Not Fade Away

Lyrics: Hardin/Petty
Music: Hardin/Petty

Played a few times by the Grateful Dead in their earliest years, and became a staple from the end of 1969 onwards.

I wanna tell you it's gonna be
You're gonna give your love to me
I wanna love you night and day
You know our lovin' not fade away
You know our lovin' not fade away
Not fade away

My love is bigger than a Cadillac
I try to show you but you drive me back
Your love for me has gotta be real
You're gonna know just how I feel
A love that's real not fade away
Not fade away
The version sung in 1966 was a bit different:
I wanna tell you it's gonna be
You're gonna give your love to me
Hey baby that's no lie
I'm going to get you by and by
You know our lovin' not fade away

Come on baby, hold my hand
You know I'm gonna be your candyman
Hey baby that's no lie
You know I'm going to get you by and by
A love like ours will not fade away
Grateful Dead Recordings
     Date Album
     studio 1966 Rare Cuts And Oddities
      4 Feb 1970 Download Series: A Night At The Family Dog
     14 Feb 1970 Dick's Picks Vol 4
      5 Apr 1971 Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses)
     28 Apr 1971 Ladies And Gentlemen ... The Grateful Dead
     31 Jul 1971 Road Trips Number 1, Volume 3
      4 Aug 1971 Road Trips Number 1, Volume 3 (bonus disc)
      7 Aug 1971 Dick's Picks Vol 35
     24 Aug 1971 Dick's Picks Vol 35
     31 Oct 1971 Dick's Picks Vol 2
     28 Mar 1972 Dick's Picks Vol 30
     24 Apr 1972 Rockin' The Rhein
     23 May 1972 Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead: England '72
     21 Sep 1972 Dick's Picks Vol 36
     26 Feb 1973 Dick's Picks Vol 28
     10 Sep 1974 Dick's Picks Vol 7
     18 Oct 1974 Grateful Dead Movie (CD only)
     20 Oct 1974 Grateful Dead Movie (CD only)
     18 Jun 1976 Download Series Vol 4
     25 Sep 1976 Dick's Picks Vol 20
      9 Oct 1976 Dick's Picks Vol 33
     31 Dec 1976 Live At The Cow Palace
     30 Apr 1977 Download Series Vol 1
     21 May 1977 Dick's Picks Vol 29
      3 Sep 1977 Dick's Picks Vol 15
     29 Dec 1977 Dick's Picks Vol 10
     11 May 1978 Dick's Picks Vol 25
     22 Oct 1978 Road Trips Volume 1, Number 4 ("From Egypt With Love")
     31 Dec 1978 The Closing Of The Winterland (DVD & CD)
      8 Nov 1979 Road Trips Volume 1, Number 1
     26 Dec 1979 Dick's Picks Vol 5
     15 May 1980 Go To Nassau
      4 Oct 1980 Dead Set (note 1)
     31 Oct 1980 Dead Ahead (video/DVD)
      ? 1987 So Far (video only)
     24 Jul 1987 View From The Vault IV (DVD & CD soundtrack)
     31 Dec 1987 Ticket To New Year's (video/DVD only)
      4 Jul 1989 Truckin' Up To Buffalo (DVD & CD soundtrack)
     17 Jul 1989 Downhill From Here (video/DVD only)
     15 Mar 1990 Terrapin Station (Limited Edition)
     24 Mar 1990 Dozin' At The Knick
     25 Sep 1991 Dick's Picks Vol 17
     17 Dec 1992 Dick's Picks Vol 27
     20 Jun 1991 Download Series Vol 11
      2 Aug 1996 Furthur More (Furthur Jam)

Recordings from dead.net Tapers Section

"The Dead" Concert Recordings

Ratdog Live CD Series

Phil Lesh and Friends Digital Download Series
 
Other Dead-Related Recordings
      2006 Keepers Of The Flame Melvin Seals and JGB

Notes
(1) issued as a bonus track in the box set Beyond Description (1973-1990)

Roots
The original version by Buddy Holly had a few differences from the Grateful Dead's version, including a third verse:
I'm gonna tell you it's gonna be
You're gonna give your love to me
I'm gonna love you night and day
you know my lovin' not fade away
you know my lovin' not fade away

My love is bigger than a Cadillac
I try to show it but you drive me back
Your love for me has gotta be real
For you to know just how I feel
A love that's real not fade away

I'm gonna tell you it's gonna be
You're gonna give your love to me
A love to last more than one day
A love that's love'll not fade away
A love that's love'll not fade away

Futher Information
For an online discussion of the lyrics to this song see the deadsongs.vue conference on The Well.
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography
For online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com

 


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