Grateful Dead Family Discography: Fire On The Mountain

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

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

Mickey Hart

Furthur, Various Artists, 1997

The Dead

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

Phil Lesh & Friends

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

Other recordings

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

Parodies

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

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