Childhood's End
Lyrics and music: Phil Lesh
Reprinted under permissions: Copyright
Ice Nine Publishing
First performance: July 20, 1994, at
Deer Creek Music Center,
Noblesville, Indiana.
This was one of Phil's new songs in the ninties. It can be seen as an older man coming to realize how the times had changed. It can also be interpreted as his frustration with
Jerry Garcia's drug abuse whicvh was runing the music being made by
The Dead.
When I was hoppin' freights and makin' payments on the farm
Here between the angels and the deep blue sea
You were runnin', laughin', growin' sheltered from the storm
Dreamin' of the day the moon would set you free
Yeah, to sing your siren song so sweet and warm
River run deep
River run slow
Get a little restless
Wanna see some whales blow
River run cold
River run clear
That feeling always gets to me
'Round about this time of year
Scoutin' unknown borders under multi-colored moons
In the wildest flights of cosmic mystery
Rang a single soarin' tone that strung the sky in tune
As the silence in my heart rose from the sea
Aaah, to greet you in the dawn with a pale harpoon
River run restless
River run high
Runnin' thru a hailstorm
Try to catch a star on the fly
River run muddy
River flow like tears
Cocoon of life surroundin' us
Holdin' all our hopes and fears
Reach behind the wind
Search beyond the stars
We're the life on Mars
When the day grows dark and scary scatterin' the light
All the colors run away and hide behind your knees
The same sweet thunder tumbles rollin' down the night
Like a mothership that calls for you and me
Come on, and drift along that sky river bright
River run swiftly
River run wide
Feel like sailin'
On the morning tide
River run golden
River run true
Set a course and follow
Ooooh, the star that leads to you