Grateful Dead – “Loser” Live

Put Your Gold Money Where Your Love Is Baby!

“Loser” was first performed live at the Capitol Theater on February 18, 1971 and has constantly appeared as part of Grateful Dead’s repertoire. It was also a track from Jerry Garcia’s first solo album “Garcia” which was released on January 20, 1972 under Warner Bros. Records.

And “Loser” is certainly one of the very best of the greatest stories told in a Hunter lyric. In it, we encounter the Loser of the title, who is the song’s narrator and protagonist. Or, antagonist, maybe.

The edgy tone has been set right from the opening line of the song. Unlike some characters from other Hunter-Garcia tracks, there were those who found it difficult to even empathize with this one — a guy with no name who’s also a whiner and hypocrite.

The song seems covered in the Americana dust of so many songs from this period of Hunter’s and Garcia’s songwriting partnership.

Jerry Garcia sure knows how to make songs which always leaves the listener thinking!