West L.A. Fadeaway

The Zoo Crew is spinning "West L.A. Fadeaway" by the Grateful Dead from their 1987 album In The Dark, and Zoo Freaks are in for a treat with this bluesy, funky track. One juicy piece of trivia comes from fan discussions and analyses, like those on Reddit’s Grateful Dead community, which suggest the song’s reference to a “chateau” with “21 rooms but one will do” points to the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, where actor John Belushi tragically died in March 1982. Lyricist Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia debuted the song just months later on August 28, 1982, at the Oregon Country Fair, leading some to speculate it was inspired by Belushi’s passing, though Hunter’s layered lyrics avoid a direct reference, weaving a tale of L.A.’s seedy underbelly. The song’s vibe, described on Extra Chill as smelling “like cigarettes and cocaine,” captures a gritty, nocturnal L.A. scene, with lines like “Little red light on the highway, big green light on the speedway” evoking both motion and a red-light district.

Another fascinating tidbit, noted on JamBase, is that early performances of "West L.A. Fadeaway" in 1982 included a verse Hunter performed solo in 1981, starting with “Here’s what Ginger says / She walks right, she ain’t nobody’s fool.” This verse, which emphasized living by the Golden Rule, was dropped by Garcia soon after the song’s debut, a common practice for him as he often tweaked Hunter’s lyrics. Fans can hear this rare verse in recordings of Hunter’s Halloween 1981 performance, one of the song’s earliest public airings. The song became a staple, played 140 times by the Dead until its final performance on June 30, 1995, often as a first-set groover, with Garcia’s fingerpicked rhythms and fuzzy solos adding extra “spank,” as described on Weeping Willow Guitar. A standout live version from July 26, 1987, at Anaheim Stadium, shared on YouTube by the band’s archivist David Lemieux, showcases why it was a fan favorite, with Garcia wielding his Tiger guitar and delivering a mighty performance.

The Grateful Dead began in 1965 in Palo Alto, California, emerging from the San Francisco Bay Area’s vibrant counterculture. Originally called the Warlocks, the band—Jerry Garcia (lead guitar, vocals), Bob Weir (rhythm guitar, vocals), Phil Lesh (bass), Ron “Pigpen” McKernan (keyboards, harmonica), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums)—adopted the name Grateful Dead after Garcia stumbled upon the phrase in a dictionary, inspired by a folk tale motif. Their early days were tied to Ken Kesey’s Acid Tests, psychedelic gatherings where they honed their improvisational style, as noted in their Wikipedia bio. Playing at venues like the Fillmore Auditorium, they fused rock, blues, jazz, folk, and psychedelia, building a devoted fanbase known as Deadheads. Mickey Hart joined as a second drummer in 1967, solidifying their kinetic rhythm section. Their first show as the Grateful Dead was on December 4, 1965, in San Jose, and by the late ’60s, they were pioneers of the jam band scene, encouraging fans to record their shows, a practice that fueled their word-of-mouth legend.

Connect with the Grateful Dead on their official website or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates, archival releases, and more. Fans can dive deeper at Dead.net, which offers a treasure trove of music, merch, and community forums. The r/gratefuldead subreddit is a lively hub for Deadheads to share stories, setlists, and theories, while Facebook groups like the Grateful Dead Community bring fans together to celebrate the band’s legacy. Whether you’re a longtime Deadhead or a new Zoo Freak, the Dead’s music and spirit continue to resonate, inviting all to join the cosmic dance.