At A Siding

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Mickey Hart

This is the third song of Robert Hunter's Terrapin Station Suite:

Part 1
Lady With A Fan
Terrapin Station
At A Siding
Part 2
Return To Terrapin
Ivory Wheels, Rosewood Track
And I Know You
Jack O' Roses
Leaving Terrapin
Recognition

See also:
    Lady Of Carlisle
    L'Alhambra
    Terrapin Transit
    Terrapin Flyer
The Dead recorded "At A Siding" on the studio version of the "Terrapin Station" suite. They never played it live with the lyrics, but once played it as an instrumental on 18 March 1977. More recently, Ratdog have introduced it into their repertoire.

There is some confusion over whether "At A Siding" includes the swooping Jerry Garcia guitar lines that precede the vocals. Aaron Donovan's analysis argues that that portion is "Terrapin Transit" and that "At A Siding" starts with the vocals. But the sheet music in "Grateful Dead Anthology" includes it as part of "At A Siding." Todd Corey's analysis also suggests it is part of "At A Siding" and not "Terrapin Transit."

Lyrics
While you were gone
These faces filled with darkness
The obvious was hidden
With nothing to believe in
The compass always points to Terrapin

Sullen wings of fortune beat like rain
You're back in Terrapin for good or ill again
For good or ill again
Grateful Dead Recordings
     Date Album
     studio 1977 Terrapin Station (note 1)

Recordings from dead.net Tapers Section

Ratdog Live CD Series
 
Other Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
     1996 Play Terrapin Station The Mudkats
     1999 Terrapin Joe Gallant & Illuminati
Notes
(1) also on the compilation The Arista Years


Futher Information
For an online discussion of the lyrics to this song see the deadsongs.vue conference on The Well.
For sheet music, see:
          Grateful Dead Anthology Volume 1 (piano arrangement)

 

Home | Find words/phrases| Find Song lyrics| Dead originals| Dead covers|