They Wrote The Lyrics – John Perry Barlow (Grateful Dead) [VIDEO]

Grateful Dead guitarist and singer Bob Weir wrote some memorable songs with Robert Hunter, however; his primary collaborator was lyricist John Perry Barlow.

Weir and Barlow have been friends since High school and began writing together in the '70s.

Barlow said,"[Robert] Hunter turned to me and said, 'Why don't you take him? He's your friend!' I said, 'Well I'm not sure I know how to write songs." He said, 'Well you know how to write poetry,' which was more-or-less true because I had been a poet in college, mostly because I felt like I could ride around on a motorcycle to the women's colleges in New England and recite poetry of my own composition and do OK. I told [Hunter] that I would give it a shot, went out, and tried to write a song, and it was "Mexicali Blues."

John Perry Barlow essential songs:

• "Cassidy"
• "Looks Like Rain,"
• "Estimated Prophet"
• "Black-Throated Wind"
• "Mexicali Blues" (Video below)
• "The Music Never Stopped"
• "Throwing Stones"