Grateful Dead’s Number 1 Fan

Jack from Wisconsin by way of New Jersey
With a Nikon in hand and a soul never hurried
Born with rhythm, raised on reels
He’s got miles on his mind and tape on his heels

He ain't just watchin’, he’s *witnessin’* time
With a Jewish heart and a cable line
From the Fillmore haze to the shoreline breeze
He shot the scene with effortless ease

He's the Grateful Dead’s number one fan
Catchin’ lightning in a can
Rolling tape while the band played on
In the lens, the spirit lives long
Never missed a show if he had the gear and the van
Yeah, he's the Grateful Dead’s number one fan

He knew the key of every Jerry jam
And every roadie by their first name, man
He’d hitch a ride with stories to share
Trading edits for gas fare from here to there

Stacked up reels in a smoky den
Cuttin' rhythm and light again and again
No spotlight sought, no credits rolled
Just that steady red light and a heart of gold

He's the Grateful Dead’s number one fan
Catchin’ lightning in a can
Rolling tape while the band played on
In the lens, the spirit lives long
Dancin' slow in the back by the speaker stand
Yeah, he's the Grateful Dead’s number one fan

Well, you might see him groovin’ in an old tie-dye
Eyes half-closed but wide inside
Talkin’ ‘bout Garcia or the night in '78
When the stars and the feedback aligned with fate

Now he’s archivin' dreams in hi-def tone
Spinnin’ tales from the Deadhead zone
With a database brain and a taper’s grace
Every frame a portal to that sacred place

And if you ask, he'll take your hand
Say, “Come along, brother—this ain't no brand
It’s a way of seein’, a way to *be*
A little truth in a long melody”

He’s the Grateful Dead’s number one fan
Catchin’ lightning in a can
Rolling tape while the band played on
In the lens, the spirit lives long
Still out there with his heart in the jam
Yeah, he's the Grateful Dead’s number one fan

Jack from Wisconsin… by way of Jersey…
Still chasin' the sound… wherever it wanders…