Built To Last
"Built to Last" is the title track to the Dead's 1989 studio album. The song debuted on October 20. 1988 at The Summit, in Houston, Texas, and was only played 18 times total (once in 1988, once in 1990, and 16 times in 1989). "Built to Last" was dropped from the repertoire after Brent Mydland's passing.
Jerry Garcia had this to say about the song in an interview in 1989:
"The song is a great piece of ambiguity from Hunter. He's very good at being able to make something sound like it almost says something. The song almost says something and it has places that are clearer than others. It's my favorite kind of song. You listen to it, but you don't know what it's about. The more you listen, the less you know."
Lyrics
Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia
There are times when you can beckon,
There are times when you must call.
You can take a lot of reckoning,
But you can't take it all.
There are times when I can help you out,
And times when you must fall.
There are times when you must live in doubt
And I can't help at all.
Chorus 1
Three blue stars rise on the hill
Sing no more now just be still
All these trials soon be past
Look for something built to last
A wind held by the collar,
Yes, a cloud held by the breeze
You can walk on coals of fire
But sometimes you must freeze
There are times when you offend me
And I do the same to you
If we can't or won't forget it
I guess we could be through
Chorus 2
One blue star sets on the hill
Call it back you never will
One more star sinks in the past
Show me something built to last
Built to last till time itself falls tumbling from the wall
Built to last till sunshine fails and darkness moves on all
Built to last while years roll past like cloudscapes in the sky
Show me something built to last or something built to try
There are times when you get hit upon
Try hard but you can't give
Other times you'd gladly part
With what you need to live
Don't waste your breath to save your face
When you have done your best
And even more is asked of you
Fate will decide the rest
Chorus 3
All the stars are gone but one
Morning breaks here comes the sun
Cross the sky now sinking fast
Show me something built to last
Jerry Garcia's Rhythm Guitar Transcription
Jerry Garcia Solo Transcription (7/17/89)
