4 Psychedelic Gems by the Grateful Dead I Can’t Stop Listening To

The Grateful Dead was so much more than a jam band. Throughout the decades the band was together, they experimented with everything from rock to country to blues to folk and beyond. They also had a few psychedelic-leaning songs that are still quite loved today. Let’s look at just a few examples of The Grateful Dead’s most psychedelic-sounding songs!

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1. “Rosemary”

This 1969 track from Aoxomoxoa may be quite short for a band known for their extremely long jam sessions, but that doesn’t mean “Rosemary” isn’t memorable. Jerry Garcia opted to sing through a filter for this song, and it gives the track a very ethereal, psychedelic song.

Fun fact: For years, it was believed that “Rosemary” was never actually performed live by the band before they broke up. However, a live performance of the song was found years later with a notably longer runtime.

2. “The Other One”

“The Other One” is one delightful track from the 1968 record Anthem Of The Sun. The live version of this psychedelic tune goes on for well over 15 minutes. That is about what you’d expect from The Grateful Dead, after all.

3. “Viola Lee Blues”

This has to be one of the most psychedelic Grateful Dead songs of all time. “Viola Lee Blues” is a standout song on the band’s self-titled 1967 album. Phil Lesh even had a few kind words to say about the song. Specifically, he said that it was one of the few songs on that album that sounded “naturally” like The Grateful Dead.

“To my ear, the only track that sounds at all like we did at the time is ‘Viola Lee Blues’,” said Lesh in his autobiography. “None of us had any experience with performing for recording…the whole process felt a bit rushed.”

4. “Dark Star”

We’d be bold enough to say that the 1968 track “Dark Star” is the most psychedelic song in The Grateful Dead’s discography. It’s also one of their best songs period, and has since become a bit of a fan favorite. The band would play this iconic tune constantly. And sometimes, their renditions of “Dark Star” would clock in at over 30 minutes. Those were the days!

Photo by Kirk West/Getty Images

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