Robert Hunter (lyricist)
Encyclopedia
Robert C. Hunter is an American
lyricist
, singer-songwriter
, translator, and poet
, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia
and the Grateful Dead
.
. An early friend of Jerry Garcia, they played together in bluegrass
bands (such as the Tub Thumpers) in the early sixties, with Hunter on mandolin and upright bass.
Around 1962, Hunter was an early volunteer test subject (along with Ken Kesey
) for psychedelic
chemicals at Stanford University
's research covertly sponsored by the CIA in their MKULTRA program. [McNally 42] He was paid to take LSD
, psilocybin
, and mescaline
and report on his experiences, which were creatively formative for him: "Sit back picture yourself swooping up a shell of purple with foam crests of crystal drops soft nigh they fall unto the sea of morning creep-very-softly mist...and then sort of cascade tinkley-bell like (must I take you by the hand, every so slowly type) and then conglomerate suddenly into a peal of silver vibrant uncomprehendingly, blood singingly, joyously resoundingbells....By my faith if this be insanity, then for the love of God permit me to remain insane." [McNally 42-43]
The first lyrics he wrote for the Grateful Dead
were composed while on LSD, and mailed to the band from Arizona
: a suite that would later become "China Cat Sunflower
"/"The Eleven
" (these were originally performed together for a short time). "China Cat Sunflower" would later find a partner in "I Know You Rider
". After battling moderate drug addiction, he abandoned his Joycean
/Western vision quest
and joined his old friend's band, the Grateful Dead, on the first weekend in September 1967, at the small Rio Nido, California
gigs. The association was at first informal, but began on an auspicious note, as that weekend he wrote the first verse of one of his better-known songs, "Dark Star
". It is perhaps not a coincidence that some Deadheads argue that the Rio Nido gigs were the first in which the band accessed the full power of their psychedelic improvisation style.
Hunter's relationship with the band grew, until he was officially a non-performing band member. When the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 1994, Hunter was included as a band member, the only non-performer ever so honored. The majority of the Grateful Dead's original songs are Hunter/Garcia collaborations, where Garcia composed the music, and Hunter wrote the lyrics. Garcia once described Hunter as "the band member who doesn't come out on stage with us." Hunter also collaborated as a lyricist with the other voices in the Dead, Bob Weir
, Phil Lesh
, and Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, although over time Weir, the other principal songwriter besides Garcia, switched to using John Perry Barlow
as a lyricist.
Hunter called 1970's "Friend of the Devil
" the closest he and Garcia came to writing a classic song} Hunter's most-known line is What a long, strange trip it's been, from that year's "Truckin'
".
In 1974 Hunter released the solo album Tales of the Great Rum Runners featuring himself as a singer songwriter. It was followed the next year by Tiger Rose. Neither attracted a large audience. Another of his solo efforts is the extremely rare recording Jack O' Roses, containing the extended version of "Terrapin Station Suite" (sans the non-Hunter "At A Siding") and a solo rendition of "Friend Of The Devil".
In 1983, Hunter convinced Relix
magazine founder, Les Kippel, to start a record company. Hunter wanted an American outlet for his new project Jack O'Roses.
Since the dissolution of the Grateful Dead in 1995 Hunter has successfully continued his writing career, working on new songs with Jim Lauderdale
, Steve Kimock
, David Nelson
, and Rob Barraco
, among others. He also is seen occasionally playing solo acoustic guitar and performing his classic works, as well as newer songs. In 2004 he opened most of The Dead's summer tour. Hunter co-wrote all but one of the songs on the 2009 Bob Dylan
album Together Through Life
. Hunter and Dylan collaborated on two songs together on Dylan's Down in the Groove
album from 1988 and they sporadically worked together during the 1980s. "He also co-wrote, with Nelson, many of the songs on the 2009 New Riders of the Purple Sage
album Where I Come From
. Hunter is a former Scientologist.
Hunter wrote "Cyclone" for Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers "Levitate" released in 2009. Bruce Hornsby said about Cyclone in a recent interview:
Bruce Hornsby commented on his work for "Levitate" ("Cyclone") at Express Night Out website (a Washington Post Company): "Well, I've always loved [Robert Hunter's] writing. I've loved so many of the Garcia/Hunter songs. They're just timeless sounding to me, could have been written hundreds of years ago. I had this song that had the same feeling as, say, 'Brokedown Palace'."
In 2010 Robert co-wrote Patchwork River with Jim Lauderdale. The Album was released on the Thirty Tigers Label. Also in 2010 Robert Hunter with Cesar Rosas
co-wrote the song "All My Bridges Burning" for Los Lobos
' album Tin Can Trust.
's Duino Elegies
and Sonnets to Orpheus
and has published several volumes of his own poetry.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
, singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, translator, and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
and 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...
.
Biography
He was born Robert Burns in San Luis Obispo, CaliforniaSan Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772 by Spanish Fr. Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities...
. An early friend of Jerry Garcia, they played together in bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass 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...
bands (such as the Tub Thumpers) in the early sixties, with Hunter on mandolin and upright bass.
Around 1962, Hunter was an early volunteer test subject (along with Ken Kesey
Ken Kesey
Kenneth Elton "Ken" Kesey was an American author, best known for his novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest , and as a counter-cultural figure who considered himself a link between the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the hippies of the 1960s. "I was too young to be a beatnik, and too old to be a...
) for psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
chemicals at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
's research covertly sponsored by the CIA in their MKULTRA program. [McNally 42] He was paid to take LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
, psilocybin
Psilocybin
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic prodrug, with mind-altering effects similar to those of LSD and mescaline, after it is converted to psilocin. The effects can include altered thinking processes, perceptual distortions, an altered sense of time, and spiritual experiences, as well as...
, and mescaline
Mescaline
Mescaline or 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine is a naturally occurring psychedelic alkaloid of the phenethylamine class used mainly as an entheogen....
and report on his experiences, which were creatively formative for him: "Sit back picture yourself swooping up a shell of purple with foam crests of crystal drops soft nigh they fall unto the sea of morning creep-very-softly mist...and then sort of cascade tinkley-bell like (must I take you by the hand, every so slowly type) and then conglomerate suddenly into a peal of silver vibrant uncomprehendingly, blood singingly, joyously resoundingbells....By my faith if this be insanity, then for the love of God permit me to remain insane." [McNally 42-43]
The first lyrics he wrote for 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...
were composed while on LSD, and mailed to the band from Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
: a suite that would later become "China Cat Sunflower
China Cat Sunflower
"China Cat Sunflower" is a song performed by the Grateful Dead which was first recorded for their third studio album Aoxomoxoa. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter and the music composed by Jerry Garcia. The song is typically sung by Jerry Garcia. The first live recording of this song...
"/"The Eleven
The Eleven
"The Eleven" is a song by American rock band The Grateful Dead. It was written by long-time lyricist Robert Hunter and bassist Phil Lesh. The title of the song is a direct reference to its time signature, 11/8....
" (these were originally performed together for a short time). "China Cat Sunflower" would later find a partner in "I Know You Rider
I Know You Rider
"I Know You Rider" is a traditional woman's blues song that has been adapted by numerous artists. Modern versions can be traced back to the song's appearance in the 1934 book, American Ballads and Folk Songs, by the noted father and son musicologists and folklorists, John Lomax and Alan Lomax...
". After battling moderate drug addiction, he abandoned his Joycean
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
/Western vision quest
Vision quest
A vision quest is a rite of passage in some Native American cultures.In many Native American groups, the vision quest is a turning point in life taken before puberty to find oneself and the intended spiritual and life direction. When an older child is ready, he or she will go on a personal,...
and joined his old friend's band, the Grateful Dead, on the first weekend in September 1967, at the small Rio Nido, California
Rio Nido, California
Rio Nido, California is a small, unincorporated resort community on the Russian River, east of Guerneville, in Sonoma County. The town's name is meant to mean "river nest" in Spanish...
gigs. The association was at first informal, but began on an auspicious note, as that weekend he wrote the first verse of one of his better-known songs, "Dark Star
Dark Star (song)
"Dark Star" is a song released as a single by the Grateful Dead. It was written by lyricist Robert Hunter and composed by lead guitarist Jerry Garcia; however, compositional credit is sometimes extended to include Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, the late Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, and Bob Weir...
". It is perhaps not a coincidence that some Deadheads argue that the Rio Nido gigs were the first in which the band accessed the full power of their psychedelic improvisation style.
Hunter's relationship with the band grew, until he was officially a non-performing band member. When the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in 1994, Hunter was included as a band member, the only non-performer ever so honored. The majority of the Grateful Dead's original songs are Hunter/Garcia collaborations, where Garcia composed the music, and Hunter wrote the lyrics. Garcia once described Hunter as "the band member who doesn't come out on stage with us." Hunter also collaborated as a lyricist with the other voices in the Dead, Bob Weir
Bob Weir
Bob 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...
, Phil Lesh
Phil Lesh
Phillip Chapman Lesh is a musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career....
, and Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, although over time Weir, the other principal songwriter besides Garcia, switched to using 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...
as a lyricist.
Hunter called 1970's "Friend of the Devil
Friend of the Devil
"Friend of the Devil" is a song recorded by the Grateful Dead. The music was written by Jerry Garcia and John Dawson and the lyrics are by Robert Hunter. It is the second track of the Dead's 1970 album American Beauty....
" the closest he and Garcia came to writing a classic song} Hunter's most-known line is What a long, strange trip it's been, from that year's "Truckin'
Truckin'
"Truckin'" is a song by the Grateful Dead, which first appeared on their 1970 album American Beauty. It was recognized by the United States Library of Congress in 1997 as a national treasure....
".
In 1974 Hunter released the solo album Tales of the Great Rum Runners featuring himself as a singer songwriter. It was followed the next year by Tiger Rose. Neither attracted a large audience. Another of his solo efforts is the extremely rare recording Jack O' Roses, containing the extended version of "Terrapin Station Suite" (sans the non-Hunter "At A Siding") and a solo rendition of "Friend Of The Devil".
In 1983, Hunter convinced Relix
Relix
Relix magazine was launched in 1974 as newsletter devoted to connecting people who recorded Grateful Dead concerts. It rapidly expanded into a music magazine covering a wide amount of artists...
magazine founder, Les Kippel, to start a record company. Hunter wanted an American outlet for his new project Jack O'Roses.
Since the dissolution of the Grateful Dead in 1995 Hunter has successfully continued his writing career, working on new songs with Jim Lauderdale
Jim Lauderdale
Jim Lauderdale is a musician & singer-songwriter who performs bluegrass and country music. He has recorded since 1986 and has released nineteen studio albums. Artists who have recorded his material include George Strait and Patty Loveless.-Biography:...
, Steve Kimock
Steve Kimock
-External links:** at the Internet Archive's live music archive* at the Internet Archive's live music archive* at Internet Archive's live music archive*, San Francisco, April 3, 1999*, Unofficial Fan Forum...
, David Nelson
David Nelson (musician)
David Nelson is an American guitarist and musician.Although he started his musical career playing folk and bluegrass music Nelson is probably best known as one of the original members of psychedelic country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage...
, and Rob Barraco
Rob Barraco
Rob Barraco is a keyboardist who has played with Phil Lesh and Friends, The Dead, Dark Star Orchestra, Chris Robinson & New Earth Mud, the Zen Tricksters, Red Flannel Hash, and The Dragonflys. He was the permanent keyboardist for Phil Lesh and Friends from 2000 to 2003 and has been in the band's...
, among others. He also is seen occasionally playing solo acoustic guitar and performing his classic works, as well as newer songs. In 2004 he opened most of The Dead's summer tour. Hunter co-wrote all but one of the songs on the 2009 Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
album Together Through Life
Together Through Life
Together Through Life is the 33rd studio album by Bob Dylan, released on April 28, 2009, on Columbia Records. The album debuted at number one in several countries, including the U.S. and the UK...
. Hunter and Dylan collaborated on two songs together on Dylan's Down in the Groove
Down in the Groove
Down in the Groove is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's 25th studio album, released by Columbia Records in May 1988.A highly collaborative effort, it was Dylan's second consecutive album to receive almost unanimous negative reviews...
album from 1988 and they sporadically worked together during the 1980s. "He also co-wrote, with Nelson, many of the songs on the 2009 New Riders of the Purple Sage
New Riders of the Purple Sage
New Riders of the Purple Sage is an American country rock band. The group emerged from the psychedelic rock scene in San Francisco, California in 1969, and its original lineup included several members of the Grateful Dead. Their best known song is "Panama Red"...
album Where I Come From
Where I Come From (album)
Where I Come From is an album by the American country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage. It was recorded in 2008, and released on June 2, 2009. Following Wanted: Live at Turkey Trot, it was the second album of new material released after the New Riders re-formed in 2005, and the band's...
. Hunter is a former Scientologist.
Hunter wrote "Cyclone" for Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers "Levitate" released in 2009. Bruce Hornsby said about Cyclone in a recent interview:
- MR: "Cyclone" gets more philosophical, especially with lines like, "I've got no answers of my own, and none have been provided."
- BH: You know those are Robert Hunter's lyrics with a couple of additions from me.
Bruce Hornsby commented on his work for "Levitate" ("Cyclone") at Express Night Out website (a Washington Post Company): "Well, I've always loved [Robert Hunter's] writing. I've loved so many of the Garcia/Hunter songs. They're just timeless sounding to me, could have been written hundreds of years ago. I had this song that had the same feeling as, say, 'Brokedown Palace'."
In 2010 Robert co-wrote Patchwork River with Jim Lauderdale. The Album was released on the Thirty Tigers Label. Also in 2010 Robert Hunter with Cesar Rosas
Cesar Rosas
César Rosas is a singer, songwriter and guitarist for Los Lobos. Rosas also participates in the Latin supergroup Los Super Seven. Perhaps the most recognizable member of Los Lobos, Rosas is known for his trademark black sunglasses and slicked-back, black hair. His singing voice is reminiscent of...
co-wrote the song "All My Bridges Burning" for Los Lobos
Los Lobos
Los Lobos are a multiple Grammy Award–winning American Chicano rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music such as cumbia, boleros and norteños.-History:The...
' album Tin Can Trust.
Translations and poetry
Hunter published translations of Rainer Maria RilkeRainer Maria Rilke
René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke , better known as Rainer Maria Rilke, was a Bohemian–Austrian poet. He is considered one of the most significant poets in the German language...
's Duino Elegies
Duino Elegies
The Duino Elegies are a set of ten elegies written in German by the poet Rainer Maria Rilke from 1912 to 1922. They are frequently referred to as Rilke's most acclaimed poetic work.-Presentation:...
and Sonnets to Orpheus
Sonnets to Orpheus
The Sonnets to Orpheus are a cycle of sonnets written by German-language poet Rainer Maria Rilke in 1922. He dedicated them as a memorial for Wera Ouckama Knoop , a playmate of Rilke's daughter Ruth.-Form and style:There are 55 sonnets in the sequence, divided into two sections: the first of 26...
and has published several volumes of his own poetry.
Notable songs
- Uncle John's BandUncle John's Band"Uncle John's Band" is a song by the Grateful Dead that first appeared in their concert setlists in late 1969. The band recorded it for their 1970 album Workingman's Dead...
- Friend of the DevilFriend of the Devil"Friend of the Devil" is a song recorded by the Grateful Dead. The music was written by Jerry Garcia and John Dawson and the lyrics are by Robert Hunter. It is the second track of the Dead's 1970 album American Beauty....
- Truckin'Truckin'"Truckin'" is a song by the Grateful Dead, which first appeared on their 1970 album American Beauty. It was recognized by the United States Library of Congress in 1997 as a national treasure....
- Casey JonesCasey Jones (song)"Casey Jones" is a song by the American rock band the Grateful Dead. The music was written by Jerry Garcia, and the lyrics are by Robert Hunter. The song first appeared on the Dead's 1970 album Workingman's Dead. Subsequently it was included on a number of their live albums.The Grateful Dead...
- Box of RainBox of Rain"Box of Rain" is a song by the Grateful Dead, from their 1970 album American Beauty. The song was composed by bassist Phil Lesh and lyricist Robert Hunter, and sung by Lesh...
- Sugar MagnoliaSugar Magnolia"Sugar Magnolia" is a song by the Grateful Dead. Written by Robert Hunter and Bob Weir, it is one of the most well-known songs by the band, alongside such hits as "Truckin'," "Casey Jones," "Uncle John's Band," and "Touch of Grey."...
- Playing in the BandPlaying in the Band"Playing in the Band" is a Grateful Dead song. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter and rhythm guitarist Bob Weir composed it. The song first emerged in embryonic form on the self-titled 1971 live album Grateful Dead...
- RippleRipple (song)Ripple is the sixth song on the Grateful Dead album American Beauty. It was released as the B-side to the single "Truckin'".-Background:...
- Dark StarDark Star (song)"Dark Star" is a song released as a single by the Grateful Dead. It was written by lyricist Robert Hunter and composed by lead guitarist Jerry Garcia; however, compositional credit is sometimes extended to include Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, the late Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, and Bob Weir...
- China Cat SunflowerChina Cat Sunflower"China Cat Sunflower" is a song performed by the Grateful Dead which was first recorded for their third studio album Aoxomoxoa. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter and the music composed by Jerry Garcia. The song is typically sung by Jerry Garcia. The first live recording of this song...
- Scarlet BegoniasScarlet 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....
- St. StephenSt. Stephen (song)"St. Stephen" is a song by the Grateful Dead, written by Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh and Robert Hunter and originally released on the 1969 studio album Aoxomoxoa. The same year, a live version of the song was released on Live/Dead, their first concert album...
Discography
- Tales Of The Great Rum Runners (1974 - Round Records, RX-101)
- Tiger Rose (1975 - Round Records, RX-105)
- Alligator Moon (recorded but unreleased - 1978)
- Jack O'Roses (1980 - Dark Star Records, DSLP8001)
- Promontory Rider: A Retrospective Collection (1982 - Relix Records, RRLP2002)
- Amagamalin St. (1984 - Relix Records)
- Live '85 (1985 - Relix Records)
- Flight Of The Marie Helena (1985 - Relix Records)
- Rock Columbia (1986 - Relix Records)
- Liberty (1988 - Relix Records)
- A Box of Rain (1991 - Ryko Disc)
- Patchwork River (2010 - Thirty Tigers)
Books
- Duino Elegies (1987). ISBN 0938493043
- Box of Rain (1990). ISBN 9780670834129
- Night Cadre (1991). ISBN 0670834130
- Idiot's Delight (1992). ISBN 0937815497
- Sentinel (1993). ISBN 0140586989
- Duino Elegies ; The Sonnets to Orpheus (1993). ISBN 0938493213
- Dog Moon (1996). ISBN 1563892375
- Glass Lunch (1997). ISBN 0140587772
- The Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics (2005); foreword by Robert Hunter. ISBN 9780743277471
External links
- Robert Hunter collection at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's live music archive