Grateful Dead’s Lyrics

* When I read Jim Van Scoyoc’s Aug. 23 letter stating that the Grateful Dead’s song lyrics are practically void of drug references, I had to laugh.

I am hardly what you would call a Dead fan yet two songs spring to mind immediately: “Truckin”’ (“livin’ on reds, vitamin C and cocaine”) and “Casey Jones” (“Drivin’ that train, high on cocaine, Casey Jones you better watch your speed”). And those are the ones that got played on the radio! Where was Tipper Gore then?

BEN VAUGHN

Santa Monica