Okay, so I love the Grateful Dead. Always have, always will. Jerry Garcia was a genius. Very lyrical, inventive on the guitar. Wrote some great compositions. Robert Hunter wrote some great lyrics to his songs. Jerry threw his life away though; died young. Oh, well. Jerry listened to a lot of Coltrane, as did the band I believe. I saw Jerry with or without the Dead about 30 times, mostly between 1977 and 1982, but also a few times after that, but not once after 1985. I always remember where I was the day Jerry died (heart attack, in his sleep). Playing at Granfalloons in York, PA. Marlyn Warner and I, with our group Etc., played Eyes of the World that night.
That being said, we like to take some of our favorite call them Pop tunes and put our own unique spin on them, maybe adding or subtracting, adding a different feel. Trying not to stray completely away from the original tune, this has been one of the more popular things we do. Like to do more of it. Think we might have succeeded with Friend of the Devil, one of my favorite Dead tunes, and this has been covered by many out there, and in different styles. I believe you will hear more Dead tunes from the Dave Wilson Quartet. Check out Cassidy from our 4th release There Was Never (ZOHO Music, 2016).
(Chorus):
“Set out runnin' but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight”
lyrics
I lit out from Reno
I was trailed by twenty hounds
Didn't get to sleep that night
Till the morning came around
Set out runnin' but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight
Ran into the Devil, babe
He loaned me twenty bills
I spent the night in Utah
In a cave up in the hills
Set out runnin' but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight
I ran down to the levee
But the Devil caught me there
He took my twenty dollar bill
And he vanished in the air
Set out runnin' but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight
Got two reasons why I cry away each lonely night
The first one's named sweet Anne Marie and she's my hearts delight
The second one is prison, babe, the sheriff's on my trail
And if he catches up with me, I'll spend my life in jail
Got a wife in Chino, babe
And one in Cherokee
First one says she's got my child
But it don't look like me
Set out runnin' but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight
Got two reasons why I cry away each lonely night
The first one's named sweet Anne Marie and she's my hearts delight
The second one is prison, babe, the sheriff's on my trail
And if he catches up with me, I'll spend my life in jail
Got a wife in Chino, babe
And one in Cherokee
First one says she's got my child
But it don't look like me
I set out runnin' but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight
credits
from Spiral,
track released June 15, 2010
Dave Wilson Quartet, Spiral, (Summit Records, 2010)
Dave Wilson Quartet: Dave Wilson-Tenor & Soprano Saxophones; Phil Markowitz-Piano; Tony Marino-Bass; Adam Nussbaum-Drums.
Recorded at Red Rock Studios, Saylorsburg, PA May 20 and 21, 2009.
Kent Heckman-Engineer.
Mixed by Kent Heckman and Dave Wilson
Liner Notes-Ray Grunnert
Summit Records-CD Design
Dave Wilson is a jazz saxophonist, recording artist, composer, educator, and band leader in the PA Delaware Valley area.
With 6 recordings, all receiving national airplay, the Dave Wilson Quartet’s 4th release There Was Never in 2016 rose to #18 on National Radio and Grammy nominated. His 5th One Night at Chris’ went “Chartbound” (Top 50). New Release: Stretching Supreme!Visit davewilsonmusic.org. ...more
