What a long, strange trip it’s been…
Monday, August 9, 2010 was Jerry Garcia Night at AT&T Park when the Chicago Cubs played the San Francisco Giants. Jerry was born and raised in San Francisco, and was one of the founding members of The Grateful Dead. The National Anthem was sung by founding members Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, as well as current member Jeff Pehrson, (not a typo.)
Contrary to rumor, it didn’t last for 30 minutes, Bobby did not forget the words, they didn’t have “Space” or “Drums” in the middle, there were no interruptions with “Bobby, I love you!” by a fan, and there were no altered lyrics, but the bobblehead did look like the photo.
Deadheads who jumped at the chance to buy tickets in the special Deadhead section out in left field were rewarded by receiving a Jerry Garcia bobblehead doll. The evening’s pre-show festivities was a benefit for The Rex Foundation. Founding members Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, along with major Deadhead Bill Walton were part of a kazoo trio who led a kazoo ensemble of over 7,000 in playing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” The Giants distributed over 7,000 kazoos at the game in an attempt to enter the Guinness Book of World Records. (In the ‘Only in San Francisco’ Department, they were about 28,000 kazoos short.) Bill Walton also spent an inning with the announcers in the booth. Mickey was like, totally stoked, dude, about the project, as the song is considered by some to be the second national anthem.
In preparation for this playing/conducting performance, scholar Hart turned to the Library of Congress to do some research on the song, the music for which was written in 1908 by Albert von Tilzer. The lyrics, written by Jack Norworth, prove that “TMOTTBG” is really a love song, part of a mating ritual, says Hart. In each of two versions, one from 1908 and one from 1927, a woman (Katie Casey in 1908; Nelly Kelly in 1927) is asked out on a date (to a show in 1908; to Coney Island in 1927) by some guy named Joe.She’s a baseball fanatic – “would root just like any man, told the umpire he was wrong,” says a lyric – and tells Joe she’ll go with him only if he first takes her out to a ballgame. “I’m a historian,” says Hart, relishing the role. “It’s really interesting – it says a lot about baseball. This is about the soul of baseball.”
The vending area in the parking lot at a Dead show is familiarly known as Shakedown Street, and the vending area behind the Deadhead section surely looked like its counterpart. The Jerry bobblehead doll proved to be a fan favorite spawning posts on local internet boards like this:
I am bummed to have missed the jerry day giants game earlier this week, because I was in telluride seeing Phish. Ok, I’m really not bummed, but I would have definitely gone if I were here. That being said, I am looking to track down a bobblehead that was given out at the game. I am willing to pay cash, or I can offer trades. LOTS to trade including other collectibles like POSTERS – phish prints, and many other bands… I have an extra “Leo” Bobblehead – it is page from phish playing the keytar. Pretty cool. I have tons of collectibles so name what you want – and let’s make this happen!!!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mpns6bmPEs&w=425&h=341]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT462LeQt4g&w=425&h=341]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjl3rl-Vo7I&w=425&h=341]
Long and strange, indeed. Now, if you’ll excuse me, the pizza delivery dude is here, I have to twist up a tip for him, and I don’t want to miss the Teletubbies.
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