There are at least two iterations of They Love Each Other: the fast version and the mid-tempo version. The fast version was featured in these pages a while back (link at the bottom of the page), so the time is ripe for a complementary foray into the mid-tempo version.

One thing I’ve been listening for on They Love Each Other for a while now is extra emphasis put on the little riff that leads into the chorus. There was a Dead cover band in Chicago called Paradise Waits and when they played They Love Each Other they really emphasized that little riff. I thought it was such a great little nuance to the song. I don’t know if they gleaned it from the Dead or the JGB at some point or if it was something they came up with, but I always liked it. (Check out an example here. c. 1:45 and 2:45, for instance.) I never asked the guys where that particular part of the arrangement originated, but if you know of any Dead/JGB versions that are similar I’d be interested to know which ones.

Garcia’s guitar has a bouncing, recoil quality as this tune kicks off. By this point They Love Each Other is much slower than when it first appeared and the slower pace suits it well. Weir rakes his guitar to great effect. Donna sounds great on the chorus, even better than Jerry who is a bit off the first time through. Phil does into the upper register for a stock riff in the second chorus. That one of his trademark riffs in this song that I always liked. What’s this? A Keith solo? Pretty much. Mr. Godchaux dances up and down the fingerboard. Lovely! There are a few stops, punctuated by Phil’s bass that signal the end to Keith’s solo and effectively pass the baton to Jerry. It’s quick, but a very cool transition. No more major surprises crop up here, but the rest of the song is certainly solid. I, for one, don’t regret listening to this version of They Love Each Other!

Complete Setlist 5/21/77

Previous They Love Each Other DFAY Selections