# Robert Hunter dead at 78 (Grateful Dead) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [September 24, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763 "2019-09-24T18:13:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/1 "2019-09-24T18:13:44Z")
[Link](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/robert-hunter-grateful-dead-dead-889788/) Robert’s lyrics have meant a lot to millions of people. They’ve meant a lot to me. RIP, Robert. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/2 "2019-09-24T18:17:10Z")
Fare thee well, too, Mr. Hunter. Thanks for the songs! ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/3 "2019-09-24T18:50:26Z")
Touch of Grey was one of my favorite Dead songs: [Grateful Dead - Touch Of Grey (Official Music Video) [HD] - YouTube](https://youtu.be/mzvk0fWtCs0) Also Ripple: [- YouTube](https://youtu.be/JT8zLTaKxeE) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/4 "2019-09-24T19:17:41Z")
Inspiration, move me brightly Light the song with sense and color Hold away despair. Bless you, Robert ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/5 "2019-09-24T19:25:42Z")
_He’s gone, and nothing’s gonna bring him back._ Farewell to one of the greatest rock lyricists of the 20th century. Thanks for the poetry, Robert. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/6 "2019-09-24T19:28:56Z")
The best lyricist in the history of the English language. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/7 "2019-09-24T19:39:47Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Inspiration, move me brightly > Light the song with sense and color > Hold away despair. > > Bless you, Robert Have to crank up a live Terrapin tonight and rock my neighbors. Thanks for the thought! ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/8 "2019-09-24T20:39:29Z")
When it seems like the night will last forever And there’s nothing left to do but count the years When the strings of my heart start to sever And stones fall from my eyes instead of tears I will walk alone by the black muddy river And dream me a dream of my own ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/9 "2019-09-24T21:27:12Z")
Dust off those rusty strings just one more time. ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/10 "2019-09-24T21:48:18Z")
RIP Mr. Hunter, may the four winds blow you safely home. Truly, one of the greatest American lyricists ever. Everything I’ve ever needed to know in life can be found in Robert Hunter’s lyrics. I’m sure I can come up with more of these pearls, and I probably will over the next several days. Among the ones that immediately come to mind: Without love in the dream it will never come true. If you plant ice, you’re gonna harvest wind. Every time that wheel turn 'round bound to cover just a little more ground Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right The grass ain’t greener, the wine ain’t sweeter either side of the hill Now I don’t know but I been told it’s hard to run with the weight of gold Other hand I heard it said it’s just as hard with the weight of lead Nothing’s for certain It could always go wrong Come in when it’s raining Go on out when it’s gone Sometimes the songs that we hear are just songs of our own It all rolls into one and nothing comes for free There’s nothing you can hold for very long ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/11 "2019-09-24T21:51:26Z")
One of my favorites. Not heavy thoughts, but true to the characters: _Now I love those cowboys, I love their gold, Love my uncle, God rest his soul, Taught me good Lord, Taught me all I know, Taught me so well, that I grabbed that gold, and I left his dead ass there by the side of the road_ “Me and My Uncle” ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/12 "2019-09-24T22:50:50Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > One of my favorites. Not heavy thoughts, but true to the characters: > > _Now I love those cowboys, I love their gold, > Love my uncle, God rest his soul, > Taught me good Lord, Taught me all I know, > Taught me so well, that I grabbed that gold, and > I left his dead ass there by the side of the road_ > > “Me and My Uncle” Great song, but not written by Robert Hunter. It was written by John Phillips . ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/13 "2019-09-24T23:01:50Z")
Hmmm…not what the lyrics site said. My bad. Sorry, Robert. Wiki has the correct cite for once. Off to probably show my ass with another faulty quote somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/14 "2019-09-24T23:13:41Z")
I think a thread full of Robert Hunter lyrics is a wonderful tribute. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/15 "2019-09-24T23:52:22Z")
From the title track of a criminally under-rated album: _Arabian wind, the needle’s eye is thin The ships of state sail on mirage and drown in sand Out in no man’s land, where Allah does command What good is spilling blood? It will not grow a thing “Taste eternity”, the swords sing Blues for Allah, Insh’Allah They lie where they fall, there’s nothing more to say The desert stars are bright tonight, let’s meet as friends_ ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/16 "2019-09-25T00:12:33Z")
Going home, going home By the waterside I will rest my bones Listen to the river sing sweet songs To rock my soul ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/17 "2019-09-25T00:26:03Z")
> [@zoog](#): > > RIP Mr. Hunter, may the four winds blow you safely home. Truly, one of the greatest American lyricists ever. Everything I’ve ever needed to know in life can be found in Robert Hunter’s lyrics. I’m sure I can come up with more of these pearls, and I probably will over the next several days. Among the ones that immediately come to mind: > > Without love in the dream it will never come true. > > If you plant ice, you’re gonna harvest wind. > > Every time that wheel turn 'round > bound to cover just a little more ground > > Once in a while > you get shown the light > in the strangest of places > if you look at it right > > The grass ain’t greener, the wine ain’t sweeter > either side of the hill > > Now I don’t know but I been told > it’s hard to run with the weight of gold > Other hand I heard it said > it’s just as hard with the weight of lead > > Nothing’s for certain > It could always go wrong > Come in when it’s raining > Go on out when it’s gone > > Sometimes the songs that we hear > are just songs of our own > > It all rolls into one > and nothing comes for free > There’s nothing you can hold > for very long Ahh, ya bastard. You’re making me cry. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/18 "2019-09-25T01:14:21Z")
Life may be sweeter for this, I don’t know, Feels like it might be all right. Let there be songs to fill the air. Oh, Honey, let me sing your blues away ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/19 "2019-09-25T04:13:34Z")
Reach out your hand if your cup be empty If your cup is full may it be again Let it be known there is a fountain That was not made by the hands of men Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world The heart has its beaches, its homeland and thoughts of its own Wake now, discover that you are the song that the morning brings But the heart has its seasons, its evenings and songs of it’s own In another time’s forgotten space Your eyes looked from your mother’s face Wildflower seed on the sand and stone May the four winds blow you safely home One way or another, This darkness has got to give. . ---
**Author:** ![mjmlabs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mjmlabs/32/69_2.png) [@mjmlabs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmlabs)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763/20 "2019-09-25T04:51:44Z")
To lay me down once more To lay me down with my head in sparkling clover Let the world go by all lost in dreaming To lay me down one last time To lay me down … To tell sweet lies, one last time and say good night To lay me down, to lay me down, to lay me down, one last time To lay me down, one last time, to lay me down [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/robert-hunter-dead-at-78-grateful-dead/840763.md?page=2)