| "Scarlet Begonias" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by the Grateful Dead from the album Grateful Dead from the Mars Hotel | ||||
| Released | June 27, 1974 | |||
| Recorded | 1974 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 4:20 | |||
| Label | Grateful Dead Records | |||
| Writer | Robert Hunter | |||
| Composer | Jerry Garcia | |||
| Producer | Grateful Dead | |||
| Grateful Dead from the Mars Hotel track listing | ||||
|
||||
"Scarlet Begonias" is a song by the Grateful Dead in 4/4 time. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter and the music by Jerry Garcia.[1] The song first appears on the 1974 release Grateful Dead from the Mars Hotel.
The song begins in Grosvenor Square in London and also references "Tea for Two" from No, No, Nanette by Irving Caesar and Vincent Youmans.
The line "Everybody's playing in the Heart of Gold Band", was used by Keith and Donna Godchaux to name their new group "Heart of Gold Band" when they left the Grateful Dead in 1980.
The live debut of "Scarlet Begonias" came on March 23, 1974 at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California.[1] When Fire on the Mountain was released in 1978, "Scarlet Begonias" would often be paired with "Fire on the Mountain" when played live. This resulted in what would be nicknamed "Scarlet>Fire".[2]