It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 11:25 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Wharf Rat: a question to other Dead fans...
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 5:02 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 8:34 pm
Posts: 238
Location: Brazil
One of the Grateful Dead's songs I really like is "Wharf Rat".

Image

Having listened to the lyrics, read them and researched about the details and characters depicted, I'd like to share an impression...

Garcia sings impersonating someone who walks around the docks of San Francisco (possibly, but any city with a wharf) and comes across a blind old man in misery who asks him for a dime and tells him his story.

Well, the poor August West says that he loved "Pearly Baker" more than anything in his life, even more than alcohol and than God Himself. Most interpretations associate "Pearly Baker" with his alcoholism, and with the figure of Rev. Purley Baker, who was the head of the Anti-Saloon League of America. This group lead the fight for prohibition in the US.

BUT: How can Pearly Baker be his relation with alcohol or the impersonation of his alcoholism if he loves Pearly more than his wine?

My feelings when I listen to this song: The fact that August West still wanders around the wharf and loves this "Pearly Baker" more than his wine and than God makes me think he was a sailor and that "Pearly Baker" was the ship in which he served.

When he says

"Everyone said
I'd come to no good
I knew I would
Pearly believed them"

I think it could mean that he was expelled from the ship/service because of his addiction to alcohol...

Anyone else has this impression?


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Wharf Rat: a question to other Dead fans...
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 8:16 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 7:06 am
Posts: 1662
Sérgio wrote:
One of the Grateful Dead's songs I really like is "Wharf Rat".

Image

Having listened to the lyrics, read them and researched about the details and characters depicted, I'd like to share an impression...

Garcia sings impersonating someone who walks around the docks of San Francisco (possibly, but any city with a wharf) and comes across a blind old man in misery who asks him for a dime and tells him his story.

Well, the poor August West says that he loved "Pearly Baker" more than anything in his life, even more than alcohol and than God Himself. Most interpretations associate "Pearly Baker" with his alcoholism, and with the figure of Rev. Purley Baker, who was the head of the Anti-Saloon League of America. This group lead the fight for prohibition in the US.

BUT: How can Pearly Baker be his relation with alcohol or the impersonation of his alcoholism if he loves Pearly more than his wine?

My feelings when I listen to this song: The fact that August West still wanders around the wharf and loves this "Pearly Baker" more than his wine and than God makes me think he was a sailor and that "Pearly Baker" was the ship in which he served.

When he says

"Everyone said
I'd come to no good
I knew I would
Pearly believed them"

I think it could mean that he was expelled from the ship/service because of his addiction to alcohol...

Anyone else has this impression?

Sérgio, go here

http://www.dead.net/features/greatest-stories-ever-told/greatest-stories-ever-told-wharf-rat?page=1


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Wharf Rat: a question to other Dead fans...
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 8:26 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 8:34 pm
Posts: 238
Location: Brazil
mud wrote:



I had seen that page before, it's great!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Wharf Rat: a question to other Dead fans...
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 9:41 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:38 am
Posts: 12975
Location: Canada
That was all very interesting Sergio and mud. Thoroughly enjoyed the read. It’s always interesting to find songwriting with mystery and different interpretations.

Bobbie Gentry‘s Ode To Billie Joe is another one of those left to interpretation that has yet to be solved.

[youtube]https://www.quora.com/What-actually-happened-in-“Ode-to-Billie-Joe”[/youtube]

FSB

_________________
Hello, big guitar. Meet my little fingers.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Wharf Rat: a question to other Dead fans...
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 10:07 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:51 pm
Posts: 25350
Location: Witness Protection Program
I'd never heard the song but I looked up wharf rat:


https://www.urbandictionary.com/define. ... harf%20Rat

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Wharf Rat: a question to other Dead fans...
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 11:33 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 8:34 pm
Posts: 238
Location: Brazil
To me, Pearly Baker being the ship makes sense more and more.

If Purley was an activist for prohibition, it makes sense to think that the ship was, for some time, what kept August sober (working as a sailor), because he loved the ship more than anything.

The love and dedication of sailors to their ships is often sung about...


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: