Sharp Notes Monday: ‘Box of Rain’

By Jandoli Institute on October 28, 2024 • ( 0 )

By Richard Lee

Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh died Friday at the age of 84.

In addition to his musical contributions to the legendary band, Lesh’s “Box of Rain” humanized the group and made listeners realize they were more than just a bunch of drug-crazed hippies.

Lesh, with help from Robert Hunter, wrote the song to sing to his father, who was dying from cancer. He would practice while driving to visit his dad at a nursing home.

On a personal level, I often listened to “Box of Rain” on my trips back and forth to visit my mother in the rehab facility where she spent several months after a fall left her a paraplegic.

Now it’s your turn to sit back and listen to the American Beauty track that is this week’s Sharp Notes Monday selection.

Richard Lee, executive director of the Jandoli Institute, is a former music journalist who often writes about the intersection of music and current events.

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As part of our “Sharp Notes, Sharp Thoughts” music and social media project, we share a song every Monday to start your week.

View previous Sharp Notes Monday selections.

Visit our “Sharp Notes, Sharp Thoughts” music and social justice page to learn more about the project and view videos of our presentations.