RAY

It was Halloween 1980 
When I first say Ray and Janey
We came to hear Robert Hunter sing
To see what music his poetry brings.

There was a guy who looked like Jerry
A close resemblance so scary
But he always seemed to wear a grin
As he listened to the sacred hymns.

At the Dead he'd be at the rail
Watching the band that could not fail
Impervious to anyone else
Tripping on acid through every cell.

I remember 1986
Great American Music Hall trips
As we waited in line for hours
For the blossom of Bob Hunter's flowers.

That's when he found a new melody
Listening to the blues from Jody.
As the Grateful Dead began to slip
Ray and Janey found a new way to trip.

It was Hawaii in the 90s
There's Ray scuba diving with Jerry
The faces of two real mellow guys
Between them both not one bad vibe.

It was New Years 1995
The Bluescasters were full of life
As always there was Ray and Janey
Sharing the moment of their ecstasy.

His last gig was North Beach '96
Where beatnik ghosts search for a new fix
Ray was a man who lived his dream
We can feel his spirit in our scene.

There are two ways I remember Ray
One is his eyes closed as music plays
A true Hunter fan is the other
For that he'll always be my brother.