Robert Hunter "Tiger Rose" (1975) - versions and rarities
Robert Hunter, who died in 2019 at the age of 78, was best known as the lyricist for the Grateful Dead, though he was never a member of that band. Hunter -- not to be confused with a recent contestant on The Voice with the same name -- recorded several of his own albums between 1974 and 1993. Tiger Rose was his second, released in 1975. Tiger Rose was produced by Jerry Garcia, and is the most noticeably Grateful Dead-like of Hunter's albums. Garcia also played guitar and synthesizers, and two other members of the Dead also participated: percussionist Mickey Hart, and background singer Donna Godchaux. (The drums were credited to "B.D. Shot", a pseudonym for Hart). Other supporting players included two members of Jefferson Starship (David Freiberg and Pete Sears), as well as bassist David Torbert from New Riders of the Purple Sage, and mandolinist David "Dawg" Grisman.
In March 2025, Rhino Records issued a 2-CD Deluxe Edition of Tiger Rose, marking the 50th anniversary of the album's original release (Rhino R2 727219/603497819287). The first disc contained a newly remastered version of the album from the original analog tapes, enhanced by tape restoration and speed correction; this version of the album was also the source of Rhino's 2025 vinyl LP reissue (Rhino R1 727219). The second disc contained previously unreleased alternate versions of 9 of the album's 10 tracks. For Record Store Day 2025, Rhino issued an LP titled Tiger Rose Rarities, consisting of those nine alternate versions, plus another rare track from the sessions titled "Talking Money Tree". The Record Store Day Rarities album was limited to 2,500 vinyl copies.
Truth be told, the Tiger Rose album is mostly underwhelming in its original 1975 form, which was issued on Garcia's Round Records label. It begins promisingly with the sprightly Dead-like title track, but then quickly turns tepid, at least for the remainder of the first side. It's not that the songs were bad, because Hunter was an intelligent lyricist who possessed a resonant singing voice. But Garcia's production was mostly colorless, causing many of the tracks to seemingly just sit there. Although the instrumentation tends to be lively, it almost sounds like Jerry forgot to mix it into the record at times. "Wild Bill" should have been an exciting tune, but it sounds awfully flat. "Rose Of Sharon" is given country flavor with steel guitar by Garcia, and "Dance A Hole" has carnival-like piano and synth sounds, but in both cases the instrumentation sounds so distant that it almost disappears. The album finally perks up on the second side -- that is, after the frustrating six minutes of "Cruel White Water", on which Hunter's usually resonant voice is again defeated by flat production. On "Over The Hills", the music springs to life with Celtic magic, and "Last Flash Of Rock 'N Roll" surprises with a very energetic splash of rock 'n roll energy, coming on like the Dead at their fastest pace. The acoustic ballad "Yellow Moon" nearly duplicates the sound of Hunter's solo live shows. And "Ariel" is a stately album closer. These songs don't save Tiger Rose from being a middling mid-'70's singer-songwriter effort. But if you've ever wondered how Hunter would have come across if he were a member of the Dead, this album may be the closest approximation you'll hear.
How does the newly remastered version compare? It is an improvement, as the once-languid instrumentation has become more audible, making the album's first half easier to endure. "Wild Bill" and "Cruel White Water" almost become the lively songs that they could have been, and it is easier to appreciate the instrumental flavoring of "One More Thing To Try" and "Dance A Hole". Still, the improved sound doesn't exactly transform Tiger Rose into a classic.
There was once another attempt to spruce the album up, when it was first reissued on CD by Rykodisc in 1989. For this version of Tiger Rose, Hunter's vocals were rerecorded, and the order of the track listing was changed. The rerecorded vocals and the digital remixing helped the album sound more refined for the digital age, but Hunter's voice inexplicably lost much of its usual resonance. However, the reordered track listing did make things better. The album's better tracks ("Ariel", "Over The Hills", "Last Flash Of Rock 'N Roll") were front-loaded to the first half of the CD instead of the second, helping the album make a better first impression. Some of the tracks moved to the second half of the disc ended up sounding like filler, but that's easier to tolerate when the album gets off to a stronger beginning. Two notable difference-makers: "Ariel" is the opening track on this disc instead of the closing track, and the upgraded sound suddenly makes the song come across like something The Band might have recorded; also, the rerecorded vocal on "Cruel White Water" certainly makes this version preferable to the 1975 original.
The alternate versions found on the second disc of the Deluxe Edition and on the RSD LP Tiger Rose Rarities were recorded during the same 1975 album sessions. 9 of the album's 10 tracks appear in different form (excluding "One Thing To Try", contrary to what the Record Store Day website says). Except for the ever-likable title track, these versions tend to have a live-in-the-studio sound, alternately coming across like rehearsals or working versions. They certainly sound like informal takes, but they have a fairly natural sound that sometimes works, as no one seemed to be worried about mixing them the "right" way. The instrumentation is sometimes easier to appreciate here, notable examples being Garcia's slide guitar on "Ariel", and Grisman's mandolin on "Wild Bill". Although "Cruel White Water" gets off to a sloppy start, it winds up being an engaging version of the song, and another good showcase for Grisman's mandolin playing. A simple acoustic sound suits "Yellow Moon" and "Rose Of Sharon" well, although the latter song sometimes finds Hunter's voice volume dropping too low even for that type of recording. Some of these versions sound too much like demos; I miss Donna Godchaux's vocal contribution to "Over The Hills" when it isn't there. And the five-minute version of "Dance A Hole" is basically a mess, although it is interesting for bringing more attention to the use of bagpipe sounds. The LP's short bonus track "Talking Money Tree" was previously only issued on a 7-inch EP in '75 titled Sampler For Dead Heads (Round RX-105A), where it was hidden on the same A-side as the "Tiger Rose" title track; the song was later rerecorded for Hunter's next album, 1980's Jack O' Roses. The 1980 version came on like a Johnny Cash country tune; this less-polished 1975 version sounds more like a pre-rockabilly form of talking blues, or country boogie. Whatever the inspiration, it's a charming little sub-two-minute ditty.
Robert Hunter "Tiger Rose" (Round RX-105) 1975
Track Listing:
1. Tiger Rose (3:15)
2. One Thing To Try (4:20)
3. Rose Of Sharon (3:45)
4. Wild Bill (3:12)
5. Dance A Hole (3:20)
6. Cruel White Water (5:42)
7. Over The Hills (2:38)
8. Last Flash Of Rock 'N Roll (3:59)
9. Yellow Moon (3:39)
10. Ariel (5:16)
Robert Hunter "Tiger Rose" (CD reissue) (Rykodisc RCD 10115) 1989
Track Listing:
1. Ariel
2. Over The Hills
3. One Thing To Try
4. Tiger Rose
5. Last Flash Of Rock'n'roll
6. Cruel White Water
7. Dance a Hole
8. Wild Bill
9. Rose Of Sharon
10. Yellow Moon
Robert Hunter "Tiger Rose Rarities" (Rhino R1 727431/081227812102) 2025
Track Listing:
1. Tiger Rose (3:19)
2. Last Flash Of Rock 'N Roll (4:07)
3. Over The Hills (2:43)
4. Ariel (6:17)
5. Wild Bill (6:42) *
6. Cruel White Water (3:26) *
7. Rose Of Sharon (3:45)
8. Yellow Moon (3:40)
9. Dance A Hole (5:03)
10. Talking Money Tree (1:16)
* -- the RSD LP packaging confuses the running times of "Wild Bill" and "Cruel White Water"
In March 2025, Rhino Records issued a 2-CD Deluxe Edition of Tiger Rose, marking the 50th anniversary of the album's original release (Rhino R2 727219/603497819287). The first disc contained a newly remastered version of the album from the original analog tapes, enhanced by tape restoration and speed correction; this version of the album was also the source of Rhino's 2025 vinyl LP reissue (Rhino R1 727219). The second disc contained previously unreleased alternate versions of 9 of the album's 10 tracks. For Record Store Day 2025, Rhino issued an LP titled Tiger Rose Rarities, consisting of those nine alternate versions, plus another rare track from the sessions titled "Talking Money Tree". The Record Store Day Rarities album was limited to 2,500 vinyl copies.
Truth be told, the Tiger Rose album is mostly underwhelming in its original 1975 form, which was issued on Garcia's Round Records label. It begins promisingly with the sprightly Dead-like title track, but then quickly turns tepid, at least for the remainder of the first side. It's not that the songs were bad, because Hunter was an intelligent lyricist who possessed a resonant singing voice. But Garcia's production was mostly colorless, causing many of the tracks to seemingly just sit there. Although the instrumentation tends to be lively, it almost sounds like Jerry forgot to mix it into the record at times. "Wild Bill" should have been an exciting tune, but it sounds awfully flat. "Rose Of Sharon" is given country flavor with steel guitar by Garcia, and "Dance A Hole" has carnival-like piano and synth sounds, but in both cases the instrumentation sounds so distant that it almost disappears. The album finally perks up on the second side -- that is, after the frustrating six minutes of "Cruel White Water", on which Hunter's usually resonant voice is again defeated by flat production. On "Over The Hills", the music springs to life with Celtic magic, and "Last Flash Of Rock 'N Roll" surprises with a very energetic splash of rock 'n roll energy, coming on like the Dead at their fastest pace. The acoustic ballad "Yellow Moon" nearly duplicates the sound of Hunter's solo live shows. And "Ariel" is a stately album closer. These songs don't save Tiger Rose from being a middling mid-'70's singer-songwriter effort. But if you've ever wondered how Hunter would have come across if he were a member of the Dead, this album may be the closest approximation you'll hear.
How does the newly remastered version compare? It is an improvement, as the once-languid instrumentation has become more audible, making the album's first half easier to endure. "Wild Bill" and "Cruel White Water" almost become the lively songs that they could have been, and it is easier to appreciate the instrumental flavoring of "One More Thing To Try" and "Dance A Hole". Still, the improved sound doesn't exactly transform Tiger Rose into a classic.
There was once another attempt to spruce the album up, when it was first reissued on CD by Rykodisc in 1989. For this version of Tiger Rose, Hunter's vocals were rerecorded, and the order of the track listing was changed. The rerecorded vocals and the digital remixing helped the album sound more refined for the digital age, but Hunter's voice inexplicably lost much of its usual resonance. However, the reordered track listing did make things better. The album's better tracks ("Ariel", "Over The Hills", "Last Flash Of Rock 'N Roll") were front-loaded to the first half of the CD instead of the second, helping the album make a better first impression. Some of the tracks moved to the second half of the disc ended up sounding like filler, but that's easier to tolerate when the album gets off to a stronger beginning. Two notable difference-makers: "Ariel" is the opening track on this disc instead of the closing track, and the upgraded sound suddenly makes the song come across like something The Band might have recorded; also, the rerecorded vocal on "Cruel White Water" certainly makes this version preferable to the 1975 original.
The alternate versions found on the second disc of the Deluxe Edition and on the RSD LP Tiger Rose Rarities were recorded during the same 1975 album sessions. 9 of the album's 10 tracks appear in different form (excluding "One Thing To Try", contrary to what the Record Store Day website says). Except for the ever-likable title track, these versions tend to have a live-in-the-studio sound, alternately coming across like rehearsals or working versions. They certainly sound like informal takes, but they have a fairly natural sound that sometimes works, as no one seemed to be worried about mixing them the "right" way. The instrumentation is sometimes easier to appreciate here, notable examples being Garcia's slide guitar on "Ariel", and Grisman's mandolin on "Wild Bill". Although "Cruel White Water" gets off to a sloppy start, it winds up being an engaging version of the song, and another good showcase for Grisman's mandolin playing. A simple acoustic sound suits "Yellow Moon" and "Rose Of Sharon" well, although the latter song sometimes finds Hunter's voice volume dropping too low even for that type of recording. Some of these versions sound too much like demos; I miss Donna Godchaux's vocal contribution to "Over The Hills" when it isn't there. And the five-minute version of "Dance A Hole" is basically a mess, although it is interesting for bringing more attention to the use of bagpipe sounds. The LP's short bonus track "Talking Money Tree" was previously only issued on a 7-inch EP in '75 titled Sampler For Dead Heads (Round RX-105A), where it was hidden on the same A-side as the "Tiger Rose" title track; the song was later rerecorded for Hunter's next album, 1980's Jack O' Roses. The 1980 version came on like a Johnny Cash country tune; this less-polished 1975 version sounds more like a pre-rockabilly form of talking blues, or country boogie. Whatever the inspiration, it's a charming little sub-two-minute ditty.
Robert Hunter "Tiger Rose" (Round RX-105) 1975
Track Listing:
1. Tiger Rose (3:15)
2. One Thing To Try (4:20)
3. Rose Of Sharon (3:45)
4. Wild Bill (3:12)
5. Dance A Hole (3:20)
6. Cruel White Water (5:42)
7. Over The Hills (2:38)
8. Last Flash Of Rock 'N Roll (3:59)
9. Yellow Moon (3:39)
10. Ariel (5:16)
Robert Hunter "Tiger Rose" (CD reissue) (Rykodisc RCD 10115) 1989
Track Listing:
1. Ariel
2. Over The Hills
3. One Thing To Try
4. Tiger Rose
5. Last Flash Of Rock'n'roll
6. Cruel White Water
7. Dance a Hole
8. Wild Bill
9. Rose Of Sharon
10. Yellow Moon
Robert Hunter "Tiger Rose Rarities" (Rhino R1 727431/081227812102) 2025
Track Listing:
1. Tiger Rose (3:19)
2. Last Flash Of Rock 'N Roll (4:07)
3. Over The Hills (2:43)
4. Ariel (6:17)
5. Wild Bill (6:42) *
6. Cruel White Water (3:26) *
7. Rose Of Sharon (3:45)
8. Yellow Moon (3:40)
9. Dance A Hole (5:03)
10. Talking Money Tree (1:16)
* -- the RSD LP packaging confuses the running times of "Wild Bill" and "Cruel White Water"
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