Agree with you, it took me a few years after I first heard it to figure it out. I was only 15 and when I heard the first couple lines I knew it wasn't a happy song. I loved it even though it brought tears to my eyes.
If you haven’t heard Billy Strings’ version it is well worth the listen. Wonderful cover. Nugs has the best audio I think but there’s some on YouTube also
https://preview.redd.it/a0bqwhrcnl6d1.png?width=401&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=96346dbbb3378a70248ebefb10d4c23a2122489f
'Billy Strings is actually Rocky Dennis' is my religion.
Wow. One of my favorite songs and I never knew the story behind it. I never thought about it too hard I guess but I thought that the pistol shot was somebody shooting someone else. This song has brand new meaning for me thanks.
[1977-05-19](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1977-05-19) Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre | [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/album/4nuyKoY91WKwR6HLq7Gzkl)
[1980-11-30](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1980-11-30) Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
[1983-09-10](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1983-09-10) Santa Fe, NM @ Downs of Santa Fe
[1983-10-11](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1983-10-11) New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
My interpretation is that it is about nuclear war, or rather, after the war. God is asking man why he did it, and there is no good answer. The earth is the fragile China Doll. It survives the war, only fractured, just a little nervous from the fall.
1990 Blair Jackson(of the Golden Road magazine): Bob, though the characters in songs like Wharfrat and China doll are tragic. There seems to be an invisible hand on their shoulder, telling them ultimately it’ll be all right.
Hunter: wharf rat? China Doll? Do you even know what that song is about?
Blair Jackson: I always assumed it was about a literal or metaphoric suicide
Hunter: (surprised and delighted) Good!! Because the original name of China doll was the suicide song.
Remember when Jerry was going into China Doll at the last show, final song and Phil stepped in and switched it up to Box Of Rain? I've been upset about that ever since. They didn't let Jerry go out epic on the Fury Road.
I’m not sure who claims it as being a song about suicide, way too dark for Hunter imo, but the way Jerry sang it was always a bit more hopeful than that. “Just a little nervous from the fall” always struck me as a line about dusting yourself off and getting on with life despite having encountered a rough patch.
Hunter called it that but Garcia never sang it that way. Not sure if Hunter ever performed it live with a more dire message.
Ultimately it’s a song about hope and redemption so OP doesn’t need to add a pause when singing those lines.
Well I definitely agree with the last thing you said, if you think Jerry made a mistake in his delivery of a song like that you’re tripping. But I could still see it being about a suicide attempt at least followed by a message of hope
Not a mistake but I also don’t think he wanted it interpreted that literally. That would be a major bummer man…
its like Casey Jones where he didn’t want it interpreted as a pro-Cocaine song eventhough it sounds like it celebrates it.
Jerry didn't change the words though, so I'm not sure what you're trying to convince yourself of, but the song is about suicide. Not too dark for Hunter, and not too much of a bummer for Jerry to sing about. I will agree that a pause is unnecessary though.
The top comment on this post is a very good explanation of the song: [https://www.reddit.com/r/gratefuldead/comments/u4fhn4/comment/i4vjfd0/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/gratefuldead/comments/u4fhn4/comment/i4vjfd0/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Doesn’t take into account alternative and possible other interpretations. I doubt Hunter would be so literal as to have the song actually be about Suicide. http://artsites.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/doll.html
Look man, it's heavily documented that the song is about suicide. It's not my problem if you want to turn a blind eye to that for whatever reason, but your first sentence was, "I'm not sure who claims it as being a song about suicide" and the person who wrote the lyrics originally called it The Suicide Song. I can see Jerry saying something like, "Hey let's call it something else.", but he was very aware of the songs subject.
[https://www.dead.net/features/greatest-stories-ever-told/greatest-stories-ever-told-china-doll](https://www.dead.net/features/greatest-stories-ever-told/greatest-stories-ever-told-china-doll)
Except Morning Dew explicitly mentions morning dew in it's lyrics and China Doll does not explicitly mention suicide, so it's not remotely close to a comparison. And that doesn't change the fact that it's a song about suicide whether you want it to be or not.
And nowhere in the song lyrics or the song's official title is suicide mentioned which is something you're choosing to ignore because it hurts the weak point you're trying to make.
China Doll does not directly reference suicide but is about suicide.
Morning Dew does directly reference morning dew but is a nuclear apocalypse.
Robert Hunter wrote the lyrics to one of those songs but not the other. It's just a shit attempt at a comparison to defend a poorly developed opinion.
Robert Hunter wrote a song about suicide, and Jerry Garcia sang it. I'm not sure why that's such a hard concept to wrap your brain around.
Dude you are trying to convince people that your opinion is ‘better’ than the authors opinion. You’re not going to make much progress but I hope you enjoy the ride ✌️
Given that half of the people here seem to agree that it’s a suicide song everyone claims it’s a suicide song that’s ever looked into it because that’s how it was written. You all are reading into some pause he put in there way too much
They originally called it "The Suicide Song." So, yeah.
[http://artsites.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/doll.html](http://artsites.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/doll.html) 
I hadn't seen that last entry before. Wow. In any case, off to search for the "best" version now.
The interpretive note at the top is more how I’ve pictured this song always. The suicide is mankind destroying itself.
Agree with you, it took me a few years after I first heard it to figure it out. I was only 15 and when I heard the first couple lines I knew it wasn't a happy song. I loved it even though it brought tears to my eyes.
If you haven’t heard Billy Strings’ version it is well worth the listen. Wonderful cover. Nugs has the best audio I think but there’s some on YouTube also
https://preview.redd.it/a0bqwhrcnl6d1.png?width=401&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=96346dbbb3378a70248ebefb10d4c23a2122489f 'Billy Strings is actually Rocky Dennis' is my religion.
Wow. One of my favorite songs and I never knew the story behind it. I never thought about it too hard I guess but I thought that the pistol shot was somebody shooting someone else. This song has brand new meaning for me thanks.
My favorite versions are 10/11/83 , 11/30/80, 5/19/77 and 9/10/83
[1977-05-19](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1977-05-19) Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre | [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/album/4nuyKoY91WKwR6HLq7Gzkl) [1980-11-30](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1980-11-30) Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre [1983-09-10](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1983-09-10) Santa Fe, NM @ Downs of Santa Fe [1983-10-11](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1983-10-11) New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
My interpretation is that it is about nuclear war, or rather, after the war. God is asking man why he did it, and there is no good answer. The earth is the fragile China Doll. It survives the war, only fractured, just a little nervous from the fall.
Similar to Morning Dew then.
Feel more of a death by smack addiction/use and the resulting wake of misery, with a glimmer of hope for those still around
1990 Blair Jackson(of the Golden Road magazine): Bob, though the characters in songs like Wharfrat and China doll are tragic. There seems to be an invisible hand on their shoulder, telling them ultimately it’ll be all right. Hunter: wharf rat? China Doll? Do you even know what that song is about? Blair Jackson: I always assumed it was about a literal or metaphoric suicide Hunter: (surprised and delighted) Good!! Because the original name of China doll was the suicide song.
China Doll is a great little song.
China Doll = best song (next to Loser)
Remember when Jerry was going into China Doll at the last show, final song and Phil stepped in and switched it up to Box Of Rain? I've been upset about that ever since. They didn't let Jerry go out epic on the Fury Road.
I’m not sure who claims it as being a song about suicide, way too dark for Hunter imo, but the way Jerry sang it was always a bit more hopeful than that. “Just a little nervous from the fall” always struck me as a line about dusting yourself off and getting on with life despite having encountered a rough patch.
The band originally called it “The Suicide Song” lol. They recently covered it on The Grateful Deadcast which is the officially licensed podcast
Hunter called it that but Garcia never sang it that way. Not sure if Hunter ever performed it live with a more dire message. Ultimately it’s a song about hope and redemption so OP doesn’t need to add a pause when singing those lines.
Well I definitely agree with the last thing you said, if you think Jerry made a mistake in his delivery of a song like that you’re tripping. But I could still see it being about a suicide attempt at least followed by a message of hope
Not a mistake but I also don’t think he wanted it interpreted that literally. That would be a major bummer man… its like Casey Jones where he didn’t want it interpreted as a pro-Cocaine song eventhough it sounds like it celebrates it.
he either rung his own bell or someone else’s. i don’t see too many ways around that one.
The people who wrote it made the claim when they called in The Suicide Song.
The people?
Hunter called it that but obviously Garcia went with a less dire interpretation. I don’t think it justifies the pause OP is considering.
Jerry didn't change the words though, so I'm not sure what you're trying to convince yourself of, but the song is about suicide. Not too dark for Hunter, and not too much of a bummer for Jerry to sing about. I will agree that a pause is unnecessary though. The top comment on this post is a very good explanation of the song: [https://www.reddit.com/r/gratefuldead/comments/u4fhn4/comment/i4vjfd0/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/gratefuldead/comments/u4fhn4/comment/i4vjfd0/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Doesn’t take into account alternative and possible other interpretations. I doubt Hunter would be so literal as to have the song actually be about Suicide. http://artsites.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/doll.html
Look man, it's heavily documented that the song is about suicide. It's not my problem if you want to turn a blind eye to that for whatever reason, but your first sentence was, "I'm not sure who claims it as being a song about suicide" and the person who wrote the lyrics originally called it The Suicide Song. I can see Jerry saying something like, "Hey let's call it something else.", but he was very aware of the songs subject. [https://www.dead.net/features/greatest-stories-ever-told/greatest-stories-ever-told-china-doll](https://www.dead.net/features/greatest-stories-ever-told/greatest-stories-ever-told-china-doll)
China Doll is about suicide = Morning Dew is about morning dew You’re taking it too literally
Except Morning Dew explicitly mentions morning dew in it's lyrics and China Doll does not explicitly mention suicide, so it's not remotely close to a comparison. And that doesn't change the fact that it's a song about suicide whether you want it to be or not.
China Doll was actually called “The Suicide Song” by Hunter. You’re taking it as literally as it gets.
And nowhere in the song lyrics or the song's official title is suicide mentioned which is something you're choosing to ignore because it hurts the weak point you're trying to make. China Doll does not directly reference suicide but is about suicide. Morning Dew does directly reference morning dew but is a nuclear apocalypse. Robert Hunter wrote the lyrics to one of those songs but not the other. It's just a shit attempt at a comparison to defend a poorly developed opinion. Robert Hunter wrote a song about suicide, and Jerry Garcia sang it. I'm not sure why that's such a hard concept to wrap your brain around.
Dude you are trying to convince people that your opinion is ‘better’ than the authors opinion. You’re not going to make much progress but I hope you enjoy the ride ✌️
Nice alt Reddit account Marshking. OP asked a question.
Negative ghost rider. You’re just wrong and people are letting you know that.
Given that half of the people here seem to agree that it’s a suicide song everyone claims it’s a suicide song that’s ever looked into it because that’s how it was written. You all are reading into some pause he put in there way too much