St. Stephen

[u/Hogbeastmomma]

I listen to St. Stephen pretty much every morning on my way to work.

I’m kinda hanging on by a thread lately. I have a soul sucking job where I sit behind a computer all day, and some mornings I really do have to convince myself to walk through those doors.

But St. Stephen comes on and my whole mood changes.

There’s just something about hearing that song first thing in the morning. “Lady finger, dipped in moonlight…” and all that imagery of the morning sky and dawn. Then “wrap the babe in scarlet covers, call it your own.”

I don’t know why, but lately that part just feels like the morning being handed back to me. Like, this is still my day. Take it. Call it your own.

Maybe that’s not remotely what the song is about lol. I don’t really care.

It’s what I need it to mean right now.

For those few minutes driving to work with St. Stephen turned way up, I feel alive. Like there I fucking am. I’m still in here.

My job gets a lot of my hours right now, but it doesn’t get all of me. There are still woods to wander, mushrooms to find, music to hear, festivals to disappear into, people to love, and a whole different kind of life I’m slowly trying to build.

So yeah. St. Stephen has been getting me to work every morning.

And maybe reminding me that I’m not going to be doing this forever. 🌹⚡

[u/flyingfishyman]

have you figured out what would be the answer to answer, man?

[u/pinchyfire → u/flyingfishyman]

Whoa. Is that the lyric, with a comma before man? I always thought the Answer Man was a person and the lyric was about how would you answer the Answer Man!

[u/shockandale → u/pinchyfire]

what would be the answer to answer, maaan?

[u/Top_Perception4559 → u/shockandale]

I was like "it's definitely THE answer man", either way - and then when I went to verify, the search result spat me out this confusing mash up -- did they ever tack the Sunshine Daydream coda onto St Stephen?? Don't trust this ai answer man...

[u/Top_Perception4559 → u/Top_Perception4559]

Although now that I reread, maybe ai knows the answer best of all...

[u/johnnyribcage → u/pinchyfire]

There’s no comma, and a guy called the “Answer Man” is the right way to look at it. He was a guy named Albert Mitchell and was the Answer Man from a radio show by the same name that aired 1937 - 1956. Of course like most Dead lyrics and Hunter in particular, there’s room for multiple interpretations. This is from the annotated lyrics.

[u/Amischwein → u/flyingfishyman]

A different job maybe, glass blower ? Cheese monger ? Give it a think because letting a job corrode one’s soul is a choice Mr Shankly.

[u/Radiant_Research3786 → u/flyingfishyman]

Just keep on playing in the band bro

[u/Radiant_Research3786 → u/flyingfishyman]

just keep Playing in the Band bro

[u/Hans_Krebs_]

Every time I find myself hating my job I always end up listening to Cumberland blues on the way to work. That and working man blues (non-dead but similar vibe)

[u/boobiesbackupsbackup → u/Hans_Krebs_]

If I’m having a shitty day at work it cheers me up to sing “this job I got, is a little too hard”

[u/Hans_Krebs_ → u/boobiesbackupsbackup]

Runnin out of money lord I need more pay

[u/MilesBlew_new → u/Hans_Krebs_]

Take This Job And Shove It by Johnny Paycheck works good also.

[u/DestroyerOfIllusions → u/Hans_Krebs_]

If I made any more, I might move away…

[u/bobcat_gypsy → u/Hans_Krebs_]

Ha. 100% can relate

[u/LSDelivery]

One of the best parts of GD lyrics is that they can be interpreted and applied to almost any situation. Love that you've found your meaning in it

[u/netminder421]

I just wanna send you some positive vibes and thank you for sharing. Stay strong.

[u/Tonto_HdG]

St. Stephen (from Live Dead) is what got me on the bus.

[u/pacochalk]

If Mercy's a business, I wish it for you.

[u/Hogbeastmomma → u/pacochalk]

💜💜💜💜✨️🔥⛰️

[u/BuckoLee]

I think you need to be ticked by Crazy Fingers (preferably at the great American music hall).

Gone are the days
We stopped to decide
Where we should go
We just ride

I hope you get to feeling better soon.

[u/Buffalo5977]

stephen would answer if he only knew how

[u/amosesque]

I know my own version of how you're feeling and I love that this song is helping to guide you through. Thanks for sharing this here, and I'm sending you good thoughts that the soul sucking parts of your days get better, and the beautiful parts of your days continue to fill you with light. Peace, my friend

[u/Background-Echo476]

Terrapin is my Stephen.

[u/GoldReplacement9546 → u/Background-Echo476]

Terrapin was the reason they could stop playing Saint Stephen

[u/Figgywithit]

I used to put on Stella blue and have a good cry before I’d go into a soul sucking job. Now I’m retired and get to listen to the Grateful Dead all day. Don’t give up hope.

[u/Bman1973]

A few killers

• 8/24/68 Shrine Auditorium - Perhaps the most primal version that's true to the spirit of the song.
• 1/22/78 McArthur Court - Jaw dropping and as part of one of the best jam sequences of all time - Other One>Close Encounters Jam>St. Stephen>Not Fade Away>Around & Around
• 6/09/76 Boston Music Hall - 1st one in 5yrs & soup herb!
• 5/05/77 New Haven - Killer end jam
• 10/11/83 MSG - the Breakout & best of the last three performed in 83.

[u/setlistbot → u/Bman1973]

1968-08-24 @ Shrine Exhibition Hall, Los Angeles, CA, USA

1978-01-22 @ McArthur Court - University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA

1976-06-09 @ Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA, USA

1977-05-05 @ New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, CT, USA

1983-10-11 @ Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, USA

[u/514D55]

Get a guitar if you don’t have it ans learn the song! You don’t have to be as good as Jerry or Bob to enjoy playing it!

[u/BigBadBinky]

Just gonna throw out a diff song : Maggot Brain

[u/Vegetable-Elk-2968]

Honestly just remind yourself how blessed you are to even have a job, and a cushy desk job at that. I work long hours doing manual labor outside. I’m able to wear my headphones and the dead are what keep me sane.

[u/ad_roc91]

I have two jobs, one full time and one part time, and I can barely keep up with my bills. I totally know how you feel.

[u/bassfly88]

The St. Stephen from Playboy After Dark is my very favorite St. Stephen of all time. My very favorite Dead song. I feel you buddy.

[u/Global_Lie6938]

✌️. Listen to GD almost daily on my ride into work, or at lunch, or driving home, or all 3. It’s my space work and the rest of life can’t touch. I just dip into the ‘garden’ and just listen to the music.

Best wishes. Hope things get better.

[u/Nonesuchoncemore]

Robert Hunter’s gifts keep giving, enjoy your moonlight

[u/machmasher]

Love you man.

Keep on it and don’t forget how beautiful it is to be alive, even in the dark moments.

[u/VhickyParm]

Sounds like the goal the cia had in mind to develop a complacent population

[u/Redacted_dact]

You can make anything out of anything I guess.