The Dead (album)

The Dead is the self-titled debut studio album by the American psychedelic rock band the Grateful Dead. It was released in March 1967 by Warner Bros. Records. The album largely consists of cover songs arranged and performed in the band's burgeoning psychedelic style, alongside a few original compositions.

While The Dead captures the Grateful Dead's early blues and folk influences, it is often criticized for failing to fully represent the band's improvisational nature and live performance prowess. Studio limitations and the band's relative inexperience in a recording environment contributed to a more structured and less expansive sound compared to their live shows.

Notable tracks include "The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)," one of the band's first original songs to receive significant airplay, as well as covers of blues standards like "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" and "Sitting on Top of the World."

The album's artwork features a photo of the band members amidst a psychedelic, colorful background, indicative of the era's aesthetic.

The Dead reached number 202 on the Billboard 200 chart, a modest showing that nonetheless introduced the Grateful Dead to a wider audience and established them as a significant force in the emerging San Francisco music scene.