Sheryl Farber – editorial supervision
- Cameron Sears – executive producer
- Joe Gastwirt – mastering
- Tom Flye – mixing
- Jeffrey Boden, Billy Candelario, Robert Gatley, John Hagen, Steve Parish – mixing assistant
- Hugh Brown, Gilbert SheltonGilbert SheltonGilbert Shelton is an American cartoonist and underground comix artist. He is the creator of The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, Fat Freddy's Cat, Wonder Wart-Hog, Philbert Desanex, Not Quite Dead, and the cover art to The Grateful Dead's 1978 album Shakedown Street.He graduated from Lamar High...
, Steve Vance – art coordinator - Jimmy Edwards, Robin Hurley, Hale Milfgrim, Scott Pascucci – associate producer
- John KahnJohn KahnJohn Kahn was an American rock bass player. For a period of about twenty five years Kahn was Jerry Garcia's principal collaborator outside of the Grateful Dead.-Biography:...
– associate producer, horn arrangements - Steven Schuster – horn
- Joe Gastwirt – mastering, production consultant
- Eileen Law – research
- Ed Perlstein, Robert Minkin, Bruce Polonsky, Ron Rakow – photography
- Vanessa Atkins, Steven Chean, Bill Inglot, Jeffrey Norman, Randy Perry – project assistants
- Harry Popick, Ram Rod, Sue Stephens, Robbie Taylor – assistant
Charts
Album - Billboard| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Pop Albums | 41 |
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 | September 4, 1987 |