Built To Last

The Album Cover

About The Album

Built to Last is the thirteenth and final studio album by the Grateful Dead It was recorded between February 1 and October 20, 1989 and originally released on October 31, 1989.

The album was released on CD in 1989 by Arista Records before being rereleased in 2000 by BMG International. It was then remastered, expanded, and released as part of the Beyond Description (1973-1989) 12-CD box set in October 2004. The remasted version was later released separately on CD on April 11, 2006 by Rhino Records.

This album features the most songs by keyboard player Brent Mydland, who has four song credits in collaboration with Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow. This mirrored accurately Mydland's increasing vocal presence in the band over the decade he spent with the Dead. His death less than a year later would prove to end the Dead's studio album tenure.

Track listing

1. "Foolish Heart" (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:12
2. "Just a Little Light" (Barlow, Mydland) – 4:43
3. "Built to Last" (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:05
4. "Blow Away" (Barlow, Mydland) – 6:11

   

5. "Victim or the Crime" (Graham, Weir) – 7:37
6. "We Can Run" (Barlow, Mydland) – 5:33
7. "Standing on the Moon" (Garcia, Hunter) – 5:22
8. "Picasso Moon" (Barlow, Bralove, Weir) – 6:43
9. "I Will Take You Home" (Barlow, Mydland) – 3:55
10. "Foolish Heart" (recorded live at Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, WI on July 19, 1989) – 11:30
11. "Blow Away" (recorded live at John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, PA on July 7, 1989) – 12:02
12. "California Earthquake (Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On)" (recorded live at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, PA on October 20, 1989) (Crowell) – 5:59

Personnel

Grateful Dead:

• Jerry Garcia – guitar, vocals
• Bob Weir – guitar, vocals
• Brent Mydland – keyboards, vocals
• Phil Lesh – bass
• Bill Kreutzmann – drums
• Mickey Hart – drums, percussion

Production:

• John Cutler – producer, engineer
• Tom Flye, Justin Kreutzmann, Peter Miller, David Roberts, Jeff Sterling, Chris Wiskes – engineers

Reissue production credits

• David Lemieux, James Austin – reissue producers
• Reggie Collins, Blair Jackson – liner notes
• Sheryl Farber – editorial supervision
• Cameron Sears – executive producer
• Joe Gastwirt – mastering, production consultant
• Tom Flye – mixing
• Robert Gatley – mixing assistant
• Hugh Brown, Steve Vance – art coordinator
• Jimmy Edwards, Robin Hurley, Hale Milfgrim, Scott Pascucci – associate producer
• Eileen Law – research
• Vanessa Atkins, Steven Chean, Bill Inglot, Jeffrey Norman, Randy Perry – project assistants
• John McEntire – coordination
• Ken Friedman, Herbert Greene – photography
• Maude Gilman, Greg Gyuricsko – artwork
• Dan Healy – concert sound
• Alton Kelley – direction, cover art
• John McEntire – coordination
• Billy Candelario, Steve Parish, Harry Popick, Robbie Taylor – crew