Heaven Help The Fool
Encyclopedia
Heaven Help The Fool was the second solo album by Grateful Dead
rhythm guitarist Bob Weir
, released in 1978. It was recorded during an enforced vacation in the summer of 1977, when Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart
was injured in a car crash. Weir recruited some well-known studio musicians for the project including Toto
members David Paich
and Mike Porcaro
.
history famous for its acoustic
sets
). The performances where at concerts at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco (9 performances), Twice at the Saênger Performing Arts Center in New Orleans, and 6 times at the Radio City Music Hall
in New York City
. Since the vocal personnel who recorded Heaven Help the Fool in the studio weren't present in the Grateful Dead's touring company, the Dead instead opted to perform Heaven Help the Fool as a jazz instrumental song, without the Bob Weir lead vocal which you hear on the album.
"Salt Lake City" was played at one Grateful Dead concert, in Salt Lake City
, at the Delta Center on February 21, 1995.
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
rhythm guitarist Bob Weir
Bob Weir
Bob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
, released in 1978. It was recorded during an enforced vacation in the summer of 1977, when Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart
Mickey Hart
Mickey Hart is an American percussionist and musicologist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band the Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 to February 1971, and from October 1974 to August 1995...
was injured in a car crash. Weir recruited some well-known studio musicians for the project including Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
members David Paich
David Paich
David Frank Paich is a session musician, keyboard player, recording producer, arranger, vocalist and main composer of the Los Angeles-based rock/pop band Toto. David is the son of the late jazz composer, musician, and arranger Marty Paich...
and Mike Porcaro
Mike Porcaro
Mike Porcaro is best noted as the bass player in the Grammy Award winning band, Toto.He is the middle brother of Toto members Jeff Porcaro and Steve Porcaro...
.
Track listing
- "Bombs Away" (John Perry BarlowJohn Perry BarlowJohn Perry Barlow is an American poet and essayist, a retired Wyoming cattle rancher, and a cyberlibertarian political activist who has been associated with both the Democratic and Republican parties. He is also a former lyricist for the Grateful Dead and a founding member of the Electronic...
, Bob WeirBob WeirBob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
) – 5:06 - "Easy to Slip" (Lowell GeorgeLowell GeorgeLowell Thomas George was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, who was the main guitarist and songwriter for the rock band Little Feat.- Early years :...
, Martin Kibbee) – 3:05 - "Salt Lake City" (Barlow, Weir) – 4:04
- "Shade of Grey" (Barlow, Weir) – 4:30
- "Heaven Help the Fool" (Barlow, Weir) – 5:30
- "This Time Forever" (Barlow, Weir) – 4:09
- "I'll Be Doggone" (Warren Moore, Smokey RobinsonSmokey RobinsonWilliam "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
, Marvin Tamplin) – 3:07 - "Wrong Way Feelin'" (Barlow, Weir) – 5:12
Personnel
- Bob Weir – rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Mike Baird – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
on tracks 1, 3-6 & 8 - Bill ChamplinBill ChamplinWilliam Bradford "Bill" Champlin is an American singer, guitarist, keyboard player, arranger, producer, and songwriter. His performance work is principally associated with the bands Chicago and the Sons of Champlin...
– background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
on tracks 1 & 3-8, keyboards on tracks 2 & 7, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
on tracks 3 & 8 - David FosterDavid FosterDavid Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
– keyboards on tracks 1-8 - Lynette Gloud – background vocals on tracks 5-8
- Tom Kelly – background vocals on tracks 1-6 & 8
- Dee Murrey – bass guitar on track 2
- Nigel OlssonNigel OlssonNigel Olsson is an English rock drummer, who is best known for his work with Elton John. Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as one of the first members of John's band, on drums, percussion and backing vocals. When not working with Elton, Olsson has taken up the role of a session musician...
– drums on tracks 2 & 7 - David Paich – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
on tracks 1, 3-6 & 8 - Mike Porcaro – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
on tracks 1 & 3-8 - Peggy Sandvig – keyboards on track 4
- Tom ScottTom Scott (musician)Tom Scott is an American saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor and bandleader of the west coast jazz/jazz fusion ensemble The L.A. Express.-Biography:Scott was born in Los Angeles, California...
– saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
s on tracks 1, 3 & 5 - Carmen Twilley – background vocals on tracks 5-8
- Waddy WachtelWaddy WachtelRobert "Waddy" Wachtel is an American musician, composer and record producer, most notable for his guitar work...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
on tracks 2-3 & 7
Production
- Producer – Keith Olsen
- Engineers – David de Vore and Keith Olsen
- Art direction – Ria Lewerke
- Photography – Richard AvedonRichard AvedonRichard Avedon was an American photographer. An obituary published in The New York Times said that "his fashion and portrait photographs helped define America's image of style, beauty and culture for the last half-century."-Photography career:Avedon was born in New York City to a Jewish Russian...
Trivia
The title track of the album was played at 17 Grateful Dead concerts, all in 1980 (A year in Grateful DeadGrateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
history famous for its acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
sets
Set list
A set list, or setlist, is a document that lists the songs that a band or musical artist intends to play, or has played, during a specific concert performance...
). The performances where at concerts at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco (9 performances), Twice at the Saênger Performing Arts Center in New Orleans, and 6 times at the Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Since the vocal personnel who recorded Heaven Help the Fool in the studio weren't present in the Grateful Dead's touring company, the Dead instead opted to perform Heaven Help the Fool as a jazz instrumental song, without the Bob Weir lead vocal which you hear on the album.
"Salt Lake City" was played at one Grateful Dead concert, in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, at the Delta Center on February 21, 1995.