[Rainbow.hippie]

Has anybody any clue what these first words are?
Anything that I can make of after very careful listenings are:

' ..sw.. of leather, a breath of cologne '

Furthermore, I have some adjustments on the text (changes with **):

' Her mirror was a window, she sat *quite* alone.
All around her the garden grew.
Scarlet and purple and crimson and blue.
She came ** and she went, and at last went away,
Her garden was sealed when the flowers decayed.
On the wall of the garden a legend did say,
No one may come here since no one may stay. '


If you ask me, the song is about a formerly young woman with relation problems (not being able to make bonds to men), until she was bitter (garden decayed) and no man was ever able to come to her 'garden' anymore.

Furthermore: has the Dead played this song on other occasions than AoxomoA as well?

Cheers.

[pinkfloyd188]

"Boots were of leather,
A Breath of cologne
Her mirror was a window
She sat quite alone."

from The Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics.

also from the book:

"Notes:
Studio recording: Aoxomoxoa (June 20, 1969).

Never played live, as far as we know. But the song listed in DeadBase as "unknown: Garcia singing" at the December 7, 1968, performance at Bellarmine College, Louisville, Kentucky, may have been "Rosemary," according to some sources."

though i have dug up a Rosemary that can't be mistaken, played by Phil Lesh & Friends.

http://stash.nugs.net/phil/04dec.asp?ar ... &cmd=shows

beautiful song, it's a shame it wasn't played live any more than that.

[confusions_prince]

If you check out the '68 date on Archive, it is Rosemary. John knows about the error. It's not a big deal.

[tigerstrat]

12/7/68 is definitely Rosemary performed live. Fantastic St.Stephen at that show...

[jackr]

I havent heard this song in a really long time. I heard it on Sirius the other day. I forgot what a great song great it really is. I love the dead channel.

I just may keep my subscription even after howard stern is gone.

[Grateful Dad]

A totally psychadellic cool tune with subtle, tasty picking and chord voicings.

Swath of heaven a breath of cologne,
from here was a window,
she sat quite alone.

All around her the garden grew,
scarlet and purple
and crimson and blue.

She came and she looked
and at last went away,
the garden was sealed when the flowers decayed.

On the wall of the garden
a legend did say,
no one may come here,
since no one may stay.

Rosemary
Hunter/Garcia 1969