This collection provides instrumental edits of every Grateful Dead performance of “Fire on the Mountain” in May 1977. It was still a new song, played only six times prior to these versions.
As an improvisational vehicle, the song had three parts, all with variable lengths and approaches:
- The introduction, up to the first verse
- The middle jam, between the two verses
- The rousing final jam, which led to the “Scarlet Begonias” bookend close
In addition to eliminating the verses and choruses, I’ve also removed the return to the baseline groove that occurred between the middle jam and the second verse, so those solo-driven parts flow together without a slow-down.
Otherwise, it’s all the music - each performance as a pure jam that reveals the essential differences among them. They range from seven to twelve minutes each. All have been officially released except 5/4/77.
72-minute mp3 mix zipped up here
- Fire Jam (5/4/77)
- Fire Jam (5/5/77)
- Fire Jam (5/8/77)
- Fire Jam (5/11/77)
- Fire Jam (5/13/77)
- Fire Jam (5/17/77)
- Fire Jam (5/21/77)
- Fire Jam (5/25/77)
You'll find a mix of May '77's "Dancin' in the Streets" jams here.