My Top 2000 Songs #1054: The Eleven

Like a few prior picks from the early days of the Grateful Dead, "The Eleven" is at least as much a jam as a proper song. Still, it's got more of a set structure than, say, the free-form instrumental motif of "Spanish Jam," or the typical extended "Dark Star" exploration. I talked about the song once before, upon creating a homemade mix comprised of multiple versions of "The Eleven" stitched together (done as a lark but it turned out kinda great). 

Briefly, the tune--named for its odd 11/12 rhythm which kicks in after a couple minutes of initial jamming--was never recorded by the band in the studio, instead appearing exclusively as part of the Dead's late 60s repertoire, typically appended to "St. Stephen." It was largely introduced on 1969's Live/Dead, appearing as part of the typical "Dark Star/St. Stephen/The Eleven" suite.

There's an actual song tucked into the miasma, though the lyrics are pretty tough to make out, aside from oddly strewn-about shafts of colorful language as Garcia, Weir, and Lesh shout at each other more than harmonize (but in a good, often enthusiastic way). But for me it's all about that crazy beat: I can't help but reciting 1-2-3 1-2-3 1-2-3 1-2 as I hum along in my head. Plus some great primal jamming from the Dead's most acid-drenched era. They dropped it once they got into the 70s, though some of the post-Garcia Grateful Dead offshoots, not to mention countless cover bands, have given it new life.

I have re-uploaded my Eleven mix if you're interested; it will be available for a short time only.

Here's an excellent 1968 version from the Two From The Vault release:

Paired with "St. Stephen" in a 1970 show:

As performed by Dead & Co., 2018: