Fire on the Mountain (Grateful Dead song)
Encyclopedia
"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 1976 on Mickey Hart's album "Diga" with the "Diga Rhythm Band". The song should not be confused with the Marshall Tucker Band
single of the same name.
Prior to the Dead recording, the song premiered at a concert on March 18, 1977 at the Winterland Arena in San Francisco
. The song would often be paired with "Scarlet Begonias
" during live performances, producing lengthy musical excursions. The paired songs were soon nicknamed "Scarlet Fire". One such performance, at Cornell University
in Ithaca, NY in 1977, lasted for a total of 25 minutes and 50 seconds.
"Fire on the Mountain" was performed in concert by the Grateful Dead 253 times between 1977 and 1995. It appears on numerous Grateful Dead albums. An outtake of the song appeared as a bonus track on the 2004 reissue of Terrapin Station
.
This song is also featured as downloadable content for the video game Rock Band
.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
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 written by lyricist Robert Hunter
Robert 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...
and composed by drummer Mickey Hart
Mickey Hart
Mickey 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...
. It was commercially released on the album Shakedown Street
Shakedown Street
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...
in November 1978. An earlier instrumental version of this song titled "Happiness is Drumming" appeared in 1976 on Mickey Hart's album "Diga" with the "Diga Rhythm Band". The song should not be confused with the Marshall Tucker Band
Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band is an American Southern rock band originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina. The band's blend of rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, country, and gospel helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s...
single of the same name.
Prior to the Dead recording, the song premiered at a concert on March 18, 1977 at the Winterland Arena in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. The song would often be paired with "Scarlet Begonias
Scarlet Begonias
"Scarlet Begonias" is a song by the Grateful Dead in 4/4 time. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter and the music by Jerry Garcia. The song first appears on the 1974 release Grateful Dead from the Mars Hotel....
" during live performances, producing lengthy musical excursions. The paired songs were soon nicknamed "Scarlet Fire". One such performance, at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in Ithaca, NY in 1977, lasted for a total of 25 minutes and 50 seconds.
"Fire on the Mountain" was performed in concert by the Grateful Dead 253 times between 1977 and 1995. It appears on numerous Grateful Dead albums. An outtake of the song appeared as a bonus track on the 2004 reissue of Terrapin Station
Terrapin Station
Terrapin Station is the ninth studio album by the Grateful Dead, and was originally released on July 27, 1977.This album was the first time since Anthem of the Sun that the Grateful Dead used an outside producer...
.
This song is also featured as downloadable content for the video game Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
.
Cover versions
- In 2008, Keller WilliamsKeller WilliamsKeller Williams is an American musician from Fredericksburg, Virginia, who began performing in the early 1990s. He is also known by the names K-Dub or just Keller, when performing. Williams' music combines elements of bluegrass, folk, alternative rock, reggae, electronica/dance, jazz, funk, and...
released a bluegrassBluegrass musicBluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
version of the song on the album Rex (Live at the Fillmore)Rex (Live at the Fillmore)Rex is the thirteenth album by Keller Williams, recorded live on February 8, 2006 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, Colorado....
.