Loser
Lyrics:
Robert Hunter
Music:
Jerry Garcia Reprinted with permissions copyright
Ice Nine Publishing
First performance: February 18, 1971 at the
Capitol Theater in
Port Chester, N.Y.
If I had a gun for every ace that I had drawn
I could arm a town the size of Abilene
Don't you push me baby, 'cause I'm moaning low
And you know I'm only in it for the gold
All that I am asking for is ten gold dollars (note 1)
And I could pay you back with one good hand
You can look around at the wide world over
But you'll never find another honest man
Last fair deal in the country, sweet Susie (note 2)
Last fair deal in the town
Put your gold dollars where your love is baby
Before you let my deal go down
Don't you push me baby, 'cause I'm moaning low
Well I know a little something you won't ever know
Don't you touch hard liquor, just a cup of cold coffee
Gonna get up in the morning and go
Everybody's bragging and drinking that wine
I can tell the Queen of Diamonds by the way she shines
Come to daddy on an inside straight
Well I got no chance of losing this time
Well I got no chance of losing this time
Notes
(1) at some point, this changed from "one gold dollar" - inflation!
(2) after a while, Garcia dropped "sweet Susie" from this line, though he occasionally seemed to forget and bring it back again! It rarely appears after 1972, but instances are 5/14/74, 6/18/74 and 1/10/79.
Grateful Dead Recordings
28 Apr 1971 Ladies And Gentlemen ... The Grateful Dead
studio 1972 Garcia (Jerry Garcia)
25 Sep 1976 Dick's Picks Vol 20
?? Oct 1980 Dead Set
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