A Merle Haggard classic. Just like Mama Tried this one seems to involve prison. Was Merle trying to tell us something? Nevertheless, this is a song that didn’t get a ton of play from the Dead, having been performed only 38 times between 1971-1973, with the bulk of the performances coming in 1972, but it’s a really great song.
I don’t want to use the term power ballad to describe Morning Dew on Europe ’72, as it’s not the correct nomenclature, but that was the ballad with oomph selected for that record. It was originally between Morning Dew and Sing Me Back Home. I’m sure most people are glad the band went with Dew, but there are some really great versions of Sing Me Back Home. The 5/26/72 version of Sing Me Back Home was included on the Europe ’72, Vol. 2 release, and I believe that’s the same one that was slated for the original album. If I’m mistaken I’m sure someone will let me know!
This version from Veneta was included on the So Many Roads boxset, but was released in its proper context with the Sunshine Daydream album.
It isn’t until about half way through the song that the volume swells a bit with an (on-key) Donna mini-wail. The surge of sound quickly gives way to the relaxed tempo that preceded it. Jerry takes a solo that is slow and deliberate, and Bobby adds some very nice country-inflected chords. Jerry’s solo is almost lyrical in its own right. It’s as though his guitar replaces the voice of the tortured narrator of this Merle Haggard missive. The next verse has some very nice “ooo”s in the background vocal department, and the succeeding chorus has another growling “Come alive!” from Donna. The band picks it up along with Donna and the sound is rich and full. The singing isn’t perfectly in sync at this point, but no one seems to be too off. One final plea to “sing me back home before I die” brings this chapter in the narrator’s life to a close.
LuncnB,
This version has been hyped by a lot of folks as the best and it’s hard to argue against it. I love it and invariably start listening to this set with this song first. Donna is wonderful, as is the entire band. Hard to believe that the temps were dipping over the 100 mark.
Didn’t know that the song was played as little as you pointed out, but in some way it sorta makes sense that it was a short season for it, as 72 was something in a category by itself.
I agree, this version is great and I love it when Donna is “on.”
Merle Haggard actually did turn 21 in prison (but he wasn’t doing life without parole). There’s a great little essay about Merle and this song by Blair Jackson in the liner notes to The Music Never Stopped: Roots of the Grateful Dead. (Blair is such a good writer!)
I’m not a big country music fan but Merle has grown on me over the years, and yes, this song was my introduction to him. You gotta love a song title like Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down and, from Misery and Gin, a line like,
“Lookin at the world through the bottom of a glass
All I can see is a man who’s fadin’ fast”
Bobby has said that he absolutely hates that some people listen to nothing but the Dead (this was when they were still touring, of course) and I was one of those people for many years; but a lot of us got turned on to some varied and great music through the Grateful Dead, even if we didn’t realize it right away.
Oops, I wasn’t very clear. The essay is about Mama Tried but Sing Me Back Home is also mentioned by Blair.
The film lets you know that the light is failing now, and the band is undeterred. Garcia calls this sad one and begins singing it like his life depends on it. He is lit with lysergic energy and it does not dim one bit as he gets into this. Here comes Donna’s big moment of the show, and she is right on target, singing better than she ever did. Is it possible Mr. Norman used some pitch correction? I doubt it. This sounds very natural. As the choir comes in to “sing a few old gospel songs”, Jerry’s voice breaks slightly and you hear just how far he is willing to push this. Another chorus is just as perfect as the first, but Donna gets to add her bellow in the best of ways. Then it’s time for a Strat-ified guitar solo that weaves its way between all of the accompaniment. It’s a glorious way to celebrate the setting sun. A repeat verse gets a bit more heat from Jer’s voice and some soft coos from Donna Jean. The chorus builds higher than ever and I guess I hear Bob in there, too. There are some good versions of this from Europe, but I think I’d take this one over all of them.
I think it’s really weird that Google Ads (or whatever) chose an “NRA Stand and Fight Rally” ad featuring Sara Palin for me to see this morning. I wonder how on Earth my web habits selected that one for me! There have been other surprising ones on this site before today, but this one is over the top.
Haha! When we first launched the new site I kept getting ones for catheter supplies… No idea…