Grateful Dead Songs Ready For Sampling, And The Artists That Should Sample Them
This past week, Animal Collective became the first artist to clear a legitimate Grateful Dead sample, securing the Dead's "Unbroken Chain" for inclusion in the currently unreleased track "What Would I Want Sky." Dead bassist Phil Lesh, who wrote the music for "Unbroken Chain," heard the AC track and reportedly gave an immediate OK to the request.
The marriage makes sense: Animal Collective are a kind of modern Dead, creating strong melodies and then spinning them into a looped swirl to technicolor effect. It's tantalizing enough to guess at other artists and what Dead tunes they might sample! Hmmm. Hmmm!
"Tennessee Jed" by Kid Rock
This one's a no-brainer. "Tennessee Jed" is one of the great sing-a-long songs in the Dead canon, a sunny and timelessly American nod to the Volunteer State. Kid Rock may be a Michigander, but he's as all-American as it gets these days, just like this song.
"Shakedown Street" by Eminem
The fat, descending riff of the funkiest song the Dead ever wrote has an almost comic element to it; perfect for an Em track. Nothin' shaking on Shakedown Street? You just gotta poke around!
"Touch Of Grey" by Lily Allen
"Touch Of Grey" was the Dead's late-era anthem, a stubborn but smiling thumbed nose at aging, or rather, societal expectations of aging. The plinky, cheerful keyboard riff could be wondrous in the hands of Lily Allen, whose "LDN" shows she has a knack for pairing defiant lyrics with bouncy tunes.
"Scarlet Begonias" by MGMT
Guitarist Jerry Garcia could produce bouncing, cheerful phrases with one four-and-a-half fingered hand tied behind his back. "Scarlet Begonias" has a riff imbued with a sunny melody that could be looped for infinity—perfect for MGMT.
"Fire On The Mountain" by Dirty Projectors
This song's signature reggae bass riff runs through the entire original, allowing the Dead to weave instrumental and vocal melodies around a foundation. Can you imagine such a riff in the hands of the avant-indie Dirty Projectors? Pulsing female vocal harmonies dancing with jagged, African-influenced Stratocaster playing? Song of the year, blogs.
"Attics of My Life" by Fleet Foxes
This one isn't a thought for a sample as much as it is a request for a cover. This vocal-intensive, American Beauty ballad seems made for the Fleet Foxes, doesn't it?
