Truckin'
Encyclopedia
"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
.
Written by band members Jerry Garcia
, Bob Weir
, Phil Lesh
, and lyricist Robert Hunter
, "Truckin'" molds classic Grateful Dead rhythms and instrumentation with lyrics that use the band's misfortunes on the road as a metaphor for getting through the constant changes in life. Its climactic refrain, "What a long, strange trip it's been," has achieved widespread cultural use in the years since the song's release.
"Truckin'" is associated with the blues
and other early 20th century forms of folk music
.
"Truckin'" was considered a "catchy shuffle" by the band members. Garcia himself commented that "the early stuff we wrote that we tried to set to music was stiff because it wasn't really meant to be sung ... the result of [lyricist Robert Hunter getting into our touring world], the better he could write ... and the better we could create music around it." The communal, shared-group-experience feel of the song is brought home by the participation of all four of the group's chief songwriters (Garcia, Weir, Lesh, and Hunter), since, in Phil Lesh's words, "we took our experiences on the road and made it poetry," lyrically and musically. He goes on to say that "the last chorus defines the band itself."
. In addition to being shorter, the single version had some audible differences compared to the album version: it featured sections of lead guitar in places where it's faded down on the album version, and has a strongly processed verse vocal, different vocal track for the "Sometimes the lights..." portion, and is missing the album version's organ part.
The single reached number 64 on January 27, 1971 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart
and stayed there for eight weeks. "Truckin'" was the highest-charting pop single
the group would have until the surprise top-ten performance of "Touch of Grey
" 17 years later.
in San Francisco, the same performance where many of American Beautys songs premiered.
A longer rendition that turns into a jam was included on the popular 1972 live album Europe '72 segueing into "Epilogue" followed by "Prelude".
Truckin' typically took its spot in the second set of a concert; usually soon before or after Drums/Space in 1980s. Most of the time Truckin' would transition into "The Other One", a stellar example can be found on Dick's Picks 18 (Truckin' >Drums >The Other One). That version has the typical "The Other One" teaser which was normally present in the end of a Truckin' jam whether or not "The Other One" was played.
Over the band's long concert career, "Truckin'" was performed 520 times, making it the eighth-most performed Dead song.
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...
, which first appeared on their 1970 album American Beauty
American Beauty (album)
American Beauty is the fifth album by the Grateful Dead. It was recorded between August and September 1970 and originally released in November 1970 by Warner Bros. Records...
. It was recognized by the United States Library of Congress in 1997 as a national treasure
National treasure
The idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of Romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology which supports the nation as the fundamental unit of human social life, which includes shared...
.
Written by band members 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...
, 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 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...
, "Truckin'" molds classic Grateful Dead rhythms and instrumentation with lyrics that use the band's misfortunes on the road as a metaphor for getting through the constant changes in life. Its climactic refrain, "What a long, strange trip it's been," has achieved widespread cultural use in the years since the song's release.
Music
- Key: E
- Time signature: 4/4 (12/8)
- Chords used: E, A, B, Bsus4, G, D, F#, Amaj7
"Truckin'" is associated with the blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and other early 20th century forms of folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
.
"Truckin'" was considered a "catchy shuffle" by the band members. Garcia himself commented that "the early stuff we wrote that we tried to set to music was stiff because it wasn't really meant to be sung ... the result of [lyricist Robert Hunter getting into our touring world], the better he could write ... and the better we could create music around it." The communal, shared-group-experience feel of the song is brought home by the participation of all four of the group's chief songwriters (Garcia, Weir, Lesh, and Hunter), since, in Phil Lesh's words, "we took our experiences on the road and made it poetry," lyrically and musically. He goes on to say that "the last chorus defines the band itself."
Single and album history
The song was taken from the American Beauty album and edited down in length from five to three minutes for release as a singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. In addition to being shorter, the single version had some audible differences compared to the album version: it featured sections of lead guitar in places where it's faded down on the album version, and has a strongly processed verse vocal, different vocal track for the "Sometimes the lights..." portion, and is missing the album version's organ part.
The single reached number 64 on January 27, 1971 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and stayed there for eight weeks. "Truckin'" was the highest-charting pop single
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
the group would have until the surprise top-ten performance of "Touch of Grey
Touch of Grey
"Touch of Grey" is a 1987 single by the Grateful Dead, and is the band's biggest commercial hit. The song is known for its refrain "I will get by / I will survive". It combines non sequitur lyrics with a pop tempo. The music was written by Jerry Garcia, and the words are by Robert Hunter...
" 17 years later.
Chart history
Pop SinglesBillboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
| Date first charted | Position | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| January 27, 1971 | 64 | 8 weeks |
Performance history
"Truckin'" debuted as the first song on the first set on August 18, 1970 at The FillmoreThe Fillmore
The Fillmore Auditorium is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California, made famous by Bill Graham. Named for its original location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it lies on the boundary of the Western Addition and the Pacific Heights neighborhoods.In 1968,...
in San Francisco, the same performance where many of American Beautys songs premiered.
A longer rendition that turns into a jam was included on the popular 1972 live album Europe '72 segueing into "Epilogue" followed by "Prelude".
Truckin' typically took its spot in the second set of a concert; usually soon before or after Drums/Space in 1980s. Most of the time Truckin' would transition into "The Other One", a stellar example can be found on Dick's Picks 18 (Truckin' >Drums >The Other One). That version has the typical "The Other One" teaser which was normally present in the end of a Truckin' jam whether or not "The Other One" was played.
Over the band's long concert career, "Truckin'" was performed 520 times, making it the eighth-most performed Dead song.