Grateful Dead Family Discography: Silver Threads And Golden Needles

Silver Threads And Golden Needles

Composer: Dick Reynolds / Jack Rhodes

Silver Threads And Golden Needles was performed by the Grateful Dead in 1966, 1969 and 1970. They probably only performed the song about 20 times in total. It was also played by Bob Weir with the Waybacks in 2006 and by Phil Lesh & Friends in 2015. Bruce Hornsby played the song in 2024.

The song was first released by Wanda Jackson in 1956 and it was subsequently recorded by many performers. The Springfields released a version in 1962 that became the first single by a British group to reach the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100.

Grateful Dead recordings

Rare Cuts and Oddities 1966, Grateful Dead, 2005
Road Trips: Vol 3, Number 3: Fillmore East, 5/15/70, Grateful Dead, 2010
Family Dog at the Great Highway, 4/18/70, 2013

Other recordings

no info Single (Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad / Silver Threads And Golden Needles), Wanda Jackson, 1956
Brenda Lee, Brenda Lee, 1960?
Silver Threads and Golden Needles, Springfields, 1962
no info Single (Silver Threads And Golden Needles / Aunt Rhody), Springfields, 1962
All New, Hawkshaw Hawkins, 1962
no info Single (Silver Threads And Golden Needles / Girl Without A Name) , Hawkshaw Hawkins, 1962
Hit Sounds EP, Springfields, 1963
Sing Great Country Hits, The Everly Brothers, 1963
End of the World, Skeeter Davis, 1963
Heart and Soul of Ferlin Husky, Ferlin Husky, 1963
The Best, Bobby Helms, 1963
Tip Of My Fingers, Roy Clark, 1963
Country Music Entertainer No. 1, Cowboy Copas, 1963
The Big Folk Hits, The Brothers Four, 1963
Pickin' and Grinnin', Bluegrass Hillbillies (w/ Curtis McPeake), 1963
12 String Guitar, Billy Strange, 1963?
The Electric 12 String Guitar, Tom Tedesco, 1964
no info Single (Silver Threads And Golden Needles / Tia Lisa Lynn), Rose Maddox, 1964
The Springfields' Story, The Springfields, 1964
Meanwhile Back At The Whisky á Go-Go, Johnny Rivers, 1965
no info Single (Silver Threads And Golden Needles / Melody For Robin), Jody Miller, 1965
Queen of the House, Jody Miller, 1965
Yesterday and Other Folk Rock Hits, Jerry Lewis Singers, 1965
Walkin' Down the Line, Joe & Eddie, 1965
Time, The Pozo-Seco Singers, 1966
no info 24 Great Songs, Hawkshaw Hawkins w/ Cowboy Copas, 1967
If I Lived Here: The Country Soul of Glen Garrison, Glen Garrison, 1968
Leave My Baby Alone, Wanda Jackson, 1968
Hand Sown Home Grown, Linda Ronstadt, 1969
In Person, Wanda Jackson, 1969
no info Silver Threads And Golden Needles, Roy Clark, 1969
no info Single (Silver Threads And Golden Needles / Island Of Dreams), Springfields, 1969
Lonesome 7-7203, Hawkshaw Hawkins, 1969
II x II, The Cowsills, 1970
no info Single (Silver Threads and Golden Needles / Love American Style), The Cowsills, 1970
The New Spirit Of Capitol, Various Artists (Linda Ronstadt), 1970
no info Best Of Roy Clark, Roy Clark, 1971
All In The Boone Family, Pat Boone, 1973
Don't Cry Now, Linda Ronstadt, 1973
no info Highlights, Springfield Revival, 1973
no info I'll Do Anything It Takes, Jean Shepard, 1974
no info Entertainer Of The Year, Roy Clark, 1974
The Nashville Hit Man, Charlie McCoy, 1974
no info Single (Silver Threads And Golden Needles / I Just Can't Stand To See You Cry), Charlie McCoy, 1974
no info Single (Silver Threads And Golden Needles / Release Me), Charlie McCoy, 1974
Janis Soundtrack, Janis Joplin, 1975
no info The Roots Of British Rock, Various Artists (Springfields), 1975
no info Greatest Hits, Linda Ronstadt, 1976
Rendezvous, Sandy Denny, 1977
This is Rose Maddox, Rose Maddox, 1977
Stone Fox Chase, Charlie McCoy, 1977
no info A Retrospective, Linda Ronstadt, 1977
no info Hootenanny, Various Artists (Springfields), 1977
no info 16 Greatest Hits, Hawkshaw Hawkins, 1978
no info Single (Silver Threads And Golden Needles / Queen Of The House), Jody Miller, 197?
Rose Of The West Country, Rose Maddox, 1980
no info Single (Midnight Train To Georgia / Silver Threads And Golden Needles), Lynn Anderson, 1982
I Still Care, Melba Montgomery, 1982
no info Single (Island Of Dreams / Silver Threads And Golden Needles), Springfields, 1982
Sundance, Sundance, 1982
Greatest Hits, Charlie McCoy, 1982
Memories And Desires, Lynn Anderson, 1982
no info Her Greatest Country Hits, Wanda Jackson, 1983
no info Good Times, Wanda Jackson, 1989
no info Best Selection, Skeeter Davis, 1989
no info California Rose, Rose Maddox, 1989
no info Blue Bayou, Linda Ronstadt, 1989
no info Live In Scandinavia, Wanda Jackson, 1989
The Best of Roy Clark, Roy Clark, 1990
no info With Feelin', Ferlin Husky, 1991
no info Greatest Hits Live, Brenda Lee, 1991
Country Spotlight, Lynn Anderson, 1991
no info Havin' a 60's Hootenanny, Various Artists (Springfields), 1991
Troubadours Of The Folk Era, Volume Three: The Groups, Various Artists (The Springfields), 1992
no info Super Hits: Early 60's Classics, Various Artists (Springfields), 1992
no info Super Hits: Mid 60's ClassicsVarious Artists (Springfields), 1992
Honky Tonk Angels, Dolly Parton, 1993
no info Single (Silver Threads and Golden Needles (w/Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette) / Let Her Fly, Dolly Parton, 1993
The One Rose: The Capitol Years, Rose Maddox, 1993
Best Always, Crystal Gayle, 1993
Right or Wrong, Wanda Jackson, 1993
Goin' Back: The Very Best of Dusty Springfield, Dusty Springfield, 1994
no info 22 Greatest Hits, Hawkshaw Hawkins, 1994
Peaceful Easy Feeling, Various Artists (Linda Ronstadt), 1994
Railroad Man (comp), Billy Strange, 1995
The Essential Skeeter Davis, Skeeter Davis, 1995
no info Legendary Country Singers, Tammy Wynette, 1995
no info AM Gold: Early '60s Classics, Various Artists (Springfields), 1995
no info AM Gold: Mid-'60s ClassicsVarious Artists (Springfields), 1995
no info Treasured Tunes, Vol. 2, Various Artists (Springfields), 1995
no info Best of Country & Irish, Various Artists (Crystal Gayle), 1995
Hillbilly Fever, Vol 5 - The Best of Country Rock, Various Artists (Linda Ronstadt), 1996
Heroes of Country Music, Vol. 5, Various Artists (Linda Ronstadt), 1996
Time / I Can Make It With You, Pozo-Seco Singers, 1996
Johnny Rivers Rocks the Folk/Meanwhile Back at the Whisky A-Go-Go, Johnny Rivers, 1996
no info The Essential Skeeter Davis, Skeeter Davis, 1996
The Best of the Brothers Four, The Brothers Four, 1996
no info Vintage Collections Series, Wanda Jackson, 1996
Over the Hills and Far Away, The Springfields, 1997
Anthology, Dusty Springfield, 1997
no info Country Collection, Various Artists (Lynn Anderson), 1997
Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine, Wanda Jackson, 1997
no info Live Dynamite, Brenda Lee, 1997
no info Grace Under Pressure, Three Sheets to the Wind, 1997
no info And the Beat Goes on, Vol. 4, Various Artists (Springfields), 1997
no info Country Classics, Vol. 3, Various Artists (Brenda Lee), 1997
no info Golden Country Hits, Various Artists (Brenda Lee), 1997
no info Best Selection, Skeeter Davis, 1997
Ultimate Collection, Janis Joplin, 1998
no info Rose Garden, Lynn Anderson, 1998
no info Very Best of Country , Various Artists (Brenda Lee), 1998
no info Best of Country, Charlie McCoy, 1998
Very Best of the Springfields, Springfields, 1998
The Country-Rockin' Trust Presents...Take It Easy, Various Artists (Linda Ronstadt), 1998
no info Mega Country, Vol. 2, Various Artists (Brenda Lee), 1998
no info Mr. Cotton Eyed Joe (Plays for Urban Cowboys), Al Dean, 1999
no info Brenda Lee at Her Best, Brenda Lee, 1999
no info The All Time Greatest Country Songs, Various Artists (Dolly / Loretta / Tammy), 1999
no info The Definitive Collection, Tammy Wynette, 1999
no info Outlaws, Various Artists (Dolly etc), 1999
no info The Best of Folk Era, Various Artists (Springfields), 1999
no info Stand by Your Man, Original Soundtrack, 1999
no info Greatest Hits, Lynn Anderson, 19??
no info Radio Memories Of The Late Hawkshaw Hawkins, Hawkshaw Hawkins, 19??
The Brothers Four Songbook / The Big Folk Hits, The Brothers Four, 2000
no info Miss Dynamite Live, Brenda Lee, 2000
no info Three for One, Linda Ronstadt, 2000
Something Special, Shaw Brothers, 2000
no info Foster & Allen Sing the Country Hits, Foster & Allen, 2000
no info Country Classics, Various Artists (Brenda Lee), 2000
no info Steppin' Country, Vol. 4, Various Artists, 2000
20th Century Masters: The Best of the Cowsills, The Cowsills, 2001
no info Chicken Soup For The Country Soul: Country Songs That Open The Heart, Uplift & Inspire, Various Artists (Linda Ronstadt), 2001
no info Country Greats, Various Artists (Brenda Lee), 2001
no info The Greatest Hits, Foster & Allen, 2001
Golden Moments, Melba Montgomery, 2001
no info Gold: Greatest Hits, Dolly Parton, 2001
no info Ultimate Collection, Dusty Springfield, 2001
no info The Best of 90's Country, Various Artists (Dolly Parton), 2001
Wanda Jackson, Wanda Jackson, 2002 (CD bonus track)
Folk Rock Revival Sampler, We Five, 2002
no info Collection: 20 Songs From The Heart, Crystal Gayle, 2002
no info Country Gold, Various Artists (Brenda Lee), 2002
The Folk Years: Blowin' in the Wind, Various Artists (Springfields), 2002
Sweet Nothings, Brenda Lee, 2002
no info Sincerely (Tour edition), Foster & Allen, 2002
no info Country Love Songs, Various Artists (Wanda Jackson)< 2002
no info Potter County, Pennsylvania, Rita Rose, 2002
no info No Borders, Manson Grant & the Dynamos, 2003
no info Country Girl: 20 Favourite Songs, Billie Jo Spears , 2003
Ultimate Collection, Dusty Springfield, 2003
The Pop Hits Collection, Skeeter Davis, 2003
The Folk Years, Various Artists (Springfields), 2003
A Concert Behind Behind Prison Walls, Johnny Cash & Guests, 2003
A Boxful of Treasures, Sandy Denny, 2004
no info Little Miss Dynamite in Concert, Brenda Lee, 2004
no info Nashville Legends , Various Artists (Brenda Lee), 2004
no info Take Me as I Am, Paul Main, 2004
no info The Great, Dolly Parton, 2004
no info First Ladies of Country, Various Artists (Dolly Parton), 2004
Sing Great Country Hits / Gone Gone Gone, The Everly Brothers, 2005
no info The Collection: Chronological Covers and Concert Classics, Sandy Denny, 2005
no info Country Ladies and Gentlemen, Various Artists (Brenda Lee), 2005
no info First Ladies of Country, Various Artists (Brenda Lee), 2005
no info The Best of Country Music, Various Artists, 2005
The Best of Linda Ronstadt: The Capitol Years, Linda Ronstadt, 2006
no info The Dusty Springfield Story, Dusty Springfield, 2006
The Price of Fame 1960-1965, The Everly Brothers, 2006
The Very Best of the Country Years, Wanda Jackson, 2006
Gold, Dusty Springfield, 2006
Gold, Loretta Lynn, 2006
no info Early Rock from New Zealand, Vol. 13-14, Various Artists, 2006
Painting the Day: The Angelic Psychedelia of the Cowsills, The Cowsills, 2006
no info In Concert: Cry & Other Classics, Lynn Anderson, 2006
no info Dusty: The Original Pop Diva, Dusty Springfield, 2006
no info Before the Fame, Wanda Jackson, 2007
The Very Best of Dolly Parton, Dolly Parton, 2007
no info Dolly Parton and Friends (DVD), Dolly Parton, 2007
no info Greatest Hits, Vols 1 & 2, Linda Ronstadt, 2007