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Wybenga described the lyrics as "acid-drenched", and said, further: "China Cat
Sunflower's lyric—composed, Robert Hunter has said, in a state where contemplation of a cat served as touchstone for an interplanetary journey—is a real masterwork. It's one of the very few rock-and-roll lyrics (including
304:) that has as much impact on the page as it does sung, if not more. ... 'It's about acid' does it less justice than the observation that it's about seeing, sensing, and making connections in a sensuous world. Anyone out there remember what it was like to be three years old?"
336:". During this period it was played in the key of E. It was later changed to G in order to transition into I Know You Rider. Four instances of this arrangement have been released on official recordings, the first on the compilation album
374:. Over the next 26 years the Dead would pair these songs together over 500 times, most often as a second set opener. Only twice during this extended period was "China Cat Sunflower" played without this pairing.
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is interwoven on top of it. This second riff has been described by author Eric F. Wybenga as "that dodgy little Bobby intro that scratches your brain just behind the ears."
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Epler, J.H. (February 2020). "A new species of Uvarus
Guignot, 1939 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Hydroporinae: Bidessini) from Florida, USA".
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In 2020 entomologist J.H. Epler named a new species of diving beetle (family
Dytiscidae) for the song; it is called
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The song begins with two distinct guitar riffs. The first is played by Jerry Garcia and then a second one played by
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511:"Grateful Dead Debut "China Cat Sunflower"/"I Know You Rider" Pairing, On This Day In 1969 [Listen]"
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On
September 30, 1969, the Grateful Dead first segued "China Cat Sunflower" into "I Know You Rider" (a
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The
Grateful Dead first performed "China Cat Sunflower" on January 17, 1968, at the
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Dodd, David. "The
Annotated 'China Cat Sunflower'", UCSC's Division of the Arts
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256:". Lyrically, this song has many literary references, including
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is used in the part of the film showing everyone arriving at
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Scott, John W.; Dolgushkin, Mike; Nixon, Stu (1995).
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194:"Dupree's Diamond Blues" / "Cosmic Charlie"
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358:China Cat Sunflower → I Know You Rider
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570:Songs written by Jerry Garcia
488:. Little, Brown and Company.
382:The song is available in the
288:Music and lyrical composition
238:. The lyrics were written by
351:Road Trips Volume 2 Number 2
16:1969 single by Grateful Dead
33:Japanese single cover, 1969
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242:and the music composed by
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89:Pacific Recording Studios
421:Uvarus sinofelihelianthus
339:So Many Roads (1965–1995)
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345:Dick's Picks Volume 22
22:"China Cat Sunflower"
393:downloadable content
560:Grateful Dead songs
263:Alice in Wonderland
228:" is a song by the
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201:China Cat Sunflower
378:In popular culture
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334:St. Stephen
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158:Lyricist(s)
144:Composer(s)
69:St. Stephen
565:1969 songs
554:Categories
520:2024-02-08
439:References
433:helianthus
410:Europe '72
391:series as
389:video game
249:Europe '72
96:California
427:) China (
416:in 1969.
414:Woodstock
385:Rock Band
330:Deadheads
326:Dark Star
273:Krazy Kat
235:Aoxomoxoa
92:San Mateo
53:Aoxomoxoa
322:set list
294:Bob Weir
76:Released
431:) cat (
400:Ang Lee
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542:: 1-4.
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114:Length
85:Studio
62:B-side
40:Single
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282:Polka
131:Label
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515:L4LM
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