The Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey” (1987) is purportedly a song about aging, though many of the verses don’t relate directly to that theme. Instead, it might be more accurate to say that the song is more broadly about having resilience in the face of trying circumstances. 

The lyrics of the first verse are more stream of consciousness than conveying a concrete message: 

It must be getting early
Clocks are running late 
Paint by numbers morning sky 
Looks so phony

It’s more about the upbeat mood which the sound of the words and the music creates rather than literally interpreting the lyrics. On the other hand, the idea that the sky looks “phony” ( whatever that means), is consistent with the song’s theme of striving for authenticity.

The second verse describes a scene of a romantic break up, which is an abrupt shift at least in subject matter. The speaker is taking this break-up with equanimity, which fits in with the song’s theme of resilience: 

I see you got your list out 
Say your piece and get out 
Yes, I get the gist of it 
But it's alright

Sorry that you feel that way 
The only thing there is to say 
Every silver lining's got a 
Touch of grey

The idea that the speaker’s romantic partner seems to have contrived a list of reasons for the break up strikes as an offense against his desire to live authentically. He therefore ushers her to “get out” rather than draw out the dramatic scene. Yet it is not so much in anger that he says this as in resignation, “it’s alright,” and “sorry that you feel that way.”  

When he goes on to point out that every sliver lining’s got a “touch of grey,” it is a play upon the idiom “Every cloud has a silver lining,” which means that every bad situation has some unexpected benefit. Therefore, when the speaker says “every silver lining’s got a touch of grey,” the same sentiment is intended; which is to say, his girlfriend/ lover/ wife leaving is bad, but it isn’t necessarily the end of the world, and there might even be some good in it. 

The iconic chorus repeats: 

I will get by 
I will get by 
I will get by 
I will survive

The chorus is recorded with many layers of vocals, a loose feel to the instrumentation, and a synth, organ-like sound to add to the upbeat tone. 

The third verse goes on to list various problems, which still do not overwhelm the speaker, because once again, “it’s alright”: 

I know the rent is in arrears 
The dog has not been fed in years 
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright

Cows are giving kerosene 
The kid can't read at seventeen 
The words he knows are all obscene 
But it's alright

Despite a dire financial situation, and despite the fact that the world seems out of control, the speaker keeps his sense of good cheer. 

The final verse begins with a section which is a stream of consciousness lyrics a la Bob Dylan: 

The shoe is on the hand, it fits 
There's really nothing much to it 
Whistle through your teeth and spit 
'Cause it's alright

But the second half of the verse gets to what the song is purportedly about; the process of aging and accepting that process with a sense of calm: 

Oh, well, a touch of grey 
Kind of suits you anyway 
That was all I had to say, and 
It's alright

What middle-aged man hasn’t had this thought? The idea of going grey is like a phantom to a young man. But once it starts to happen, one learns that it’s not the end of the world; and actually it doesn’t look that bad.

Although there are only one or two lines in the song which reference aging as a theme, somehow the song is identified wholly with that particular idea, perhaps because of the song’s title, and also maybe because in the video Jerry Garcia is captured singing with more than just a touch of grey in his long hair and beard, all the while appearing jolly.  As for the title, “Touch of Grey,” it could take on a double meaning, grey referring to grey hair, but also there is a “touch of grey” in life, which is to say a touch of melancholy in an otherwise pleasant life. 

The final chorus changes from singular first person, “I will survive,” to plural, “we will survive.” This could be a reference to the band The Grateful Dead itself, or perhaps a collective “we” which includes the fans, spreading goodwill and a belief in a prosperous or at least tolerable future beyond callow youth. 

Follow Michael Machera Blog on Facebook and Twitter and YouTube

Comment below: