3

Could the Dead handle prog rock? 'Terrapin Station' suggests that the answer to that question is “yes.” The sprawling 'Terrapin Station Part 1' occupies the second side of the album, rolling for more than 16 minutes as part of a connected suite. Side two also featured future favorite 'Lady With A Fan,' a Dead rendering of the traditional folk song 'Lady of Carlisle' which provided the inspirational backbone for the entire piece. Longtime Dead lyricist Robert Hunter wrote the lyrics for 'Terrapin' in the midst of what he termed as a “flamboyant lightning storm.” Fan reaction to the album was mixed, with some feeling that the album was overproduced in comparison to the band's previously recorded work, but over time it has come to be acknowledged as one of the top Grateful Dead albums.