Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Garcia, Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh, McKernan, Weir
Dark star crashes (note a)Robert Hunter wrote the following ending to the lyrics. You can hear it being spoken at the end of the single version of "Dark Star" - available on the compilation CD What A Long Strange Trip It's Been and as a bonus track on The Golden Road (1965-1973) (thanks to Ben Miller for pointing this out to me). They are also spoken at the end of the Henry Kaiser version on "Those Who Know History ..."
Pouring its light into ashes
Reason tatters
The forces tear loose from the axis
Searchlight casting
For faults in the clouds of delusion
Shall we go, you and I, while we can?
Through the transitive nightfall of diamonds
Mirror shatters
In formless reflections of matter
Glass hand dissolving
To ice petal flowers revolving
Lady in velvet
Recedes in the nights of goodbye
Shall we go, you and I, while we can
Through the transitive nightfall of diamonds?
Spinning a set the stars through which the tattered tales of axis rollNotes
About the waxen wind of never set to motion in the unbecoming
Round about the reason hardly matters nor the wise through which
The stars were set in spin
Grateful Dead Recordings
Recordings from dead.net Tapers Section
| 22 Feb 1968 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>China Cat Sunflower>The Eleven>Caution ) | ||||
| 13 Oct 1968 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Saint Stephen>The Eleven>Death Don't Have No Mercy ) | ||||
| 20 Oct 1968 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Saint Stephen>The Eleven>Caution ) | ||||
| 1 Nov 1968 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>That's It For The Other One ) | ||||
| 17 Jan 1969 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Saint Stephen>The Eleven>Death Don't Have No Mercy ) | ||||
| 25 Jan 1969 | link to tapers' page | ||||
| 28 Mar 1969 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Saint Stephen>The Eleven ) | ||||
| 28 Mar 1969 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Saint Stephen>The Eleven>Death Don't Have No Mercy>Turn On Your Lovelight ) | ||||
| 20 Apr 1969 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Saint Stephen>The Eleven>Death Don't Have No Mercy ) | ||||
| 30 Aug 1969 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Saint Stephen>Te Eleven>Drums>High Time ) | ||||
| 25 Oct 1969 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Saint Stephen>The Eleven>Turn On Your Lovelight ) | ||||
| 27 Jun 1969 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Saint Stephen>Green Green Grass Of Home ) | ||||
| 11 Feb 1970 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Lovelight ) | ||||
| 11 Feb 1970 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Spanish Jam>Turn On Your Lovelight ) | ||||
| 13 Feb 1970 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star ) | ||||
| 14 Feb 1970 | link to tapers' page | ||||
| 8 Nov 1970 | link to tapers' page (Truckin'>Dark Star>The Main Ten ) | ||||
| 28 Apr 1971 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Saint Stephen>Not Fade Away>Going Down The Road Feeling Bad>Not Fade Away ) | ||||
| 24 Oct 1971 | link to tapers' page | ||||
| 7 Nov 1971 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Drums>The Other One>Me And My Uncle>The Other One ) | ||||
| 15 Nov 1971 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>El Paso>Dark Star>Casey Jones ) | ||||
| 15 Nov 1971 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>El Paso>Jam>Casey Jones ) | ||||
| 5 Dec 1971 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star Jam>Me And My Uncle>Dark Star Jam>Sitting On Top Of The World ) | ||||
| 23 Mar 1972 | link to tapers' page | ||||
| 8 Apr 1972 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Sugar Magnolia>Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks), Brokedown Palace ) | ||||
| 4 May 1972 | link to tapers' page | ||||
| 7 May 1972 | link to tapers' page | ||||
| 7 May 1972 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>The Other One>Sing Me Back Home ) | ||||
| 25 May 1972 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Sugar Magnolia ) | ||||
| 25 May 1972 | link to tapers' page (Uncle John's Band>Wharf Rat>Dark Star>Sugar Magnolia ) | ||||
| 21 Aug 1972 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>El Paso>Dark Star>Deal ) | ||||
| 24 Sep 1972 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider ) | ||||
| 24 Sep 1972 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider ) | ||||
| 13 Nov 1972 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Morning Dew ) | ||||
| 19 Nov 1972 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Weather Report Suite Prelude>Mississippi Half Step ) | ||||
| 19 Nov 1972 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Weather Report Suite Prelude, Mississippi Half-Step, Around And Arond, Big Railroad Blues, Sugar Magnolia ) | ||||
| 10 Jun 1973 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>He's Gone>Wharf Rat>Truckin' ) | ||||
| 24 Jun 1973 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Eyes Of The World>China Doll ) | ||||
| 24 Jun 1973 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Eyes Of The World>China Doll ) | ||||
| 1 Aug 1973 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>El Paso ) | ||||
| 24 Feb 1974 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Morning Dew ) | ||||
| 14 May 1974 | link to tapers' page (Weather Report Suite>Dark Star>China Doll ) | ||||
| 25 Jul 1974 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Slipknot>Stella Blue ) | ||||
| 25 Jul 1974 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Stella Blue, Johnny B Goode, Uncle John's Band, U.S.Blues, One More Saturday Night, Ship Of Fools ) | ||||
| 25 Jul 1974 | link to tapers' page (Dark Star>Stella Blue ) | ||||
| 9 Oct 1989 | link to tapers' page (Playing In The Band>Uncle John's Band>Playing In The Band>Dark Star ) | ||||
| 26 Oct 1989 | link to tapers' page | ||||
| 31 Dec 1989 | link to tapers' page (Space (with Balloon Drop)>Iko Iko, Victim Or The Crime>Dark Star ) | ||||
| 29 Mar 1990 | link to tapers' page (Eyes Of The World>Estimated Prophet>Dark Star>Drums ) | ||||
| 1 Nov 1990 | link to tapers' page (Playing In The Band>Dark Star>Drums>Space>Dark Star>Playing In The Band ) | ||||
| 31 Oct 1991 | link to tapers' page (Truckin'>Spoonful>Dark Star ) | ||||
"The Dead" Concert Recordings
| 25 Jun 2003 | PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel NJ | ||||||
| 1 Jul 2003 | Summerfest, Milwaukee, WI | ||||||
| 10 Jul 2003 | Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, CO | ||||||
| 2 Aug 2003 | Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL | ||||||
| 19 Sep 2003 | Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View CA | ||||||
| 31 Dec 2003 | Oakland Arena, Oakland, CA | ||||||
| 26 Jun 2004 | Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, CA | ||||||
| 31 Jul 2004 | Tweeter Center, Mansfield, MA | ||||||
| 6 Aug 2004 | Darien Lakes PAC, Darien Lakes, NY | ||||||
| 13 Aug 2004 | Jones Beach Amphitheater, Wantagh, NY | ||||||
| 14 Apr 2009 | Verizon Center, Washington, DC | ||||||
| 24 Apr 2009 | Nassau Coloseum, Uniondale, NY | ||||||
| 28 Apr | IZOD Center, East Rutherford, NJ | ||||||
| 9 May 2009 | The Forum, Los Angeles, CA | ||||||
| 16 May 2009 | The Gorge, Quincy, WA | ||||||
Ratdoglive CDs and downloads
| 12 Oct 2003 | Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA | ||||||
| 18 Oct 2003 | Orpheum Theater, Boston, MA | ||||||
| 31 Oct 2003 | Agora Theatre, Cleveland, OH | ||||||
| 4 Nov 2003 | Vic Theater, Chicago, IL | ||||||
| 18 Nov 2003 | Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS | ||||||
| 21 Nov 2003 | New Daisy Theater, Memphis, TN | ||||||
| 23 Feb 2004 | House of Blues, Anaheim, CA | ||||||
| 1 Mar 2004 | House of Blues, West Hollywood, CA | ||||||
| 10 Mar 2004 | Valley Ice Garden, Bozeman, MT | ||||||
| 15 Mar 2004 | Boulder Theater, Boulder, CO | ||||||
| 16 Mar 2004 | Boulder Theater, Boulder, CO | ||||||
| 31 Mar 2004 | 9:30 Club, Washington, DC | ||||||
| 16 Sep 2004 | The Pageant, St Louis, MO | ||||||
| 5 Feb 2005 | Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, AZ | ||||||
| 6 Feb 2005 | House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV | ||||||
| 29 Mar 2005 | Orpheum Theatre, Madison, WI | ||||||
| 2 Apr 2005 | Royal Oak Theatre, Royal Oak, MI | ||||||
| 12 Apr 2005 | Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ | ||||||
| 1 May 2005 | Magic City Music Hall, Johnson City, NY | ||||||
| 10 Jun 2005 | The Pageant, St Louis, MO | ||||||
| 9 Aug 2005 | Powell Convention Center, Ocean City, MD | ||||||
| 12 Aug 2005 | Indian Lookout Country Club, Mariaville, NY | ||||||
| 2 Sep 2005 | Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center, Gilford, NH | ||||||
| 29 Oct 2005 | Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY | ||||||
| 10 Nov 2005 | Penn's Peak, Jim Thorpe, PA | ||||||
| 11 Nov 2005 | Penn's Peak, Jim Thorpe, PA | ||||||
| 19 Nov 2005 | Mizner Park Amphitheatre, Boca Raton, FL | ||||||
| 10 Dec 2005 | The Wiltern LG, Los Angeles, CA | ||||||
| 17 Dec 2005 | Showbox, Seattle, WA | ||||||
| 5 Feb 2006 | Majesty Of The Seas, Carribean Sea | ||||||
| 18 Mar 2006 | The NorVa, Norfolk, VA | ||||||
| 30 Mar 2006 | Landmark Theatre, Syracuse, NY | ||||||
| 9 Jun 2006 | Grace Pavilion, Santa Rosa, CA | ||||||
| 1 Jul 2006 | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO | ||||||
| 4 Jul 2006 | Zoo Amphitheatre, Oklahoma City, OK | ||||||
| 15 Jul 2006 | Tweeter Center, Mansfield, MA | ||||||
| 22 Aug 2006 | Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT | ||||||
| 26 Aug 2006 | Rams Head Live, Baltimore, MD | ||||||
| 30 Oct 2006 | Smith Opera House, Geneva, NY | ||||||
| 13 Nov 2006 | The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA | ||||||
| 16 Nov 2006 | House of Blues, Orlando, FL | ||||||
| 14 Feb 2007 | The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA | ||||||
| 10 Mar 2007 | Beacon Theatre, New York, NY | ||||||
| 22 Mar 2007 | Classic Centre, Athens, GA | ||||||
| 13 Jul 2007 | All Good Music Festival, Masontown, WV | ||||||
| 20 Jul 2007 | Harrah's Council Bluffs, Council Bluffs, IA | ||||||
| 27 Jul 2007 | Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay, San Diego, CA | ||||||
| 11 Aug 2007 | Gathering of the Vibes, Bridgeport, CT | ||||||
| 18 Aug 2007 | Mountain LaurelCenter, Bushkill, PA | ||||||
| 19 Aug 2007 | Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Center, NY | ||||||
| 27 Oct 2007 | Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, NH | ||||||
| 8 Nov 2007 | Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte, NC | ||||||
| 17 Nov 2007 | Mizner Park Amphitheatre, Boca Raton, FL | ||||||
| 26 Mar 2008 | House of Blues, Cleveland, OH | ||||||
| 5 Apr 2008 | Beacon Theatre, New York, NY | ||||||
| 12 Apr 2008 | Suwannee Music Park, Live Oak, FL | ||||||
| 5 Jul 2008 | High Sierra Music Festival, Quincy, CA | ||||||
| 10 Jul 2008 | San Jose CPA, San Jose, CA | ||||||
| 10 Aug 2008 | Up North Festival, Hiram, ME | ||||||
| 1 Nov 2008 | Carnegie Music Hall in Homestead, Munhall, PA | ||||||
| 14 Nov 2008 | Tower Theatre, Upper Darby, PA | ||||||
| 15 Nov 2008 | Tower Theatre, Upper Darby, PA | ||||||
| 31 Jan 2009 | Grand Lido Negril Beach Resort and Spa, Negril, Jamaica | ||||||
| 5 Jul 2009 | LC Pavilion, Columbus, OH | ||||||
| 15 Jul 2009 | Penn's Peak, Jim Thorpe, PA | ||||||
| 24 Jul 2009 | Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, NH | ||||||
| 24 Jul 2009 | Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, NH | ||||||
| 22 Aug 2009 | Cuthbert Amphitheatre, Eugene, OR | ||||||
| 4 Sep 2009 | Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay, San Diego, CA | ||||||
| 19 Oct 2009 | Grand Ballroom, New York, NY | ||||||
| 22 Oct 2009 | Beacon Theater, New York, NY | ||||||
| 24 Oct 2009 | Beacon Theater, New York, NY | ||||||
Phil Lesh and Friends Digital Download Series
| 22 Jun 2006 | Mizner Amphitheater, Boca Raton, FL | ||||||
| 27 Jun 2006 | Asheville Civic Center, Asheville, NC | ||||||
| 7 Jul 2006 | Nikon Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY | ||||||
| 9 Jul 2006 | Bethel Woods Center For The Arts, Bethel, NY (free download) | ||||||
| 21 Jul 2006 | 10K Lakes Festival, Detroit Lakes, MN | ||||||
| 29 Sep 2007 | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO | ||||||
| 6 Oct 2007 | Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL | ||||||
| 13 Oct 2007 | Charlottesville Pavilion, Charlottesville, VA | ||||||
| 20 Oct 2007 | Glens Falls Civic Centre, Glens Falls, NY | ||||||
| 11 Nov 2007 | Nokia Theatre, New York City, NY | ||||||
| 27 Nov 2007 | Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA | ||||||
| 25 Jan 2008 | The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA | ||||||
| 29 Jan 2008 | Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR | ||||||
| 9 Nov 2008 | Nokia Theatre, New York City, NY | ||||||
| 18 Nov 2008 | Nokia Theatre, New York City, NY | ||||||
Furthur Digital Downloads and CDs
| 11 Dec 2009 | Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT | ||||||
| 31 Dec 2009 | Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA | ||||||
| 12 Feb 2010 | Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA | ||||||
| 19 Feb 2010 | Mullins Center, University of Massachusets, Amherst. MA | ||||||
| 27 Feb 2010 | Mark G Etess Arena, Atlantic City, NJ | ||||||
| 6 Mar 2010 | The Odeum, Broomfield, CO | ||||||
| 28 May 2010 | Furthur Festival, Mountain Air, Angels Camp, CA | ||||||
| 26 Jun 2010 | MCU Park, Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY | ||||||
| 3 Jul 2010 | Gelston Castle Estate, Mohawk, NY | ||||||
| 8 Jul 2010 | Artpark, Lewiston, NY | ||||||
| 29 Jul 2010 | Nokia Theatre, Times Square, New York, NY | ||||||
| 16 Sep 2010 | Cuthbert Amphitheatre, Eugene, OR | ||||||
| 22 Sep 2010 | The Joint @ Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas, NV | ||||||
| 25 Sep 2010 | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CA | ||||||
| 12 Nov 2010 | UIC Pavilion, Chicago, IL | ||||||
| 20 Nov 2010 | Madison Square Garden, New York, NY | ||||||
| 11 Feb 2011 | 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO | ||||||
| 6 Mar 2011 | Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA | ||||||
| 11 Mar 2011 | Best Buy Theater, New York, NY | ||||||
| 19 Mar 2011 | Tower Theatre, Upper Darby, PA | ||||||
| 26 Mar 2011 | Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY | ||||||
| 17 Jul 2011 | Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY | ||||||
| 26 Jul 2011 | CMAC, Canandaigua, NY | ||||||
| 24 Sep 2011 | Cuthbert Amphitheater, Eugene, OR | ||||||
| 1 Oct 2011 | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO | ||||||
| 7 Oct 2011 | Monterey County Fairgrounds, Monterey, CA | ||||||
| 4 Nov 2011 | Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, ME | ||||||
| 11 Nov 2011 | The Oncenter, Syracuse, NY | ||||||
| 18 Nov 2011 | Allstate Arena, Rosemont, IL | ||||||
| 31 Dec 2011 | Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA | ||||||
| 6 Apr 2012 | Wang Theatre, Boston, MA | ||||||
| 13 Apr 2012 | Beacon Theatre, New York, NY | ||||||
| 18 Apr 2012 | Beacon Theatre, New York, NY | ||||||
| 7 Jul 2012 | The Mann Center, Philadelphia, PA | ||||||
| 13 Jul 2012 | MCU Park, Brooklyn, NY | ||||||
| 22 Sep 2012 | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO | ||||||
| 2 Oct 2012 | SDSU Open Air Theatre, San Diego, CA | ||||||
| 30 Dec 2012 | Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA | ||||||
| 18 Jan 2013 | Sweetwater Music Hall, Mill Valley, CA | ||||||
| 24 Feb 2013 | 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO | ||||||
| 20 Apr 2013 | Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY | ||||||
| 27 Apr 2013 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ | ||||||
Bob Weir Solo Acoustic Live!
| 27 Apr 2012 | F.M.Kirby Center, Wilkes Barre, PA | ||||||
| 8 Sep 2012 | Bearsville Theatre, Woodstock, NY | ||||||
| 9 Dec 2012 | Majestic Fox Theatre, Bakersfield, CA | ||||||
| 15 Dec 2012 | Eureka Municipal Auditorium, Eureka, CA | ||||||
| 26 Feb 2013 | Lensic Center For Performing Arts, Santa Fe, NM (with Jonathan Wilson) | ||||||
| 27 Feb 2013 | Fox Theatre, Tucson, AZ (with Jonathan Wilson) | ||||||
| 4 Mar 2013 | Sweetwater Music Hall, Mill Valley, CA (with Ratdog Quintet) | ||||||
Weir-Robinson-Greene Trio Live!
| 26 May 2012 | Crossroadskc, Kansas City, MO | ||||||
| 30 May 2012 | Ryman Auditorium | ||||||
| 2 Jun 2012 | Boulder Theatre, Boulder, CO | ||||||
Phil Lesh and Friends Recordings
| 31 Dec 2001 | There And Back Again | Phil Lesh & Friends (note 10) | |||
| 18 May 2006 | Live At The Warfield | ||||
| 19 May 2006 | Live At The Warfield |
Other Dead-related Recordings
| Date | Album | Recorded By | |||
| 1 Dec 2012 | A Buckdancer's Choice | ALO (with Bob Weir) |
Covers By Other Artists
| Date | Album | Recorded By | |||
| 1989 | Fresh Tracks In Real Time | Tom Constanten | |||
| 1989 | Those Who Know History Are Doomed To Repeat It | Henry Kaiser | |||
| 1990 | Heart's Desire | Henry Kaiser (note 9) | |||
| 1992 | Nightfall Of Diamonds | Tom Constanten | |||
| 1993 | A Historical Retrospective | Solar Circus | |||
| 1993 | Dead Ringers | Dead Ringers | |||
| 1996 | Dark Star: The Music Of The Grateful Dead | David Murray Octet | |||
| 1997 | Pickin' On The Grateful Dead | David West et al | |||
| 1997 | Space Debris | Space Debris | |||
| 1998 | Realms | Jamie Janover (instrumental) | |||
| 1998 | Blue Light Rain | Jazz Is Dead | |||
| 1998 | Welcome To Our World (For Members Only) | JGB | |||
| 1998 | 3-13-98 | Big Wu (jam only) | |||
| 1998 | Live With His Funky Friends | Merl Saunders | |||
| 2000 | Stolen Roses | David Grisman Quintet | |||
| 2000 | Struggling Man | Merl Saunders | |||
| 2000 | Search For Intelligent Life | Dose Hermanos | |||
| 2000 | The Serpent Unrolled | Fit And Limo | |||
| 2000 | Grateful Dreams | Tom Constanten | |||
| 2001 | The Sea To The North | Garth Hudson | |||
| 2002 | Electronic Tribute To The Grateful Dead | Various (J.P.Melen) | |||
| 2002 | 88 Keys To Tomorrow | Tom Constanten | |||
| 2003 | Pluck! | Eric Golub | |||
| 2003 | Live On Tour | Merl Saunders and Melvin Seals | |||
| 16 Jun 2004 | Mick's Picks, Volume 3 | Jefferson Starship | |||
| 2005 | Jerry Jams, Jerry Cares | David Grisman Quintet | |||
| 2005 | Jerry Jams, Jerry Cares | John Ginty and Kathy Phillips | |||
| 2005 | Live At Mojo | Dreadnought | |||
| 2009 | Henry Kaiser Plays Dead | Psychedelic Guitar Circus | |||
| 2009 | Henry Kaiser Plays Dead | Henry Kaiser Band |