“Mexicali Blues/Bertha” -Speakeasy Marty Vaz & L’ill Hustler at Local’s Bar Manalapan NJ -4/14/2024

"Mexicali Blues" is a song from Bob Weir's 1972 Ace solo album that, like the rest of the material on that record, was de facto by the Grateful Dead.Indeed, it appears on the 1974 Skeletons from the Closet: The Best of Grateful Dead compilation.
"Mexicali Blues" was written by Bob Weir and lyricist John Perry Barlow.This was the first songwriting collaboration for Weir and Barlow. Barlow has noted that Weir had an idea for a "cowboy song" and asked Barlow to write the lyrics after Robert Hunter declined. Weir would soon switch to using Barlow rather than Hunter for the bulk of his songwriting.
The song concerns a man who had recently ridden to Mexicali, Mexico from Bakersfield, California. There over a bottle of booze, he thinks back upon his meeting a girl named "Billie Jean" and falling under her spell; she later appeals to the narrator to shoot a stranger when she tells him that unless he uses his gun to prevent it, the stranger will take her away. He does shoot and kill the stranger (who never even drew his gun), and then flees to Mexico rather than face hanging for his crime.
The song echos "El Paso" by Marty Robbins, in which a cowboy shoots a man in a jealous rage over a Mexican girl and then flees to avoid hanging. Phil Lesh provides the harmony vocal. When performed live, the harmony vocals evolved over time.
During the early 1970s, Phil Lesh provided harmony vocals. After the band's 1975 hiatus, lead guitarist Jerry Garcia took over the harmonizing vocals (Phil Lesh stopped most of his singing during this time due to vocal strain). When the band restructured in 1979 with the departure of Keith and Donna Godchaux and the welcoming of Brent Mydland at keyboards, which would define the sound of the band throughout the 1980s, Mydland took over harmonizing vocals from Garcia, enabling Garcia to play lead guitar during the song's refrain. Additionally, the second instrumental break in the song was extended, allowing for more improvisation.
“Bertha” was written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter and was first played live on August 21, 1971, at the Keystone Berkeley in Berkeley, California. The song quickly became a fan favorite and was played at nearly every Grateful Dead concert until the band’s final performance in 1995
According to Robert Hunter, the song was inspired by a woman he met while traveling on the road in the early 1970s. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he said, “I met a woman in Oakland who asked me if I’d heard the story of Bertha, and I said I hadn’t. She said, ‘You ought to meet her. She’s a pistol.'” The woman introduced Hunter to Bertha, who was “this huge lady with a great sense of humor.”
Hunter’s encounter with Bertha inspired him to write a song about her. He said, “She was a force of nature, this woman. And the song was about her. It wasn’t really about her, but that was the impetus.”
The Meaning Behind the Lyrics
The lyrics of “Bertha” are open to interpretation, but many believe that the song is about taking risks and living life to the fullest. The chorus, “Bertha don’t you come around here anymore,” suggests that the narrator is breaking away from something or someone that was holding them back.
The line “Don’t you know they’re gonna wash away the night?” can be interpreted as a reminder that life is short and we should seize every moment. The phrase “satisfied” is repeated throughout the song, indicating that the narrator is content with their choices and the path they have chosen.
The Legacy of “Bertha”
“Bertha” has become one of the Grateful Dead’s most beloved songs and is considered a classic rock staple. The song has been covered by countless artists, including The Band, Jimmy Buffett, and Ratdog, and has been featured in various films and television shows.
In 2009, Rolling Stone ranked “Bertha” as one of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time, praising Jerry Garcia’s iconic guitar work on the track. The song’s memorable opening riff has become instantly recognizable to fans around the world.