What a Treat!

The other day, I came across a soundboard tape of the Grateful Dead at the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland from 11/21/85 and practically boogied down the street as I heard the opener.

The boys were in fine form this evening and came out playing a song they only did two times in the post-Pigpen years...Big Boy Pete. It's a fun little ditty that kind of reminds one of the Jim Croce classic, Bad Bad Leroy Brown.

The other interesting thing about this song that brings it right back home to me is that the only other time they played the song after 1972 was at the Rambler Room at Loyola University Chicago in November 1978. This is at my alma matter and the Rambler Room is where I used to have breakfast on the weekends when my dorm's cafeteria was closed! The band did a little gig there in the afternoon for a charity before the main show that night at the Uptown Theatre.

So I found a homemade video from this wonderful night in 1985. The video quality is really crappy, but what a thrill to listen to the crowd warm up when they realize the gift they're being given! Enjoy!






The joint was jumping on the corner
Down on Honky Tonk Street
All of a sudden up pulled a Cadillac
And out stepped a cat named Pete

A diamond on every finger
He wore a tailor-made suit
He smoked a black cigar, he wore a Stetson hat
He wore a pair of cowboy boots

Busted on through the doorway
Mad as he could be
Said, don't mess around, I'll cut you down
'Cause my name is Big Boy Pete

The music stopped, there wasn't a sound
Over in the corner stood Bad Man Brown
Brown smiled and grinned, he said my friend
If you take two steps further, I'm going to do you in

Pete said look here buddy
I know I'm going to tan your hide
I got a fourty five, keeps me alive
Got seven bullets on my side

Brown pulled a knife, jumped on Pete
They fought from the counter right on out to the street
They swung from north, they swung from south
Brown cut that black cigar right out of Pete's mouth
Pete hit the ground, he yelled and screamed
Then he took his Stetson hat and fleed the scene

If you're ever down on the corner
Down on Honky Tonk Street
Don't mess around he'll cut you down
Take a lesson from Big Boy Pete