In The Pines

Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional

This is only known to have been played once, on 17 July 1966. But it was no doubt played on other occasions in the early years. See below for even earlier pre-Dead versions.

It is normally thought to be a traditional song, but the liner notes on "Birth Of The Dead" credit it to Clayton McMichen and Slim Bryant, who played with Bill Monroe.

Little girl, little girl what have I done
To make you treat me so
You have caused me to weep, you have caused me to moan
You have caused me to leave my home

Chorus
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun never shines
I shiver when the cold winds blow

My daddy was a railroad man
Drove a mile and a half uptown
His head was found 'neath the driving wheel
His body has never been found

[chorus]

The longest train I ever saw
Was down that northern line
The engine passed by at ten o'clock
The cab passed by at nine

[chorus]

Little girl, little girl what have I done
To make you treat me so
You have caused me to weep, you have caused me to moan
You have caused me to leave my home

[chorus]

The longest train that ever I saw
Went down the Georgia line
The engine passed at six o'clock
And the cab it passed at nine

Chorus
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun never shines
And you shiver when the cold wind blows

I asked my captain for the time of day
He (said?) throwed his watch away
It's a long steel rail and a short cross tie
I'm on my way back home

[Chorus]

Little girl, little girl, what have I done
That makes you treat me so
You caused me to weep, and caused me to mourn
You caused me to leave my home

[Chorus]

"This version of the song occurs on the "Unident Thing" tape with Pigpen on harmonica and Garcia on guitar and vocals. Date/venue unknown. Garcia calls for Black Girl before the song - which is a name used on some Leadbelly recordings of it. Which I'd guess is the source for this. This is a blues version, two guitars and Pigpen's harmonica. Mike Sector (whoever he is) on vocals not Garcia. The lyrics are repeated phrases rather than a full version of the song."

Black girl, black girl, don't you lie to me
Tell me where did you stay last night

In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun never shines
And I shiver the whole night through

You caused me to weep and you caused me to mourn
And you caused me to leave my happy home

Black girl, black girl, don't you lie to me
Tell me where did you stay last night

In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun never shines
And I shiver the whole night through

Black girl, black girl, don't you lie to me
Tell me where did you stay last night

In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun never shines
And I shiver the whole night through

You caused me to weep and you caused me to mourn
And you caused me to leave my happy home