Do you smile on a cloudy day? If so, you may be a Deadhead. Nothing paints a more perfect picture than the song “Touch of Grey” by the Grateful Dead. It’s beautifully harmonic in the most psychedelic of ways. The beautiful melody is contrasted by the title, bringing to mind a spot or blemish in what would otherwise be a beautiful picture. But the Dead paint the perfect picture even with the touch of grey.
Could a touch of grey be comforting? “Every silver lining has a touch of grey,” sings the Dead, and with it, the world is painted, not by colors that make for a phony picture in the morning sky but with the life of the touch of grey. One could argue that the touch of grey adds a little bit of life to the picture of a sunny day.
The Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey” was originally released in 1987. Composed by Jerry Garcia with lyrics written by Robert Hunter, it’s a beautiful song that recalls the Deadheads and their communal style of living. The song was first played as an encore on September 15, 1982, at the Capitol Centre in Landover, Maryland, and was finally released on the album In the Dark in 1987.
The Grateful Dead was formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. They were known for their electric style and for fusing elements of blues, jazz, folk, country, bluegrass, rock & roll, gospel, reggae, and world music with psychedelia.
The group was around for the Acid Tests with Ken Kesey. The Acid Tests was an experimental project formed around introducing people from different walks of life to the drug LSD during the mid-60s. The Grateful Dead playing at these parties was commonplace. Between ’65 and ’66, the Pranksters convinced the Dead to sit as the house band for the Acid Tests.
The Acid Tests took place throughout California, and they included the administering of LSD to willing participants and the display of various art performances. This all brought those involved into a communal, musical trip and included cathartic art performances, which was more of a release of creative improvisation. This was how the Dead started, and what followed was the movement of all movements.
The Deadheads are both high in numbers and very passionate about their love for the Dead. They are seen gathering from all walks of life, including professionals and those traveling around selling goods and wares to sustain a ‘bohemian’ lifestyle. To a Deadhead, the music is more than just music; it is a life-giving and life-affirming celebration in which all are welcome.
None made communal living better than the Dead, and those willing to seek an alternative lifestyle were drawn to them—many live lives of devotion to them and their music. Many are seen traveling alongside them, attending concert after concert for weeks or months at a time. It’s an interesting thing to consider; there’s a lot of partying and a lot of drug use. Partying with a like-minded group can be a source of life, but looking out for one another can make things go a long way—a segue into the longevity of the band’s career.
Dead & Company recently formed around longtime Dead members Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart and are joined by the singer/songwriter and accomplished blues guitarist John Mayer. The long, strange trip is back on the road, and they bring all their classics with them, along with the experimental improvisation that their iconic music is known for.
I chose to highlight “Touch of Grey” because it’s one of my favorites and just screams the life of a Deadhead. The soulful sounds of the music are at home in the communal living room, and I cannot hear the song without being placed in that world. It makes me want to live the life of a bohemian and celebrate the life-giving music that comes with the band’s worship.
The Grateful Dead is the perfect picture of what the bohemian dream is. It’s America at its finest. And the amount of records sold is a testament to this fact. With over 35 million albums sold worldwide, the Dead have cemented their place as the most iconic American band ever to grace the world with their music.
The world repeatedly speaks of conformity and painting the perfect picture. We’re told to paint by numbers rather than have creative insight. Every artist knows that the touch of grey adds contrast to the picture. They also know that comparison is the only way to add to a beautiful picture. Lyrically, the song “Touch of Grey” is a simple melody, but the simplicity does not negate the complexity of the meaning behind the music.
Rather than paint by numbers, the Dead saw that every silver lining has a touch of grey, and with this, they saw that a life lived in appreciation of the darkness was a life of elevation. Or maybe they just saw it as a perfect picture that contrasts the picture that attempts to dictate our lives to us. In my opinion, this is what the Dead gave to the world, both a beautiful and an alternative picture.
The Grateful Dead paints the perfect picture of what artists should be. Their longevity of success speaks volumes for them and their fans. In my opinion, it’s the picture of the more desired American Dream, and it is not the American Dream that is dictated to us. It stands in contrast to the conformity of this world. They offer a more communal lifestyle, and it is through acceptance and celebration of all that life has to offer, including those touches of grey.
This article was written by Bryan Montijo, a writer who primarily focuses on music, spirituality, and psychedelics. Bryan has written a few novels which can be found at wattpad@CraftedTales. He also has his own blog where he discusses everything he loves from music to nature and writing. You can find it here at medium@bmontijo555.
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