For the young and young-at-heart alike, a deluxe version of Jerry Garcia and David Grisman‘s 1993 Not For Kids Only is coming to vinyl for the first time. Ahead of the album’s reissue on November 21st, Rounder Records and Acoustic Disc have shared a previously unreleased, alternate take of “When First Unto This Country”.
Like many of the songs found on Garcia and Dawg’s cherished children’s album, “When First Unto This Country” comes from the New Lost City Ramblers Song Book of American folk tunes. Garcia’s singing carries a relaxed urgency; the words aren’t rushed in any way, but they’re delivered with a grave importance like the Grateful Dead guitarist is handing down a history lesson to the next generation. In a way, he was, as Garcia and longtime mandolin collaborator Grisman collected a trove of traditional folk songs for the final album Jerry released before his death in 1995. It’s that same weary singing voice that adds to the reverence of the recording, paired blissfully with Grisman’s mandolin lullaby.
While Not For Kids Only stood in stark contrast to popular children’s entertainment in 1993, a year after the premiere of Barney & Friends, Garcia remained steadfast in its appeal.
“Kids like weird shit in there,” he said in an interview at the time, “they like crazy stuff lurking around, things with teeth, crazy people. They’re realistic. They know the world is full of weird stuff, and kids sort of prefer weird stuff; they rejoice in it. It’s no big thing, but it’s nice to be able to throw some music back in there that’s originally from that world; bring some of the weirdness back, take a chance a little. I mean it’s sort of trusting the kids that they can handle something more than terminal niceness.”
The Not For Kids Only (Deluxe Edition) reissue will include the original record, remastered by Grisman, plus outtakes and alternate versions—including two previously unreleased tracks. The 2LP collection will arrive on “Jenny Jenkins” green vinyl (limited to 1,000 copies) and standard black vinyl online and in stores. A week after Not For Kids Only, Garcia Family Provisions will issue a new live recording of Old & In The Way, Live at Sonoma State – 11/4/73, for Record Store Day Black Friday. The concert marked one of the last live performances by the bluegrass supergroup of Garcia, Grisman, Peter Rowan, John Kahn, and Vassar Clements.
Check out the previously unreleased version of “When First Unto This Country” from the upcoming reissue of Jerry Garcia and David Grisman’s Not For Kids Only, available here for pre-order.
Jerry Garcia, David Grisman — “When Fist Unto This Country (Previously Unissued Alternate Take)” (Traditional)