Skeletons from the Closet: The Best of Grateful Dead [Warner Bros.]

• Artist: Grateful Dead
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1974
• Total Time: 44:53
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Rock

Review

Skeletons from the Closet has been long-lived as a Grateful Dead primer, though it was superseded by The Very Best of the Grateful Dead in 2003. Fans of the band's live show have noted that Skeletons only contains two live tracks from a band whose live shows are its strongest suit. Still, Skeletons remains a good introduction to the band's early -- and arguably best -- work, and is also a great disc for the casual fan. Favorites include "Truckin'," "Sugar Magnolia," "Friend of the Devil," and "Casey Jones," classic tracks taken from 1970's Workingman's Dead and American Beauty. The disc also includes a couple of early Bob Weir jewels, "Mexicali Blues" and "One More Saturday Night," and an edited version of "Turn on Your Love Light" by Ron "Pigpen" McKernan. The disc offers several selections from the Dead's early albums, including "The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)," "St. Stephen," and "Rosemary." The tracking order of the songs isn't always chronological but it does have a natural flow, with the possible exception of the high-powered "Love Light." While most new fans will opt for The Very Best of the Grateful Dead, Skeletons -- for longtime fans -- will always be a great disc for a lazy Sunday afternoon. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)	Jerry Garcia	Grateful Dead	(2:07)
Truckin'	Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Robert Hunter, Phil Lesh	Grateful Dead	(5:09)
Rosemary	Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter	Grateful Dead	(1:58)
Sugar Magnolia	Bob Weir, Robert Hunter	Grateful Dead	(3:15)
St. Stephen	Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter, Phil Lesh	Grateful Dead	(4:26)
Uncle John's Band	Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter	Grateful Dead	(4:42)
Casey Jones	Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter	Grateful Dead	(4:24)
Mexicali Blues	Bob Weir, John Perry Barlow	Grateful Dead	(3:24)
Turn on Your Love Light	Deadric Malone, Joseph Wade Scott	Grateful Dead	(6:30)
One More Saturday Night [Live]	Bob Weir	Grateful Dead	(4:45)
Friend of the Devil	Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter, John Dawson	Grateful Dead	(3:20)

Credits

Jerry Garcia (Guitar), Jerry Garcia (Vocals), Grateful Dead (Producer), Grateful Dead (Engineer), Grateful Dead (Main Performer), Bob Weir (Guitar), Bob Weir (Vocals), Stephen Barncard (Producer), Dick Bogert (Engineer), Betty Cantor-Jackson (Producer), Betty Cantor-Jackson (Engineer), Joe Gastwirt (Remixing), David Hassinger (Producer), Bill Kreutzmann (Drums), Phil Lesh (Bass), Phil Lesh (Vocals), Bob Matthews (Producer), Bob Matthews (Engineer), Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (Organ), Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (Vocals), Bill Wolf (Editing), Alembie (Producer), Alembie (Engineer), Dave Collins (Digital Remastering Assistant), John Van Hamersveld (Artwork), Bob Seidemann (Art Direction), Betty Cantor (Producer), Betty Cantor (Engineer), Betty Cantor (Editing), Alembic (Producer), Alembic (Engineer)