Sometimes inspiration comes from the most random places and kids say the darnedest things, and it just so happens that both influenced this choice. On the one hand my two year old always says “see you later alligator,” oftentimes repeatedly and to himself, while on the other my newborn has a onesie that has the words “Later” and “Gator” on the soles of the feet. I saw the latter yesterday while rummaging through his drawer for a clean change of clothes and started singing “sleepy alligator” to myself. These are things that I can rarely control. Nevertheless, it sent me on a hunt for an Alligator and this is the one I selected from a range of worthwhile options.
The drummers start this one out and you can hear someone count off as they get started. Jerry launches into the intro riff and his guitar sounds like he pulled it directly from a Florida swamp. This another Dead riff that I really like and rarely tire of hearing. Pigpen delivers the first verse with his typical tact and Jerry peels off a few quick licks before everyone joins in on vocals. These aren’t pristine CSN harmonies, and the Dead certainly have sang better together, but they’re not THAT bad.
Tom Constanten was with the band at this point, but I honestly don’t know how much organ, if any he played. Did Pigpen play organ and sing simultaneously a lot? This is a question for older ‘Heads. I thought that when he sang he was typically up and out in front, but having never seen the Dead, let alone with Pigpen these are the nuances of the performance that I just don’t know. Regardless, the organ is pretty up front in the mix here.
It’s short version of the song, but I really like what the guitarists are doing here. Jerry’s just got this heavy, dirty tone that is phenomenal. There seems to be a bit of a funk element to this song as well, which makes it equally fun. Pigpen and the boys’ sustained wail about the alligator waggin’ its tail effectively ends this quick romp and turns the stage over to Billy and Mickey for a percussion workout.
Quick and dirty aren’t your typical descriptions of live Dead material, but they’re apt here.
Complete Setlist 5/24/69
[AMAZONPRODUCTS asin=”B00HBHKHKS” features=”0″ locale=”com” listprice=”0″]
This begins very sluggishly, if you ask me. Pigpen sings it barely on-key and the band sounds positively constipated. It is the opposite of hot, sadly for Florida. The song plods forward, with Pig either losing interest or lost in Bear’s mix. When the final vocals arrive, the others try really hard to revive interest with a big shout, just before we drop into a seven-minute-plus interlude occupied by nothing other than… Drums.