Grateful Dead's Merry and Grateful: A Festive Compilation of December Shows
The Grateful Dead have embraced the holiday season by releasing a compilation album titled Merry and Grateful. This album features highlights from December shows in the 1970s and one show from 1992. The recordings have been previously released on various Grateful Dead archival collections, including Dick's Picks and box sets.
Merry and Grateful is a 30-track, four-hour album that spans from a 1971 show in St. Louis to a 1992 show in Oakland. The majority of the album focuses on shows between 1971 and 1978, including the closing of San Francisco's Winterland Arena on December 31st, 1978.
The tracks on the album are arranged to mimic a single Grateful Dead show, starting with "Bertha" and moving through various fan favorites like "China Cat Sunflower" > "I Know You Rider" and "Sugaree". The compilation includes a significant portion from the 1979 Oakland Coliseum show, featuring songs like "Uncle John's Band" and "Estimated Prophet".
The album concludes with a rendition of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" and "Run Rudolph Run" from the 1979 Oakland show, followed by the traditional "We Bid You Goodnight" from the New Year's Eve 1978 show at Winterland Arena. Merry and Grateful offers a nostalgic journey through the Grateful Dead's December performances.
Experience the Grateful Dead's Merry and Grateful album by listening to a sample of December shows on your preferred streaming platform.