The Grateful Dead gave their fans a rich education in Americana through their choice of cover songs. My first exposure to Johnny Cash was almost certainly the Dead's cover of "Big River."
Johnny and the lead guitarist (I think Luther Perkins) are fingering in E, but the recording sounds in F, so I guess they are tuned up a half step. I have always experienced this as a cheerful and energetic song, because I focus on the groove and the melody and don't think too hard about the lyrics. But when I played it for my kid, he said that the chorus was the saddest thing he had ever heard. Don't let that Johnny Cash deadpan fool you, he's describing a miserable situation.
I first heard the Dead do "Big River" on Steal Your Face, but that version isn't especially good. I didn't start loving the song until I heard it on One From The Vault.
The only thing this has going for it as a vocal performance is enthusiasm, but Jerry's guitar sounds fantastic. Before we get into the details, let's compare the versions.
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