The 1973 Grateful Dead song Jerry Garcia loved but “nobody liked”
Grateful Dead will always be one of the most influential bands of their era. Not only did they symbolise the Californian essence of the 1960s counterculture with their attitude towards life, but they also captured it perfectly within their music.
Their extended jams became the perfect soundtrack for audiences often drifting in a narcotic haze, and their expert blend of Americana with other genres convinced many that the group were true masters of their craft. Something that would never have happened without band leader Jerry Garcia.
Not only was Garcia the Dead’s singer and their finest resident guitar hero, but he was also the group’s uncompromising figurehead. Even those unfamiliar with the band have heard of the many crazy tales involving Garcia from the group’s peak, including the time he ate a cake dosed with 800 hits of acid. However, his musical legacy overshadows the off-stage infamy.
While Garcia was a prolific songwriter essential to the band’s rise, he was also highly self-aware. Demonstrating this humble character, he lucidly explained why the Grateful Dead could be so polarising. In fact, Garcia was so aware of the parameters of his work that he once revealed the name of the song that he really loved but “nobody else really liked”.
When speaking to Relix in 1976, Garcia named ‘Row Jimmy’, from 1973’s Wake of the Flood, as a track he “really loved”. He even said it was one of his favourite songs he had written. In typical fashion, though, he immediately undercut the praise by adding that no one else in the band liked it.
Interestingly, Wake of the Flood appeared in a significant period for the Grateful Dead. It was their first without founding member Ron ‘Pigpen’ McKernan, who died earlier in the year. At the time, the group was comprised of Garcia, Donna Jean Godchaux, Keith Godchaux, Bill Kreutzmann and Bob Weir. ‘Row Jimmy’ was written by the frontman in tandem with lyricist Robert Hunter.
Part of the reason ‘Row Jimmy’ divided opinion was its gentle, almost drifting pace. Built around a rolling rhythm and a relaxed groove, the song lacked the explosive improvisational moments that many fans associated with the Dead’s live performances. Instead, it leaned into a more reflective mood, with Garcia’s vocal and guitar work unfolding slowly across the track. For listeners expecting the band’s more frenetic psychedelic jams, the understated nature of ‘Row Jimmy’ could feel surprisingly restrained.
Discussing ‘Row Jimmy’, Garcia explained: “There are some songs that I really loved. Like, I really loved ‘Row Jimmy Row’. That was one of my favourite songs of ones that I’ve written. I loved it. Nobody else really liked it very much. We always did it. But nobody liked it very much, at least in the same way I did”.
Despite the mixed feelings within the band, ‘Row Jimmy’ has since become one of the most quietly beloved songs in the Grateful Dead’s catalogue. Over time, fans came to appreciate its laid-back atmosphere and the warmth of Garcia and Robert Hunter’s songwriting partnership. What once seemed like an outlier in the band’s repertoire now stands as a reminder of the Dead’s ability to explore subtlety as well as spectacle.
