Birth of the Dead


Birth of the Dead is a two-CD compilation album chronicling the early years of the San Francisco psychedelic band the Grateful Dead. The set was originally part of the twelve-CD box set The Golden Road (1965–1973), released on October 16, 2001, then was released as a stand-alone album on March 25, 2003. The album consists of various studio and live tracks of seven original songs and a number of covers.
Birth of the Dead, Volume One , containing the music from the first CD, was released as a vinyl LP on the Friday Music label on December 17, 2013.

Recording

The two CDs are labeled "The Studio Sides" for the first CD and "The Live Sides" for the second. The Studio Sides comprise three separate recording sessions: "The Autumn Sessions", "The Scorpio Session", and "The Hendricks Session".
The Autumn Sessions was recorded at Golden State Recorders in San Francisco in November 1965. The band used the space under the assumed name of The Emergency Crew. The Scorpio Sessions comprise tracks seven through sixteen of disc one, two of which were released in limited supply by Scorpio Records, in July 1966, as the band's first single. The Hendricks Session, consisting of only the song "Fire in the City", was recorded for use in the documentary film Sons and Daughters. It was later released as a single by Verve Records.

Track listing

;Disc one
  1. "Early Morning Rain" – 3:22
  2. "I Know You Rider" – 2:41
  3. "Mindbender " – 2:41
  4. "The Only Time Is Now" – 2:24
  5. "Caution " – 3:17
  6. "Can't Come Down" – 3:04
  7. "Stealin' " – 2:40
  8. "Stealin' " – 2:36
  9. "Don't Ease Me In " – 2:01
  10. "Don't Ease Me In " – 2:02
  11. "You Don't Have to Ask" – 3:35
  12. "Tastebud " – 7:04
  13. "Tastebud " – 4:35
  14. "I Know You Rider" – 2:36
  15. "Cold Rain and Snow " – 3:15
  16. "Cold Rain and Snow " – 3:17
  17. "Fire in the City" – 3:19
;Disc two
  1. "Viola Lee Blues" – 9:39
  2. "Don't Ease Me In" – 2:43
  3. "Pain in My Heart" – 4:24
  4. "Sitting on Top of the World" – 3:51
  5. "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" – 5:12
  6. "I'm a King Bee" – 8:52
  7. "Big Boss Man" – 5:11
  8. "Standing on the Corner" – 3:46
  9. "In the Pines" – 4:55
  10. "Nobody's Fault But Mine" – 4:15
  11. "Next Time You See Me" – 2:47
  12. "One Kind Favor" – 3:44
  13. "He Was a Friend of Mine" – 4:45
  14. "Keep Rolling By" – 7:57

Personnel

Grateful Dead
Additional performers
Production
Autumn Records sessions
Scorpio Records sessions
  • Recorded during June 1966 at Buena Vista Studio in San Francisco, and Western Recording in San Francisco
  • Producer, engineer – Gene Estribou
  • Disc One, tracks 8 and 10, were previously issued locally, in July 1966, as the Grateful Dead's first single, with Don't Ease Me In on the A-side. This is the "dry mix" – the single was mastered with added reverb
  • All other selections from Scorpio Records sessions are previously unissued
"Fire in the City"
Live performances