Today’s Random Weekend selection is a live bonus track from whatever reissue of The Grateful Dead’s American Beauty I have in my iTunes library.
I tried to find the exact one on YouTube and encountered several official releases of live performances of ‘Candyman,’ plus dozens of unofficial clips. The sheer volume of live Grateful Dead content is overwhelming.
I’ve never understood the mind of a Deadhead, or any die-hard fan who obsesses over live material. How many slightly different versions of the same songs can you hear before it all runs together? I guess they would argue that every performance is unique.
With your hair a-hanging down
Open up your windows ’cause
The Candyman’s in town
Come on, boys, and gamble
Roll those laughing bones
Seven come eleven, boys
I’ll take your money home
[Chorus]
Look out, look out, the Candyman
Here he come and he’s gone again
Pretty lady ain’t got no friend
Till the Candyman comes ’round again
I come in from Memphis
Where I learned to talk the jive
When I get back to Memphis
Be one less man alive
Good mornin’, Mr. Benson
I see you’re doing well
If I had me a shotgun
I’d blow you straight to hell
Look out, look out, the Candyman
Here he come and he’s gone again
Pretty lady ain’t got no friend
Till the Candyman comes ’round again
Come on, boys, and wager
If you have got the mind
If you got a dollar, boys
Lay it on the line
Hand me my old guitar
Pass the whiskey ’round
Won’t you tell everybody you meet that
The Candyman’s in town
Look out, look out, the Candyman
Here he come and he’s gone again
Pretty lady ain’t got no friend
Till the Candyman comes ’round again
Meet Me In Montauk 
The Candyman is a shady character, a gambler, a drinker, a musician, a ladies’ man, and possibly a drug dealer. I like listening to the different live versions because it keeps the songs fresh. Albums and singles are great, but live versions are always a little bit different.
I’m getting a contact high just listening to this.