Europe ’72 Songs Ranked

Europe ’72 is a live triple album by the Grateful Dead, released in November 1972. It covers the band’s tour of Western Europe in April and May that year, and showcases live favourites, extended improvisations and several new songs including “Jack Straw” and “Brown Eyed Women”. The album was the first to include pianist Keith Godchaux and his wife, vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux, and the last to feature founding member Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, who died shortly after its release. The European tour was expensive and logistically complicated, and the band’s record company hoped that a live album would recoup its costs. Consequently, the entire tour was recorded, with highlights making it onto the final release. Europe ’72 is one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed albums by the Dead. It was one of the first triple-record rock albums to be certified gold by RIAA; the album has since been certified double platinum. A second volume was released in 2011, in conjunction with the release of the entire 22-date tour as Europe ’72: The Complete Recordings. Here are all of Europe ’72 songs ranked.

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11. Tennessee Jed

“In “Tennessee Jed” Keith Godchaux’ piano and Lesh’s bass underpin Garcia’s lengthy solo to good effect. Climactic jam, and smoot segue into the final chorus.”

10. Morning Dew

“Morning Dew also dates back to the early years of the group, having been recorded on their first album. It was recorded at the tour’s last show, at the Lyceum in London.”

9. Sugar Magnolia

“This particular performance comes from their show in Paris at the Olympia. It runs for 7 minutes, over twice as long as the original. It is more descriptive of a relationship between musician and muse–a Southern belle incarnating southe”rn music

See more: Grateful Dead Albums Ranked

8. China Cat Sunflower

“This song was performed as a two part medley with the song “I Know You Rider”, a traditional blues song that the band had been doing since the early days. Unfortunately, I couldn’t add them together as one track when making this list.”

7. Mr. Charlie

“The last song written by original frontman Ron “Pigpen” McKernan and recorded by the band. Shortly after this tour was over, he left the band due to his ailing health. He died a year later from a gastrointestinal hemorrhage.”

6. Cumberland Blues

“The disc begins with a fabulous rendition of “Cumberland Blues”–a real mountain breakdown with tight interplay between Garcia, Weir, and Lesh. Garcia’s solo work is concise and accurate and it shows what he could do when he was focused and functional.”

5. Brown Eyed Women

“Brown Eyed Women” continues Hunter’s to the tradition of unfortunate rake songs–“Brown-eyed women and red grenadine/The bottle was dusty, but the liquor was clean.” Again, the lead guitar provides lyrical interludes for the narrative of personal and social deterioration. “

See more: Grateful Dead Songs Ranked

4. Truckin’

“t thirteen minutes, there’s ample time to explore the possibilities of the song. Everything’s playing as the long ensemble riffs evolve into a Dead improvisational jam. I suggest that this may be the definitive “Truckin'” because it is coherent, lucid, and harmonically inventive–the Garcia, Lesh, Godchaux, Kreutzmann quartet in particular.”

3. He’s Gone

“He’s Gone” is a stately elegy, with good lyrics and a nice Garcia solo. This song was written about drummer Mickey Hart’s father, Lenny, who managed the group and suddenly disappeared with a large percentage of their earnings.”

2. One More Saturday Night

“One More Saturday Night” the band recalls apprentice gigs at places like the National Guard Armory in Redwood City, California, where they played when they weren’t supporting Kesey’s Acid Tests. (With cardboard tombstones hand-painted with powdered tempura paints attached to their amplifiers, they played for folks to dance.) “

1. Jack Straw

“This is a great song. “Jack Straw,” a rambling, gambling, railroad traveling song could be the band’s anthem: “We used to play for silver/Now we play for life.” Nice Garcia leads driven by Kreutzmann’s drums.”