History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice)

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History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice) is the ninth album and the fourth live album by the Grateful Dead, released in July 1973 on Warner Bros. Records. It offers concert highlights from the band's performances of February 13 and 14, 1970 at the Fillmore East in New York City, and peaked at number 60 on the Billboard 200.

Content

The album was compiled as a tribute of sorts to Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, the band's original keyboard player and blues aficionado, who died while it was being prepared. The "Bear" of the title is Owsley Stanley, underground chemist turned Dead sound man. The original album was recorded and produced by Stanley, and fans often simply refer to the album as Bear's Choice. Side one consists of acoustic performances by McKernan, Jerry Garcia, and Bob Weir on country blues material, with one original from Workingman's Dead and an interpretation of one 1950s rock and roll number by the Everly Brothers. The second side features performances by the entire band backing McKernan on two repertoire items, "Smokestack Lightning" by Howlin' Wolf, and "Hard to Handle" by Otis Redding.

The mournful "Black Peter" received the most amount of album oriented rock radio airplay. The album was originally intended as the first in a series but Volume Two never came to be, as the band's contract with Warner Bros. Records was not renewed. The parenthetical "Bear's Choice" also prevented confusion with a homonymous, non-contractual album, in retail bins at the time.

The album was remastered for compact disc in 2001 as part of The Golden Road (1965–1973) box set, and later released separately in 2003. Four bonus tracks were included: one from the same run at the Fillmore East, and three from a week earlier at the Fillmore West in San Francisco. In keeping with the tributary nature of the original record, three of the four bonus tracks feature lead vocals by McKernan. Dick's Picks Volume 4, released in 1996 from the "Dick's Picks" archival series, also chronicles these performances.

Cover art and iconography

A large complement of iconography is associated with the Grateful Dead. Along with the "Skull & Roses", dancing terrapins and the "Lightning Skull/Stealie", perhaps the most ubiquitous are the "Dancing Bears", which notably made their first appearance on the rear cover of this album. Designed by Bob Thomas, they have been incorporated into an endless array of both fan-produced and official merchandise and ephemera. Though usually referred to as the "Dancing Bears" they are, in fact, marching and not dancing. The front cover also has the first appearance of the "Good Old Grateful Dead" epithet.

Track listing

Side one

1. "Katie Mae" (Lightnin' Hopkins) – 4:44
2. "Dark Hollow" (Bill Browning) – 3:52
3. "I've Been All Around This World" (traditional) – 4:18
4. "Wake Up Little Susie" (Felice and Boudleaux Bryant) – 2:31
5. "Black Peter" (Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter) – 7:27

Side two

6. "Smokestack Lightning" (Howlin' Wolf) – 17:59
7. "Hard to Handle" (Al Bell, Allen Jones, and Otis Redding) – 6:15

2001 reissue bonus tracks

8. "Good Lovin'" (Rudy Clark and Arthur Resnick) – 8:56
9. "Big Boss Man" (Al Smith, Luther Dixon) – 4:53
10. "Smokestack Lightning" (Howlin' Wolf) – 15:11
11. "Sitting on Top of the World" (Lonnie Chatmon, Walter Vinson) – 3:20

Notes

• "Katie Mae," "Wake Up Little Susie," "Black Peter," and "Smokestack Lightning" (original version) recorded on February 13, 1970, at the Fillmore East, New York.
• "Dark Hollow", "I've Been All Around This World" and "Hard to Handle" recorded on February 14, 1970, at the Fillmore East in New York City.
• "Big Boss Man" (reissue version) recorded on February 5, 1970, at the Fillmore West, San Francisco.
• "Smokestack Lightning" (reissue version) and "Sitting on Top of the World" recorded on February 8, 1970, at the Fillmore West, San Francisco.
• "Good Lovin'" (reissue version) recorded on February 13, 1970, at the Fillmore East, New York.

Personnel

• Jerry Garcia – acoustic and lead guitar, vocals on "Dark Hollow", "I've Been All Around This World", "Wake Up Little Susie", and "Black Peter"; electric guitar and vocals on "Smokestack Lightning" (both versions), "Hard to Handle", "Good Lovin'", "Big Boss Man", and "Sitting on Top of the World"
• Mickey Hart – drums and percussion on "Smokestack Lightning" (both versions), "Hard to Handle", "Good Lovin'", "Big Boss Man", and "Sitting on Top of the World"
• Bill Kreutzmann – drums and percussion on "Smokestack Lightning" (both versions), "Hard to Handle", "Good Lovin'", "Big Boss Man", and "Sitting on Top of the World"
• Phil Lesh – bass guitar and vocals on "Smokestack Lightning" (both versions), "Hard to Handle", "Good Lovin'", "Big Boss Man", and "Sitting on Top of the World"
• Ron "Pigpen" McKernan – acoustic guitar and vocals on "Katie Mae"; organ, percussion, harmonica, and vocals on "Smokestack Lightning" (both versions), "Hard to Handle", "Good Lovin'", "Big Boss Man", and "Sitting on Top of the World"
• Bob Weir – acoustic rhythm guitar and vocals on "Dark Hollow", "I've Been All Around This World", "Wake Up Little Susie", and "Black Peter"; electric guitar and vocals on "Smokestack Lightning" (both versions), "Hard to Handle", "Good Lovin'", "Big Boss Man", and "Sitting on Top of the World"

Technical personnel

• James Austin – production (reissue)
• Joe Gastwirt – mastering consultancy (reissue)
• David Lemieux – production (reissue)
• Peter McQuaid – executive production for Grateful Dead Productions
• Owsley Stanley – production

Charts

Album – Billboard

Year	Chart	Position
1973	Pop Albums	60