First cover of The Grateful Dead’s “Truckin” – listen here

Bob Dylan is a long-time fan of the Grateful Dead, with whom he toured in the ’80s and released the live album Dylan & the Dead in 1989.

Now, during a concert in Japan, he has sung the song “Truckin” by the California group – for the very first time, as attentive listeners have noticed.

Live recordings without video can be found on YouTube. Dylan prohibits cell phone and video recordings in general at his performances.

Bob Dylan and his connection with The Grateful Dead

This song, now covered by Dylan, dates from 1970 and can be heard on the album “American Beauty”. It’s also one of the songs Dylan wrote about in his latest book, The Philosophy of Modern Song.

“The Grateful Dead are not your typical rock ‘n’ roll band,” he writes. “They are essentially a dance band. They have more in common with Artie Shaw and bebop than with the Byrds or the Stones. Whirling dervish dancers are as much a part of their music as anything else. Most bands involve the audience like a spectator sport. You just stand there and watch. You keep your distance. With the Dead, the audience is part of the band—it [das Publikum] might as well be on stage.”

“Truckin” also tells the story of a drug bust at a New Orleans hotel where Jerry Garcia and his bandmates were staying.

Bob Dylan on tour

Bob Dylan is currently on the road as part of his “Rough and Rowdy Ways” tour, which is currently taking place in Japan before Dylan has a series of dates in Europe through July 9th.

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