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Fire On The Mountain
Composer: Mickey Hart / Robert Hunter

Fire On The Mountain was first performed by the Grateful Dead in March 1977. It remained in the repertoire through to 1995 being played over 250 times.

Robert Hunter comments on the writing of this song in Box Of Rain: Lyrics 1965 - 1993;

Written at Mickey Hart's ranch in heated inspiration as the surrounding hills blazed and the fire approached the recording studio where we were working...
He also noted that the lines; "Put it down heavy, strip it down lean, Got to lay it down dirty and play it back clean", became one of the groups' mottoes

The music for the song developed from Happiness Is Drumming which was released on the 1976 Diga Rhythm Band LP.



Grateful Dead recordings

info Shakedown Street, 1978
info Dead Set, 1981
info Dead Ahead (video), 1981
info Dick's Picks, Vol. 6, 1996
info The Arista Years, 1996
info Dick's Picks, Vol. 13, 1999
info So Many Roads (1965-1995), 1999
info Dick's Picks, Vol. 18, 2000
info Dick's Picks, Vol. 25, 2002
info Dick's Picks, Vol. 29, 2003
info The Very Best Of The Grateful Dead, 2003
info The Closing of Winterland, 2003
info The Closing of Winterland (DVD), 2003
info Beyond Description, 2004
info Download Series Vol. 1: 4/30/77, 2005
info Download Series Vol. 5: 3/27/88, 2005
info Garcia: Collected Artwork: Ltd Ed CD, 2005
info Terrapin Station, 2006 (bonus on exp. CD)
info Shakedown Street, 2006 (bonus on exp. CD)
info Download Series Vol 11: 6/20/91, 2006
info Garcia: Collected Artwork: Clctrs Ed CD, 2007
info Road Trips: Vol 1, No 2: October 1977 (Bonus), 2008
info Rocking The Cradle: Egypt 1978, 2008
info Road Trips: Vol 1, No 4: Winterland 1978, 2008

Mickey Hart

info Furthur, Various Artists, 1997

The Dead

info Holmdel, NJ, June 24, 2003
info St. Louis, MO, July 2, 2003
info Morrison, CO, July 6, 2003
info Atlanta, GA, July 31, 2003
info Darien Center, NY, August 8, 2003
info George, WA, September 21, 2003
info Oakland, CA, December 30, 2004
info Morrison, CO, June 16, 2004
info Mountain View, CA, June 26, 2004
info Boston, MA, July 30, 2004
info Darien Lakes, NY, August 6, 2004
info Raleigh, NC, August 17, 2004
info Dead ’09: Worcester, MA April 19, 2009
info Dead ’09: E. Rutherford, NJ, April 28, 2009
info Dead ’09: Los Angeles, CA, May 9, 2009
info Dead ’09: Mountain View, CA, May 14, 2009

Phil Lesh & Friends

info June 18, 2006: Bonnaroo Music Festival, 2006
info Instant Live: June 25, 2006, Atlanta, GA, 2006
info Instant Live: June 30, 2006, Camden, NJ, 2006
info Instant Live: July 7, 2006, Wantagh, NY, 2006
info Instant Live: July 11, 2006, Scranton, PA, 2006
info Instant Live: July 15, 2006, Indianapolis, IN, 2006

 
Other recordings

info Fire On The Mountain: Reggae Celebrates The Grateful Dead, 1996
info Mitakuye Oyasin Oyasin/All My Relations, Neville Brothers, 1996
info Fire On The Mountain: Reggae Celebrates The Grateful Dead, Vol 2, 1997
info Too Hot To Handle, Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, 1998?
info Gathering On The Mountain: Live Part 1, Various Artists, 2000
info Gathering On The Mountain: Live Part 3, Various Artists, 2000
info Live On Tour, Merl Saunders & Melvin Seals, 2006

Parodies

A parody of Fire On The Mountain called Pasta On The Mountain is included on;

info Bridges To Bert, Leftover Salmon, 1993
info Stolen Roses, Various Artists, 2000
info Light, Bend & Rhythm, Fragile Dragon, 2007

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