"Dressed myself in green..."

The Annotated "Bertha"

An installment in The Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics.
By David Dodd
Library, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
"Bertha"
Words by Robert Hunter; music by Jerry Garcia
Copyright Ice Nine Publishing; used by permission.

I had a hard run
Running from your window
I was all night running, running, running
I wonder if you care?
I had a run-in
Run around and run down
Run around a corner
Run smack into a tree

I had to move
Really had to move
That's why if you please
I am on my bended knees
Bertha don't you come around here anymore

Dressed myself in green
I went down to the sea
Try to see what's going down
Maybe read between the lines
Had a feeling I was falling, falling, falling

Turned around to see
Heard a voice calling, calling, calling
You was comin after me
Back to me

I had to move
Really had to move
That's why if you please
I am on my bended knees
Bertha don't you come around here anymore

Ran into a rainstorm
Ducked into a bar door
It was all night pouring, pouring rain
But not a drop on me

Test me, test me
Why don't you arrest me?
Throw me in the jail house
Until the sun goes down
Till it go down

I had to move
Really had to move
That's why if you please
I am on my bended knees
Bertha don't you come around here anymore


"Bertha"

Recorded on

Covered by Los Lobos on

First performance: February 18, 1971, at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY. "Bertha" opened the first set, preceding "Truckin'". Other firsts in the show included "Wharf Rat," "Greatest Story Ever Told," "Johnny B. Goode," "Loser," and "Playing in the Band." It remained in the repertoire thereafter.


Bertha

The name given to a large fan (a machine, not a Deadhead) in the Grateful Dead's office. Apparently, the fan would walk itself across the floor when activated.

Dressed myself in green

A possible reference to Robin Hood?

For more information on the symbolism of green both generally and in dress, see Color Matters.


ducked into a bar door

I always thought, from the Skull & Roses recording, that this line said something about the town of Novato, in California. I guess not.
DeadBase code: [BERT]
First posted: Friday, October 13, 1995