Big Boss Man

Lyrics: Smith/Dixon
Music: Smith/Dixon

This was sung regularly by Pigpen with the Dead during the 60's and early 70's. It was revived a few times by Jerry Garcia with the Dead during the 80's. Bob Weir played it a few times with Kingfish in the mid-70's, and then with Ratdog. It has also been played by Phil Lesh & Friends.

Chorus
Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call
Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call
Well you ain't so big, you just tall that's just about all

Now you got me workin', boss man
Workin' round the clock
I want a little shot of whiskey (note a)
But you sure don't let me stop

[chorus]

I'm gonna get me a boss man
One 'bout to treat me right
I work hard in the morning
Sure get stoned at night (note b)

[chorus]

Notes
(a) Bob Weir sometimes sings "Want a little drink of water, but you won't let Bobby stop"
(b) Pigpen sometimes sang "Sure get drunk at night". And Bob Weir sings "Get fucked up at night" (thanks to Gene Baran for pointing that out).

Grateful Dead Recordings
	Date	Album
	Jul 1966	Birth Of The Dead (note 1)
	3 Jul 1966	30 Trips Around The Sun
	29 Jul 1966	The Grateful Dead: 50th Anniversary Edition
	Fillmore 1967	Grateful Dead Documentary (note 2)
	2 Nov 1969	Dave's Picks Volume 43
	3 Jan 1970	Dave's Picks Volume 30
	18 Jan 1970	Download Series Vol 2
	5 Feb 1970	Bear's Choice (note 3)
	18 Feb 1971	American Beauty (50th Anniversary Edition)
	18 Mar 1971	30 Trips Around The Sun
	13 Apr 1971	Dave's Picks Volume 51
	26 Apr 1971	Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses)
	30 May 1971	Winterland 1971
	2 Jul 1971	Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) (50th Anniversary Bonus Disc)
	31 Jul 1971	Road Trips Number 1, Volume 3 (bonus disc)
	7 Aug 1971	Dick's Picks Vol 35
	24 Aug 1971	Dick's Picks Vol 35
	7 Dec 1971	Dave's Picks Volume 22
	9 Dec 1971	Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	14 Dec 1971	Dave's Picks Volume 26
	26 Mar 1972	Dave's Picks Vol 14
	7 Apr 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	11 Apr 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	14 Apr 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	29 Apr 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	4 May 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	7 May 1972	Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead: England '72 (note 4)
	10 May 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	25 May 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	16 Jun 1990	View From The Vault III (video/DVD & CD soundtrack)

Other Dead-related Recordings
	Date	Album	Recorded By
	[?] 1985	Alive in '85	Kingfish (without Weir)
	5 Jun 1999	Love Will See You Through	Phil Lesh & Friends
	2001	Blues Tribute To The Grateful Dead	Various (Anders Osborne)
	2017	Blackberry Smoke with Bob Weir: An Evening at TRI	Blackberry Smoke

Notes
(1) originally released as part of the Rhino box set The Golden Road (1965-1973)
(2) The Grateful Dead Documentary by Michael Wanger and Vance Frost includes (longish) excerpts from a version of Big Boss Man listed as "Live at the Fillmore 1967"
(3) included as a bonus track on remastered album, first released as part of the box set The Golden Road (1965-1973)
(4) also on the box set Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings

Further Information
For an online discussion of the lyrics to this song see the deadsongs.vue conference on The Well.
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography
For details of every time played, see Grateful Sets