Throwing Stones
| "Throwing Stones" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Grateful Dead | ||||
| from the album In the Dark | ||||
| B-side | "When Push Comes To Shove" | |||
| Released | November 1987 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 7:21 | |||
| Label | Arista | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producers |
| |||
| Grateful Dead singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Throwing Stones" is a song by the Grateful Dead. It appears on their 1987 album In the Dark.[1] It was also released as a single, with a B-side of "When Push Comes to Shove".[2]
Overview
[edit]"Throwing Stones" is a political song, being described by Jim Allen of CultureSonar as "lyrically dense" and "analyz[ing] the American sociopolitical scene of the day".[3] Allen notes that the lyrics "take both the establishment and the anti-authoritarians to task", while lamenting the state of the world being left for the next generation".[3] David Dodd, writing for the band's official website, theorizes that the song's title is a biblical reference, or possibly is inspired by the phrase "people who live in glass houses should not throw stones".[4]
The first live performance of "Throwing Stones" was on September 17, 1982, at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine.[5] In the band's sets, the song frequently emerged from slower ballads sung by Jerry Garcia, and in many cases segued directly into "Not Fade Away".[4] In later years, performances of the song by Dead & Company were accompanied by expressions of political and social concerns, such as the 2018 Parkland high school shooting and the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.[6][7]
Reception
[edit]"Throwing Stones" has received positive reviews from critics. CultureSonar stated the song contains "some of [Barlow's] best lines" and noting it "never lack[s] momentum" despite its lyrical density.[3] Jim Harrington of the East Bay Times praises the track as "one of the standout tracks" from In the Dark, calling it "a powerful rocker addressing social concerns" and a "definite nominee for the best song the Dead created during the later part of its career".[8]
References
[edit]- ↑ Connolly, Dave. "In the Dark". AllMusic. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
- ↑ "Throwing Stones/When Push Comes to Shove". Grateful Dead Family Discography. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Allen, Jim (March 3, 2018). "5 Songs Honoring John Barlow, the Grateful Dead's 'Other' Lyricist". CultureSonar. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
- 1 2 Dodd, David (September 12, 2013). "Greatest Stories Ever Told - "Throwing Stones"". dead.net. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
- ↑ Scott, John W.; Dolgushkin, Mike; Nixon, Stu. (1999). DeadBase XI: The Complete Guide to Grateful Dead Song Lists. Cornish, NH: DeadBase. p. 218. ISBN 1-877657-22-0.
- ↑ Berenson, Sam (February 25, 2019). "Dead & Company Shares Pro-Shot Video Of Politically-Charged "Throwing Stones" From Sunrise, FL [Watch]". Live for Live Music. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
- ↑ Corcoran, Nina (July 9, 2022). "Dead & Company Share Pro-Abortion Rights Messages Onscreen at Concert: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
- ↑ Harrington, Jim (February 8, 2018). "The Grateful Dead's John Perry Barlow: Remembering his 11 best songs". East Bay Times. Retrieved July 8, 2026.