34 (song)
Encyclopedia
"#34" is a song by Dave Matthews Band
, featured as an instrumental
piece on their debut album, Under the Table and Dreaming
. The song was inspired by and written for Miguel Valdez, a percussionist
who collaborated with the band in 1992 and died due to hepatitis
in 1993. Dave Matthews
co-wrote the song with LeRoi Moore, Carter Beauford and Haines Fullerton, another collaborator, who later took his own life
in September 1996. On the album, the song is "hidden
" as track number 34, with 22 blank tracks between its previous track, "Pay for What You Get."
," and "#27" (The song "#27" was not the 27th song from the band.) The song debuted live in February 1993 and was played a total of nine times at various shows up until March of that year. Each performance lasted around eight-and-a-half minutes and featured lyrics sung by Dave Matthews
. The lyrics of the song were unstructured and varied slightly throughout its nine live performances. The theme of the song's lyrics were initially about love, however they were later based around themes of death. When the band recorded the song for Under the Table and Dreaming in September 1994, lyrics were recorded, but were removed for the album.
After the live performances in 1993 and the studio recording in 1994, "#34" had not been played live by the band, except for a small tease at the beginning of a show in 2002.
At the beginning of the band's summer tour
in June 2005, the song was once teased again at two different shows, and then in July
the song was almost completely played, but it was still much shorter than length of entire the song. Finally, on July 9, 2005, "#34" was fully played again live for the first time in over 12 years; however, it was played instrumentally, similar to its version on the album. The previous live performance of the song took place exactly 1442 shows prior, totaling a 4491-day period since the last performance, making it the band's all-time longest return of a live song performance. "#34" returned for a total 11 performances that year in its instrumental form and can be found on the live album on Weekend on the Rocks
, which is from the band's four-night stand at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre
.
On October 2, during the band's final show for the 2007 Summer Tour at the Hollywood Bowl, #34 returned for Dave's wife's 34th birthday. The return also marked the first time since 1993 that #34 had lyrics.
After LeRoi Moore
died in August 2008, #34 was used as the backing track to a photo and video montage of the musician that was played during the encore break of performances by the band at the last two venues of the 2008 summer tour.
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
, featured as an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
piece on their debut album, Under the Table and Dreaming
Under the Table and Dreaming
-Songs cut from the album:Songs that were recorded during the sessions, but weren't included on the final cut:*"Granny" – Dave wanted this to be the band's first single, but the song never made it to any of the studio albums. Nonetheless, the song remains a strong fan favorite and is being played...
. The song was inspired by and written for Miguel Valdez, a percussionist
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
who collaborated with the band in 1992 and died due to hepatitis
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ. The name is from the Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation"...
in 1993. Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
co-wrote the song with LeRoi Moore, Carter Beauford and Haines Fullerton, another collaborator, who later took his own life
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in September 1996. On the album, the song is "hidden
Hidden track
In the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
" as track number 34, with 22 blank tracks between its previous track, "Pay for What You Get."
History
"#34" was named as it was the thirty-fourth song recorded by the band, similar to the band's later songs "#36," "#40,""#4141 (song)
"#41" is a song by the Dave Matthews Band, featured on the 1996 album Crash.-Song history:"#41" was originally written by Dave Matthews as a reply to lawsuits brought forth by Ross Hoffman, a former associate and manager of the band...
," and "#27" (The song "#27" was not the 27th song from the band.) The song debuted live in February 1993 and was played a total of nine times at various shows up until March of that year. Each performance lasted around eight-and-a-half minutes and featured lyrics sung by Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
. The lyrics of the song were unstructured and varied slightly throughout its nine live performances. The theme of the song's lyrics were initially about love, however they were later based around themes of death. When the band recorded the song for Under the Table and Dreaming in September 1994, lyrics were recorded, but were removed for the album.
After the live performances in 1993 and the studio recording in 1994, "#34" had not been played live by the band, except for a small tease at the beginning of a show in 2002.
At the beginning of the band's summer tour
Dave Matthews Band tours
Dave Matthews Band tours have taken place since 1991, when the band debuted as a small rock band in Charlottesville, Virginia. Since then, Dave Matthews Band has become internationally known, performing sold out shows at stadiums and large venues throughout the world...
in June 2005, the song was once teased again at two different shows, and then in July
July 2005
2005: January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December – →-News collections and sources:* Wikipedia:News collections and sources....
the song was almost completely played, but it was still much shorter than length of entire the song. Finally, on July 9, 2005, "#34" was fully played again live for the first time in over 12 years; however, it was played instrumentally, similar to its version on the album. The previous live performance of the song took place exactly 1442 shows prior, totaling a 4491-day period since the last performance, making it the band's all-time longest return of a live song performance. "#34" returned for a total 11 performances that year in its instrumental form and can be found on the live album on Weekend on the Rocks
Weekend on the Rocks
Weekend on the Rocks is a live album by Dave Matthews Band. It contains highlights of the four shows in four days the band performed at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado on September 9–12, 2005. The set is packaged on two CDs and one DVD. However, a complete recording of the four...
, which is from the band's four-night stand at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure near Morrison, Colorado, where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large outcrops angled outwards from stage left and a...
.
On October 2, during the band's final show for the 2007 Summer Tour at the Hollywood Bowl, #34 returned for Dave's wife's 34th birthday. The return also marked the first time since 1993 that #34 had lyrics.
After LeRoi Moore
Leroi Moore
LeRoi Holloway Moore was an American saxophonist best known as a founding member of the Dave Matthews Band. Moore often arranged music for the songs written by frontman Dave Matthews...
died in August 2008, #34 was used as the backing track to a photo and video montage of the musician that was played during the encore break of performances by the band at the last two venues of the 2008 summer tour.