"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.

Lyrics omitted. The annotations below are reproduced by permission of David Dodd; the song lyrics themselves are copyrighted and are not reproduced here. Read them at the official source: dead.net/songs.

"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