Customer Reviews

Tales of the Great Rum Runners

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Robert Hunter's first solo album, showcases his awesome songwriting talent, and wonderful musical skills. With such classic songs as "Keys To The Rain", and "It Must Have Been The Roses" (the album's only song played regularly by The Grateful Dead). Tales Of The Great Rum Runners, also contains one of the finest song cycles since American Beauty, Robert Hunter on Rum Runners song cycle:

"I have this short little piece, "Lady Simplicity." I didn't have a song that seemed to properly kick in and get Rum Runners going.
So I wrote this little chorale piece to start it off, and then I didn't have a piece that I felt ended the record satisfactorily, so I did "Boys in the Barroom." These were written to begin and end an album, because the other pieces all wanted to be in the middle somewhere, hanging onto each other for dear life."

Other highlights of the album include "Dry Dusty Road", a wonderful folk-ish song, "Rum Runners" the album's title song, and "Mad", which needs no comment, if you have heard it, and that is the point of reviews, to make you want to hear the album, so I'll leave it at that.

I stumbled upon this disc and I have cherished ever since. It has a few songs that the dead have done, but overall it doesn't sound much like the dead. Lady simplicity, boys in the barroom, tales of the great rum runners: these are all very original and memorable songs. A great mix of folk and country.

This album is by far one of the greatest collections of songs by the greatest songwriter, post-Dylan.

This is an incredible album which decisively proves Robert Hunter is one of the greatst living lyricists. This record is not just for those who are fans of the Grateful Dead or even just for music fans. If you enjoy WORDS give this album a listen. Robert Hunter is a first rate poet and a d-mn joy!