

Epler named a new species of diving beetle (family Dytiscidae) for the song it is called Uvarus sinofelihelianthus.

In the 2009 Ang Lee film Taking Woodstock, the version of the song from Europe '72 is used in the part of the film showing everyone arriving at Woodstock in 1969.
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The song is featured in the Rock Band video game series as downloadable content, along with 17 other Grateful Dead songs. Anyone out there remember what it was like to be three years old?" In popular culture 'It's about acid' does it less justice than the observation that it's about seeing, sensing, and making connections in a sensuous world. It's one of the very few rock-and-roll lyrics (including Dylan's) that has as much impact on the page as it does sung, if not more. Wybenga described the lyrics as "acid-drenched", and said, further: "China Cat Sunflower's lyric-composed, Robert Hunter has said, in a state where contemplation of a cat served as touchstone for an interplanetary journey-is a real masterwork. Wybenga as "that dodgy little Bobby intro that scratches your brain just behind the ears." This second riff has been described by author Eric F. The first is played by Jerry Garcia and then a second one played by Bob Weir is interwoven on top of it. The song begins with distinct guitar riffs. Only twice during this extended period was "China Cat Sunflower" played without this pairing. Over the next 26 years they would pair these songs together over 500 times, most often as a second set opener. In late 1969 the Grateful Dead began segueing "China Cat Sunflower" into "I Know You Rider" during live performances. Four instances of this arrangement have been released on official recordings, the first on the compilation album So Many Roads (1965–1995), the second on Dick's Picks Volume 22, and the other two on Road Trips Volume 2 Number 2.Ĭhina Cat Sunflower → I Know You Rider During the first year after its introduction into the band's set list, the song was played by itself or often in the middle of an extended jam between the songs " Dark Star" and "The Eleven"-a position more familiarly (to Deadheads) filled by " St.

The Grateful Dead first performed "China Cat Sunflower" on January 17, 1968, at the Carousel Ballroom in San Francisco, CA, and played the song well over 500 times in concert.

Lyrically, this song has many literary references, including Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, George Herriman's Krazy Kat, and Dame Edith Sitwell's " Polka". bearlybothered Boardart boarddesign deckart flowers sunflower. The first live recording of this song appeared on Europe '72, paired (as was typical) with " I Know You Rider". The song was typically sung by Jerry Garcia. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter and the music composed by Jerry Garcia. " China Cat Sunflower" is a song performed by the Grateful Dead which was first recorded for their third studio album Aoxomoxoa. This rendition for the final run of the shows before the Dead’s hiatus in 1974 shows the remarkable interplay between the five musicians, with some stunning camera work, all shot on 16mm negative film.1969 song by Grateful Dead "China Cat Sunflower" The Dead would play the combo one final time three days later at the last show of the run before their hiatus.Īs Grateful Dead archivist, David Lemieux noted on the performance, “China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider” was hitting a peek in 1974: “Although a standout combination going back to later 1969, China/Rider developed a longer, more intricate, more ascendant jam during 1973, and it peaked in 1974. On October 17th, 1974 Jerry and the gang stretched out “China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider” for San Francisco. Watch the Dead’s Soaring “Morning Dew” at the Winterland
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The footage from the five night run was later the basis for The Grateful Dead Movie released in 1975. The latest footage comes from the run at the Winterland in 1974 before the Dead took a hiatus. The Dead’s archives have opened up once again for the fantastic All the Years Live YouTube series.
