Catfish John is one of those songs that I frequently find myself singing. Something about the melody got its hooks into me long ago and I just can’t shake it (not that I really want to…).
The Dead never played this song live but they did record a studio version, which was included in the expanded Terrapin Station a few years ago.
I also like this song because it’s really straightforward and easy for a strum-bum like me to play on guitar.
John Kahn is up front in the mix here and it’s awesome; a real throbbing bassline that flows nicely. Still the pace is a bit slow for my taste. Jerry is clearly not rushing the lyrics, and the Fender rhodes keys during the verse give way to sustained chords during the chorus – organ like, but not a B3. Jerry takes a solo dripping with envelope filter. The notes ooze out at their own pace, squawking and piercing the air in equal measures. After Jerry takes his guitar for a walk Ozzie Ahlers flips a switch and conjures up some tacky, in my opinion, synth sounds. It sounds a bit like a ray gun fight between Marvin the Martian and another alien life form. Jerry comes back with a straighter tone and serves up some tasty licks. His attack is very precise here and the tone cuts like a knife. I think this is what’s commonly known as ice picking. After an extended round of instrumentalization Jerry comes back to the mic and songs another verse/chorus set. He tags the last line twice and it seems there’s some confusion as to how to end the song, but everyone finds their way out in short order.
Complete Setlist 2/28/80
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I’ve loved this song from the first time I discovered Jerry’s Reflections album (and what a great album that is). That studio version with Donna is still my favorite but all the versions sound good including this one. Your point about the “tacky” keyboard sounds is well taken. As one who has often criticized Brent’s early work with the Dead (listen to Around from DaP8 for example), I have to wonder if maybe some of those sounds were just a product of the times. Ozzie doesn’t bother me quite as much here as some of what Brent played. Overall this is pretty kick ass in my book.
For a long time I assumed this song was an old bluegrass classic. Eventually I discovered that it’s a country song by Johnny Russell and was surprised to find that Old and in the Way were actually playing a relatively contemporary song when recording that album.
I was surprised to read that this was recorded during the Terrapin sessions, just as I was surprised to find that they did a studio version of Good Lovin’ with Lowell George on vocals. I guess (as I approach age 48) that I’m just a “young buck” who has a lot to learn about the Dead, ha, ha. I checked both of those out tonight on youtube and the Good Lovin’ is really cool, although I miss Donna’s contributions. The Catfish John outtake is not a great version but still nice to hear.
I had several GD recordings on vinyl, cassette and even one on 8-track. Eventually I bought them all again on CD for collection purposes but that was way before the expanded CDs came out. I’m certainly not going to buy them all again (maybe an MP3 or two eventually) so thanks for putting some of those out here for some of us to hear for the first time. I joke about the young buck term but really have discovered a few things about my favorite band from this blog, either directly or indirectly.
I’m glad this site is mostly Grateful Dead but do enjoy the occasional song from side projects and wasn’t expecting this one at all. Great choice!
I’m pretty sure it says in the liner notes something about the keys sound and yes, I think a bit part of it was just that’s what was new at the time. It just doesn’t hold up well to me, but I certainly respect Jerry, et al., for taking a chance on new technology and for trying to stay current.
I recently picked up the complete Boarding House recordings of Old & In The Way. I gave them a quick listen, but it’s always nice to hear this tune. Really speaks to its versatility. I’ll have to go back and listen closer sometime soon, but on the first pass they were quite choice.
I’ve got a few more solo things in the queue, but the main thrust here is always the good old Grateful Dead. A few choice derivations can’t be too bad though!
You know, I had all of the original CD pressings, but I bought both The Golden Road and Beyond Description box sets to get all the remasters and ended up selling my originals. I let them go for far less than I could have gotten, but I guess that’s hindsight.
This song always reminds me of The Ballad of Curtis Loew by Lynyrd Skynyrd in the essence of the story being told. I know Catfish pre-dates Curtis, but that’s the order I became aware of them. Love ’em both!
The keyboards are pretty cheesy during the solo (a la 80’s-era Steve Winwood to my ears) but the first time I heard that tone was on a version of After Midnight – Eleanor Rigby – After Midnight that was so crushing that I had to give it a pass. It was unlabeled filler on a tape, so I don’t even know where it came from, but that segment got some major play back in the day.
Growing up in the D.C. area I heard “ice picking” extensively, as my buddies were big into Roy Buchanan, who first popularized it if not invented it. Those “pinch harmonics” were a substantial part of Robbie Robertson’s solo style…no surprise as he’s a Buchanan protegé. The term “ice picking” probably gained popularity via Albert Collins, as he used it heavily and everything with him was “ice” “frost” and “cold”. Jerry was using that technique during Loser back in the early 70s, as I recall. Neat in short bursts, but ol’ Roy could really beat it to death and send people running fom the room.