"More a roller coaster than the train I used to know..."

The Annotated "Tons of Steel"

An installment in The Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics.
By David Dodd
Kraemer Family Library
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (The opinions expressed are those of the author, not of the University of Colorado.) Copyright notice; © 1995,1996, David Dodd
"Tons of Steel"
Words and music by Brent Mydland

"Tons of Steel"

Recorded on

First performance: December 28, 1984, at the Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California. "Tons" was soundchecked, then appeared in the first set, following "Dire Wolf" and preceding "I Ain't Superstitious." The other first in the show was "Day Tripper." I was there!

See Ken Rattenne's essay, Railroad as Metaphor", for more on the song.


Keywords:@trains
DeadBase code: [TONS]
First posted: February 18, 1997