Lyrics I Know You Rider Grateful Dead

I Know Yous Rider

Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional

Played from the very earliest days of the Dead to the final. More than recently played by The Other Ones, by Bob Weir with Ratdog, and by Phil & Friends. About invariably seguing out of Red china Cat Sunflower.

Chorus
I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'yard gone
I know yous passenger, gonna miss me when I'm gone
Gonna miss your babe, from rolling in your artillery

[verse one]
Lay down concluding night, Lord, I could not take my rest
Lay downwards last night, Lord, I could not accept my residual
My mind was wandering like the wild geese in the West

[poetry 2]
The sun will shine in my back door some day
The dominicus will polish in my dorsum door some day
March winds volition accident all my troubles away

[verse three]
I wish I was a headlight on a north-bound train
I wish I was a headlight on a north-bound railroad train
I'd shine my light through the cool Colorado rain

[chorus]

[chorus]

Early versions as well included the following poetry

[poesy 4]
I'd rather drinkable dingy water, slumber in a hollow log
I'd rather beverage dirty h2o, sleep in a hollow log
Than stay here in Frisco, exist treated like a domestic dog

The pattern of verses in a higher place emerged from around 1970. Earlier versions were equally follows: (thanks to Eric Levy for his research):

Warlocks demo, 1965 and Scorpio sessions, 1966:
Chorus, Poetry 1, Chorus, Chorus
1966 live version:
Chorus, Poesy 1, Verse 3, Verse 4, Verse ii, Chorus
Nov 1969 alive version:
Chorus, Verse one, Verse ii, Chorus, Chorus
February 1970 live version:
Chorus, Verse 1, Verse two, Verse 3, Chorus, Chorus
May 1970 alive acoustic version:
Chorus, Verse i, Poesy 2, Verse 3, Chorus, Verse 4, Chorus

---

Grateful Dead Recordings

	Appointment		Album
	demo 3 Nov 1965		Birth Of The Dead (note 1)
	studio Jun 1966		Nativity Of The Dead (note 1)
	unknown 1966		So Many Roads (1965-1995) (note 2)
	3 Jul 1966		30 Trips Around The Sun
	29 Jul 1966		The Grateful Dead: 50th Ceremony Edition
	8 Nov 1969		Dick's Picks Vol 16
	12 December 1969		Dave's Picks Volume 10
	twenty Dec 1969		Dave's Picks Book 6
	21 Dec 1969		Dave's Picks Book 6 (Bonus disc)
	2 Jan 1970		Dave's Picks Volume 30
	18 January 1970		Download Series Vol 2
	23 Jan 1970		Dave'due south Picks Volume 19
	ane Feb 1970		30 Days Of The Dead (2010)
	4 Feb 1970		A Night At The Family Canis familiaris (DVD)
	4 Feb 1970		Download Series: A Night At The Family Dog
	7 Feb 1970		Fillmore West 1969 - The Complete Recordings (note 3)
	14 Feb 1970		Dick'south Picks Vol iv
	eighteen April 1970		Family Dog at the Bully Highway
	15 Apr 1970		xxx Trips Around The Sun
	1 May 1970		30 Days Of The Dead (2018)
	2 May 1970		Dick'south Picks Vol 8 (note 4)
	15 May 1970		Road Trips Vol three No 3 (early bear witness)
	15 May 1970		Road Trips Vol 3 No 3 (belatedly show)
	24 May 1970		Long Strange Trip (DVD just, on bonus disc)
	19 February 1971		Three From The Vault
	21 Feb 1971		Workingman's Dead (50th Anniversary Edition)
	18 Mar 1971		30 Trips Around The Sun
	14 Apr 1971		30 Days Of The Dead (2012)
	25 Apr 1971		Ladies And Gentlemen ... The Grateful Dead
	21 Jun 1971		Long Foreign Trip Soundtrack
	7 Aug 1971		Dick's Picks Vol 35
	23 Aug 1971		Route Trips Number 1, Volume 3
	fourteen Nov 1971		Road Trips Number iii, Volume 2 (bonus disc)
	half dozen Dec 1971		Dave'due south Picks Book 22 (bonus disc)
	27 Mar 1972		Dave's Picks Vol 14 (bonus disc)
	28 Mar 1972		Dick's Picks Vol 30
	7 Apr 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	11 April 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	xvi Apr 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	17 Apr 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	24 April 1972		Rockin' The Rhein (note 5)
	26 Apr 1972		Hundred Year's Hall (note 5)
	29 April 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	3 May 1972		Europe 72 (note 5)
	seven May 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	10 May 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	11 May 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	13 May 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	16 May 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	18 May 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	23 May 1972		Steppin' Out with the Grateful Expressionless: England '72 (notation 5)
	24 May 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	25 May 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	26 May 1972		Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	21 Jul 1972		Download Series Vol 10
	27 Aug 1972		Sunshine Fantasize (CD and DVD)
	17 Sep 1972		Dick'south Picks Vol 23
	21 Sep 1972		Dick'south Picks Vol 36
	24 Sep 1972		xxx Trips Around The Sun
	27 Sep 1972		Dick's Picks Vol 11
	17 Oct 1972		Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	18 Oct 1972		Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	nineteen Oct 1972		Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	17 November 1972		Dave's Picks Volume xi
	21 Feb 1973		30 Days Of The Dead (2013)
	28 February 1973		Dick's Picks Vol 28
	16 Mar 1973		30 Days Of The Dead (2015)
	24 Mar 1973		Dave'south Picks Volume 32
	28 Mar 1973		Dave's Picks Volume 16
	31 Mar 1973		30 Days Of The Dead (2015)
	two Apr 1973		Dave's Picks Volume 21
	22 Jun 1973		Pacific Northwest '73-'74
	26 Jun 1973		Pacific Northwest '73-'74
	24 Jun 1973		Pacific Northwest '73-'74
	8 Sep 1973		Dave's Picks Volume 38
	24 Sep 1973		30 Days Of The Dead (2018)
	19 Oct 1973		Dick's Picks Vol 19
	30 Oct 1973		Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	9 November 1973		Winterland 1973 - The Complete Recordings
	11 Nov 1973		Winterland 1973 - The Complete Recordings
	4 December 1973		Winterland 1973 - The Complete Recordings (bonus disc)
	6 December 1973		Route Trips Volume iv (bonus disc)
	14 Nov 1973		30 Trips Around The Lord's day
	17 Nov 1973		Dave'southward Picks Book 5
	x Dec 1973		Download Series Vol 8
	22 February 1974		Dave's Picks Volume 42 (bonus disc)
	24 February 1974		Dave's Picks Volume xiii
	23 Mar 1974		Dick's Picks Vol 24
	12 May 1974		thirty Days Of The Dead (2019)
	17 May 1974		Pacific Northwest '73-'74 (notation 10)
	19 May 1974		Pacific Northwest '73-'74
	16 Jun 1974		Route Trips Number 2, Book iii
	22 Jun 1974		Dave'southward Picks Volume 34 (bonus disc)
	26 Jun 1974		Dick'south Picks Vol 12
	31 Jul 1974		Dave's Picks Book 2
	v Aug 1974		Dick's Picks Vol 31
	17 Oct 1974		Grateful Dead Film (DVD & CD soundtrack)
	xx Oct 1974		thirty Days Of The Expressionless (2014)
	29 Dec 1977		Dick'southward Picks Vol x
	31 Oct 1979		Road Trips Book i, Number ane
	5 November 1979		Road Trips Full Show: Spectrum xi/v/79
	half dozen May 1980		Road Trips Book 3, Number 4
	16 May 1980		Become To Nassau
	29 Oct 1980		Grateful Expressionless Scrapbook (DVD) (note 6)
	nine Dec 1981		Dave'due south Picks Volume 20
	7 Aug 1982		Dick's Picks Vol 32
	xix April 1984		Dave'south Picks Volume 35
	26 Mar 1987		Dave'due south Picks Book 36
	2 Oct 1987		All The Twelvemonth's Combine (DVD bonus disc)
	1 Apr 1988		Road Trips Volume iv, Number 2
	9 Jul 1989		Giants Stadium 1987, 1989, 1991 Boxed Set up
	17 Jul 1989		Downhill From Here (video/DVD only)
	xi Oct 1989		thirty Days Of The Dead (2020)
	15 Mar 1990		Terrapin Station (Special Edition)
	26 Mar 1990		Spring 1990
	1 Apr 1990		Without A Net (note 8)
	16 Jun 1990		View From The Vault III (video/DVD & CD soundtrack)
	6 Jul 1990		(official YouTube video only)
	18 Jul 1990		Dave's Picks Book 40
	20 Sep 1990		Road Trips Number 2, Book 1
	27 Oct 1990		thirty Trips Around The Dominicus
	24 Mar 1991		30 Days Of The Dead (2017)
	16 Jun 1991		Giants Stadium 1987, 1989, 1991 Boxed Set up
	two Sep 1995		Furthur More (Bruce Hornsby) (note 7)
	12 Jul 1998		The Strange Remain (The Other Ones)
	5 Jul 2015		Fare Thee Well (CD and DVD) (note 9)

Notes
(1) originally issued as part of the Rhinoceros box set The Golden Road (1965-1973)
(two) previously released on the semi-official LP Vintage Dead
(3) released on the bonus disc issued with accelerate orders
(4) acoustic version, not coupled with China True cat
(5) also on the box set Europe '72 - The Consummate Recordings
(6) DVD included with deluxe edition of the Scrapbook
(vii) instrumental version from the concert to dedicate the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
(eight) too in Spring 1990 (The Other One)
(nine) also on the compilation All-time Of Fare Thee Well.
(10) also included on 30 Days Of The Expressionless (2011)

Phil Lesh and Friends Recordings
	xviii May 2006		Alive At The Warfield

Related Recordings

	Engagement		Album		Recorded By
	1992		Nightfall Of Diamonds		Tom Constanten
	1999		Necktie-Die Yippie Ki Yay		McEuen and Salazar
	2000		Pickin' On The Grateful Dead Vol ii		David West et al
	2001		Gifts From The Dead		Gifts From The Dead
	2001		Live At Twenty North		Jake's Leg
	2003		Grateful Guitar		David Cullen
	16 Jun 2004		Mick'south Picks, Volume iii		Jefferson Starship (with Tom Constanten)
	2005		The 1000th Show		Dark Star Orchestra
	2005		Jerry Jams, Jerry Cares		Soulfarm
	2006		One More Ride		Neat Caesar'south Ghost
	2008		30 Years		Jake'south Leg
	28 Mar 2009		Alive, Beacon Theater		Allman Brothers Band (with Bob Weir and Phil Lesh)
	2010		All Access: Volume ii		Greensky Bluegrass
	2012		D'Eadphibians		D'Amphibiand
	1 Dec 2012		A Buckdancer's Choice		Mickey Hart Band (with Bob Weir)
	2013		Yoga Tribute To Grateful Dead Vol 2		Yoga Pop Ups
	2014		Grateful Dead Bluegrass Tribute		David Holodiloff
	2016		Days Of The Expressionless		Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
	2015		The Promised Land		Sagol 59 & Ami Yares
	14 May 2015		Love Jerry: Celebrating The Music Of Jerry Garcia		The Disco Biscuits plus Baton & The Kids
	2016		Day Of The Dead		The National with Bob Weir
	2017		Dead Songs Vol 1		Barton Hills Choir
	2018		Garcia Songbook		Joe Craven & The Sometimers
	2019		Sabertooth Plays Dead		Sabertooth
	2019		Dead Air		Gallatin Canyon
	2019		Phantom Ships With Phantom Sails		Live Dead '69
	2019		Scrap's Picks Vol 1		Loftier Time
	2020		Seeking All That's All the same Unsung		Holly Bowling

---

Roots
Some of the lines is this song, such as "Lord's day gonna smooth in my back door someday" date back a long way. Merely it seems that the song as we know it has its origins in a version included in Alan Lomax'southward volume "American Ballads and Folk Songs" in 1934. The notes to the vocal say "An eighteen-year former black girl, in prison for murder, sang the song and the first stanza of these blues." Alan Lomax added a number of floating verses from other sources and named it 'Woman Blue.'

Credit for the resurrecting it is claimed by Bob Coltman. He says:

"I resurrected and debuted the vocal. I followed the tune given in Lomax, roughly merely not exactly, changed the song from a woman's to a human's viewpoint, dropped two verses, and was its first arranger, voice and guitar in a heavy elevate downbeat, sort of an early on folk-rock sound.

"I sang it a lot in folk circles around Philadelphia, in concerts, around Boston, more often than not at the legendary One-time Joe Clarke's, and in Dartmouth Outing Club hiker/climber/skier circles, which took me around New York State and New England circa 1957-60. I likewise sang it in the due west, in Wyoming/Tetons "Teton Tea Parties" and on the West Coast, especially in San Francisco and Los Angeles, late summer-early fall '59. Then I went in the Army (sorta like prison) and everything went on hold."

Harry Tufthas has added to this:

I learned information technology from Bob Coltman from a record fabricated at a party at my abode outside Phla. in the summer of 1958. Bob and I were classmates at Dartmouth and met through the folksong club there. I sang information technology around Phila., taught it to Tossi Aaron, and when journeying" to New York I met Karen Dalton at Dick's apartment, I taught it to her. Then I taught it to John Phillips at the time when the Journeymen were forming, rehearsing at Dick'south. I believe that they learned it and sang it, although information technology never fabricated information technology to a recording. Then information technology traveled i of 2 ways: Through the Seldom Scene who would take heard the Journeymen at the Cellar Door or the Shadows in D.C. It might too have been heard by Jerry Garcia when the Journeymen were in the Bay area. In Colorado I taught it to Judy Roderick, who adapted it and combined information technology with another dejection song with similar lyrics. The rest is history.

This is the vocal as it appears in Alan Lomax's book:

WOMAN Bluish

"Great Gawd, I'k feelin' bad!
Ain' got de man I thought I had."
--From The American Songbag.

An eighteen-yr-onetime black girl, in prison for murder, sang the tune and showtime stanza of these dejection.

[poesy 1]
I know you, rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know y'all, rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone
Gonna miss yo' li'l mama, babe, f'um rollin' in yo' arms

[poesy ii]
I's going' down de road where I get amend care
I's going' down de road where I get better care
I b'lieve I'll go, baby, I don' feel welcome here

[verse iii]
An' I laid right down and tried to take my res'
An' I laid correct downwardly and tried to take my res'
But my min' kep' ramblin' like the wil' geese in de Wes'

[verse four]
Did you always wake upwards and fin' yo' rier gone?
Did you always wake up and fin' yo' rier gone?
Put you lot on a wonder, wish y'all never had been bo'north

[verse 5]
I knows my baby, he'south boun' to beloved me some
I knows my baby, he'southward boun' to love me some
He throws his arms aroun' me like a circle 'roun' de sunday

[verse 6]
Jes' as sure as de birds wing in de sky above
Jes' as sure every bit de birds wing in de sky above
Life ain' worth livin', dear, ain' wid de human you love

[verse 7]
I'm goin' to de river, set down on a log
I'thousand goin' to de river, set down on a log
Ef I tin can' be yo' woman, sho gonna exist yo' dog

[verse 8]
Have me back, have me dorsum, baby
Take me back, take me back, baby
I won' exercise nothin' y'all don' lak, baby

[verse 9]
I'll cut yo' forest, I'll make yo' fire
I'll cut yo' forest, I'll make yo' fire
I'll tote yo' water f'um de Fresno bar

[verse ten]
De sun gwine smoothen in my back practise' some twenty-four hour period
De sun gwine polish in my dorsum do' some day
De win' gwine rising, baby, an' accident my blues away

The Grateful Dead verses relate equally follows:

	I know you rider ...		Lomax poesy 1
	Lay downwards last night ...		Lomax verse iii
	The sun volition smooth ...		Lomax poetry 10
	Wish I was a headlight ...		Non-Lomax verse (but run across below for reference in "Piece of cake Rider")
	I'd rather drink muddy water ...		Lomax poesy 7

Bob Coltman'due south version has much more of the Lomax version, just re-arranges the order of the verses, and changes the lyrics slightly:

[Lomax verse ane]
I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'1000 gone
I know you lot rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone
Gonna miss your man, baby, from rollin' in your artillery

[Lomax poetry iii]
I laid down last nighttime, baby, tried to accept my rest
I laid downwardly last night, infant, tried to take my rest
But my listen kept ramblin' like wild geese in the due west

[Lomax verse 5]
I know my adult female bound to dearest me some
I know my woman spring to dearest me some
'Cause she throws her arms round me like a circle round the lord's day

[Lomax verse 7]
I'm goin' down to the river, set down on a log
I'one thousand goin' down to the river, set down on a log
If I tin't be your man, honey, sure won't exist your domestic dog

[Lomax verse 9]
I cutting your woods, infant, and I fabricated your fire
I cut your wood, baby, and I made your fire
I tote your liquor baby, from the Fresno Bar

[Lomax verse 6]
Simply as sure as the birds fly high in the heaven above
Just as sure as the birds fly loftier in the sky in a higher place
Life own't worth livin' if you ain't with the one you honey

[Lomax poetry 2]
I'thousand goin' down the road, get some meliorate care
I'thou goin' downwards the road, get some better care
I'm goin' back to my used-to-be passenger, for I don't feel welcome here

[Lomax verse 10]
Sun gonna shine in my back door some 24-hour interval
Sun gonna shine in my back door some day
Current of air gonna rise upward, blow my blues abroad

[annotation: misses Lomax verses 4 and 8]

Harry Taft'due south memory of Bob Coltman's version is slightly different:

Lomax verse 1]
I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'g gone
I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'1000 gone
Gonna miss your man, baby, from rollin' in your arms

[Lomax verse three]
I laid downwards last night, baby, tried to take my rest
I laid down final nighttime, babe, tried to take my balance
But my heed kept ramblin' like wild geese in the west

[modified Lomax verse seven]
Loving you baby is merely as easy equally rolling off a log
Loving y'all baby is just every bit piece of cake as rolling off a log
If I can't exist your man, I'm sure gonna be your canis familiaris

[Lomax verse 9]
I'll cut your woods, baby, I'll tend your fire
I'll cut your wood, baby, I'll tend your fire
I tote your water, babe, from the Fresno Bar

[more often than not not-Lomax verse]
I'm going down to the river, set in my rocking chair
I'1000 going down to the river, prepare in my rocking chair
If the blues don't get me, gonna rock all abroad from here

[Lomax verse 10]
The sunday's gonna shine in my dorsum door some day
The dominicus'southward gonna smooth in my back door some twenty-four hour period
The wind's gonna rise up, blow all my dejection away

The vocal spread widely circular folk circles and and then into the wider rock scene: a listing of early recordings is as follows:

Appointment		Recorded by		Championship
1960		Tossi Aaron		I Know Yous Rider
1960		Joan Baez		I Know You lot Rider		(Released in 2001 as bonus track on re-result of get-go album)
1963		Judy Henske		I Know You Passenger
1963		The Kingston Trio		Rider
1963		The Big Three		Rider
1964		Alice Stewart		Woman Blue
1964		Vince Martin and Fred Neil		I Know You Passenger
1964		Gale Garnett		I Know You Passenger
1965		Judy Roderick		Woman Bluish
1965		The Grateful Dead		I Know Y'all Rider
1966		The Byrds		I Know You Rider		(Released in 1996 as bonus track on re-event of Fifth Dimension)
1966		Big Brother and the Belongings Company		I Know You lot Rider		(Released in 1984 on a live recording from 1966)
1966		John Renbourn		I Know You Rider
1968		James Taylor		Circumvolve Round The Sun
1970		Hot Tuna		Know You Rider
1971		Mount Double-decker		I Know You lot Rider
1973		Seldom Scene		Rider

(Note: David Crosby is said to have recorded a version in 1963 for a solo album produced by Jim Dickson, but that doesn't seem to have been released. Thanks to Lucius for the arrow to the Mount Bus version.)

Harry Tuft explained the way the tune of the song developed:

"My version from Bob [Coltman] was very unproblematic - three chords. That was the version I sang when sitting around in Dick Weissman's appartment in mayhap the summertime of 1960 when Dick was working with John Phillips and Scott McKenzie to start the Journeymen. ... John had that gift of organisation and so from that very uncomplicated straightforward one he just added a few chords. That really made all the difference. And it'southward the fact that he added those chords to what is now the way the song is sung today that really is the proof that this was the lineage of I Know You Rider."

Tossi Arnold's and Judy Roderick'due south versions use the original Bob Coltman version of the tune, no dubiousness reflecting the fact that Harry Tuft says they learnt the vocal from him. Joan Baez as well uses that version, though it'south not clear where she learnt information technology from. All the other recordings (including the Grateful Dead'southward) use the John Phillips version. It seems likely that must have spread through performances past The Journeymen, though rather frustratingly there'due south no evidence I can find of them playing it.

The various recordings have multiple variations on the lyrics. This is what seems to take been the first recording, by Tossi Aaron in 1960:

[Lomax verse 1]
Well, I know you rider, y'all're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Oh yes, I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone
Gonna miss your e'er-loving mama, from rolling in your arms

[Lomax verse ii]
Well, I'm going downward the road where I can become more decent care
Oh aye, I'm going downwardly the road where I can get more decent care
Going back to my used-to-be rider, 'cause I don't feel welcome here

[Lomax poesy 6]
But equally sure as the birds fly, fly in in the sky above
Just as sure as the birds fly, fly in in the heaven in a higher place
Life ain't worth living when you ain't with the one you love

[Lomax verse 10]
But the lord's day's gonna shine in my backyard someday
Oh aye the sun's gonna shine in my lawn someday
And the wind's gonna rise upwardly, and blow my dejection away

[Lomax verse 1]
Well, I know you rider, you're gonna miss me when I'thousand gone
Aye, I know you passenger, you're gonna miss me when I'g gone
Gonna miss your ever-loving mama, from rolling in your arms

Joan Baez's version was recorded near the same fourth dimension:

[Lomax verse 1]
I know you lot passenger gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know you rider yous're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Gonna miss your pretty mama from rollin' in your arms

[Lomax poesy 5]
I love you rider and I know you lot must love me some
I love you rider and I know you must love me some
You put your artillery around me like a circle 'round the sun

[Lomax verse 3]
I lay downwardly final night and I tried to take my balance
I lay down last night and I tried to have my rest
My centre was a-ramblin' like wild geese in the W

[Lomax verse 7]
Goin' to the river I'1000 gonna sit down on the log
I'thou goin' to the river I'1000 gonna sit down on the log
If I can't be your honey, well I'll sure gonna be your dog

[Lomax verse 10]
Dominicus's gonna shine in my dorsum thou someday
Sun'due south gonna smooth in my dorsum grand someday
The West air current's gonna ascent up and blow my dejection away

Another early on version was Judy Henske in 1963, seemingly the first to use the John Phillips version of the tune, though it isn't clear where she would have got information technology from:

[Lomax verse 1]
I know you lot rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know yous rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
Gonna miss your sweetness-lovin' woman rollin' in your arms

[Lomax verse 10]
Well the sun gonna smooth 'round my back door some day
I said the sun'due south gonna smoothen 'round my back door some day
And the current of air from the river's gonna blow my dejection away

[Non-Lomax verse]
It takes a red-headed human to make a long-time adult female feel bad
It takes a red-headed man to make a long-time adult female experience bad
Oh information technology makes me remember 'bout that long slow rollin' I had

[Lomax verse ane]
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know you rider gonna miss me when I'm gone
Gonna miss your sweet-lovin' woman rollin' in your arms

The Kingston Trio recorded a version in 1963:

Chorus
Well, I know you, Rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone
Well, I know y'all, Rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss your daddy rollin' in your artillery

[Lomax poetry 10]
Well, the sun's gonna shine on my back porch some mean solar day
I said, the sun'south gonna smooth on my back porch some day
Then the wind from the river's gonna blow all my troubles away

[chorus]

[Non-Lomax verse]
Well, I own't got a nickel, no, I ain't got a lousy dime
Well, I ain't got a nickel, no, I own't got a lousy dime
But I got a long way to go 'fore the end of my time

[chorus]

[Not-Lomax poetry]
Information technology takes a hard hearted adult female to make a long time men feel bad
Information technology takes a hard hearted woman to brand a long time men experience bad
'Crusade it makes him remember the long difficult road that he's had

[chorus]

Mama Cass with "The Large Three" (her, Tim Rose and James Hendricks) recorded a version in 1963 under the championship "Rider":

[Lomax verse i]
I know my passenger gonna miss me when I'k gone
I know my passenger gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know she'southward gonna miss me from rolling in her artillery

[Lomax verse 4]
Well did you ever wake up and found your rider gone?
Well did y'all ever wake up and institute your passenger gone?
Well put you on a wonder and wish y'all'd never been born

[Lomax verse 10]
Sun's gonna shine in my dorsum door some mean solar day
Sun's gonna shine in my back door some day
Winds gonna ascent and blow my blues abroad

[Lomax verse 9]
I'll build your fire, you lot know I'll cut your logs
I'll build your fire, yous know I'll cut your logs
I'll be a loving baby but I ain't gonna exist your dog

[Non-Lomax poesy]
Well dawn'due south coming early, dark'southward gonna fade away
I said dawn'southward coming early on, night'due south gonna fade away
Ever run into your passenger coming, baby, 'bout the break of twenty-four hours

[Lomax verse 1]
I know my rider gonna miss me when I'one thousand gone
I know my rider gonna miss me when I'1000 gone
I know she'south gonna miss me from rolling in her arms

I know my rider gonna miss me when I'g gone
When I'grand gone, when I'chiliad gone
When I'm gone

The version recorded in 1964 by Vince Martin and Fred Neil is:

[Lomax verse ane]
I say I know you passenger miss me when I'm gone
I say I know you passenger miss me when I'm gone
Won't have nobody now, mama, ringlet 'round in your sweet lovin' arms

[Lomax verse 7]
Lovin' you lot babe, piece of cake as fallin' off a log
Lovin' you infant, piece of cake every bit fallin' off a log
I tin't brand honey to you, mama, ain't gonna hang effectually and be your dirty dog

[Non-Lomax poetry]
Early i mornin', rider, and it won't exist long
Early on ane mornin', passenger, and it won't exist long
You gonna call my name now, baby, sweet lovin' daddy gonna be long gone

[Lomax poetry 1]
I say I know you lot rider miss me when I'm gone
I say I know you lot passenger miss me when I'm gone
Won't have nobody at present, mama, roll 'round in your sweet lovin' artillery

Judy Roderick recorded a version in 1965 under the title "Woman Blue":

[Lomax verse 1]
I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know yous passenger, gonna miss me when I'm gone
Miss your loving woman from rolling in your arms

[Lomax poesy 7]
Loving you baby is as piece of cake as falling off a log
Loving y'all babe is as easy as falling off a log
[If] I can't be your woman, infant I'll be your dog

[Lomax verse 9]
I'd cut your wood and, baby, I'd tend your fire
I'd cutting your forest and, babe, I'd tend your burn down
I'd even haul your whiskey upwards from Fresno bar

[Lomax poetry iii]
I lay down and I tried to accept my rest
I lay down and I tried to take my rest
My heed it keeps rambling similar wild geese in the west

[Lomax verse 10]
Sunday'southward gonna shine on my back door someday
The lord's day'southward gonna smoothen on my back door someday
Current of air is gonna rising, information technology's gonna accident my blues away

[Lomax verse 1]
I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'm gone
I know you rider, gonna miss me when I'chiliad gone
Miss your loving woman from rolling in your arms

James Taylor recorded a version on his first anthology in 1968 nether the title "Circle Round The Sun":

[Lomax verse 5]
Now, I love my baby, and she's spring to beloved me some
Aye, I dear my baby, and she's bound to love me some
At present, she throws her arms around me merely like a circle around the sun

[Lomax poetry 3]
I lay down last dark merely to endeavour to take my residue
I said I lay downwards last night, Lord, I was trying to take my rest
But my thoughts they just kept wandering simply like them wild geese in the west

[Lomax poesy 10]
At present I know that sunrise, sunrise, it's gonna smooth in my back yard someday
I said I know that sunrise, sunrise, sunrise, it'due south gonna shine in my back yard anytime
And that wind'southward just leap to rise up, gonna blow, blow all my dejection abroad

[Lomax poetry 5]
I beloved my baby and she's bound to dear me some
Hear me say that I honey my baby, and she's bound to love me some
Now, she throws her arms around me merely similar a circle around the dominicus

Lomax: Easy Rider
None of these versions have the "I wish I was a headlight" verse that the Grateful Dead sing. The Digital Tradition database included a version of Easy Rider from Alan Lomax's volume with the poetry:

If I was a headlight on some western railroad train, Lawd, Lawd
I'd shine my light on cool Colorado Springs
I'd polish my light on cool Colorado Springs
Hey, hey, hey, hey

Very early recordings of Easy Rider (e.g. by Ma Rainey) don't include that verse. The primeval I accept found that includes it is by Odetta on her 1957 album "Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues".

Other songs with the "headlight" poesy
Another early recording to include a similar poetry is the Kingston Trio's version of "Chilly Winds" from a live recording released in 1962 (thank you to Craig Morrison for pointing this out). It is credited to John Stewart and John Phillips, though their introduction describes (maybe in jest) how they learnt it from a group in a San Francisco java house.

Wish I was a headlight on a west-bound train
I'd smoothen my low-cal o'er cool Colorado rain
Out where them chilly winds don't accident

Other early recording are by Karen Dalton, also in 1962, nether the title "Dejection Jumped The Rabbit" and one by Judy Henske in 1964 titled "Blues Chase Up A Rabbit". Both those songs seem to derive from Blind Lemon Jefferson'south "Rabbit Pes Blues" recorded in 1926, but that doesn't include the "wish I was a headlight" verse. It isn't clear to me where Karen Dalton (or Judy Henske) got it from, or indeed how it found its manner into the Dead's version of I Know You Passenger.

Karen Dalton'due south version:

Wish I was a headlight
On some western railroad train
I'd shine my light
On cool Colorado rain

Judy Henske'south version:

Oh I wish that I was a headlight
Shining on the eastbound train
I'd shine my piffling light
On cool Colorado rain

Other versions of "Blues Chase Up A Rabbit" have it slightly differently (and less like the Dead's version):

I wish I was a headlight
On some lonesome southbound railroad train
I'd follow you baby
Wouldn't be dorsum again

Annotation that between these versions and the Dead'southward, all the points of the compass are covered (n, south, e and west)!

The Seldom Scene version of I Know You lot Rider has identical lyrics to the Grateful Dead'southward version, including the verse "I wish I was a headlight on a due north-leap train". Just they were not formed until 1971, and didn't record it until 1973. And there's no evidence that their forerunners, such as The Land Gentlemen, played this song.

Craig Morrison tells me that the headlight verse has also been sung under the title "Cool Colorado" by various folk singers, including the folklorist Roger Abrahams on his 1962 LP "Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor And Other Folk Songs"

Further Information
For an online word of the lyrics to this song meet the deadsongs.vue conference on The Well.
For more than information on recordings run across Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography
For David Dodd's discussion of this vocal on dead.net see Greatest Stories E'er Told
For online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com
For canvass music, see:
Without A Net Songbook (piano organization)

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Source: https://www.whitegum.com/songfile/I1KNOWYO.HTM

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