Cover art for Turn on Your Love Light by The Grateful Dead

Turn on Your Love Light

The Grateful Dead
Track 26 on Dave’s Picks Vol. 30 

Producers

Bob Matthews, Betty Cantor &
One of the most popular of the Dead’s late-sixties R&B rave-ups, “Love Light” was originally recorded by blues singer Bobby “Blue” Bland, who certainly must be considered… Read More 
Nov. 10, 19691 viewer7.5K views

Turn on Your Love Light Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Without a warning you broke my heart
Taking it baby, tore it apart
And you left me standing in a dark clime
Said your love for me was dyin'
So come on baby, baby please
I'm begging you baby, I'm on my knees

[Chorus]
Turn on your light, let it shine on me
Turn on your love light, let it shine on me
Let it shine on me let shine, let it shine, let it shine

When I get a little lonely in the middle of
The night
And I need you darling to make things all right
So come on baby, baby please
And I'm begging you baby, 'cause I'm on my knees
Turn on your lights let it shine on me
Turn on your love light let it shine on me
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

[Verse 2]
Without a warning, you broke my heart
Taken it baby, torn it apart
And you left me standing, in a dark clime
Said your love for me was dyin'
So come on baby, I'm on my knees
(Post-chorus)
Well I get a little lonely in the middle of the night

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About

Genius Annotation

One of the most popular of the Dead’s late-sixties R&B rave-ups, “Love Light” was originally recorded by blues singer Bobby “Blue” Bland, who certainly must be considered among the most popular and influential singers of the fifties and early sixties.

Besides influencing Pigpen, Bland was a definite influence on other rock singers, too, such as Van Morrison, who cut “Love Light” with his group Them.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did The Grateful Dead say about "Turn on Your Love Light"?
Genius Answer

From Phil Lesh’s biography:

Pig brought in a whole bunch of songs to work on, and “Turn On Your Lovelight” was a showstopper that we all jumped on when we heard James Cotton do it when he opened one of our shows at the Fillmore.

Who produced “Turn on Your Love Light” by The Grateful Dead?
When did The Grateful Dead release “Turn on Your Love Light”?
Who wrote “Turn on Your Love Light” by The Grateful Dead?
Dave’s Picks Vol. 30 (2019)
  1. 1.
    Mason’s Children (Live at Fillmore East, February 13-14, 1970)
  2. 2.
    Casey Jones
  3. 3.
    Black Peter
  4. 4.
    Mama Tried
  5. 5.
    Hard to Handle
  6. 6.
    Cumberland Blues
  7. 7.
    That’s It for the Other One
  8. 8.
    Cosmic Charlie
  9. 9.
    Uncle John’s Band
  10. 10.
    High Time
  11. 11.
    Dire Wolf
  12. 12.
    Easy Wind
  13. 13.
    China Cat Sunflower
  14. 14.
    I Know You Rider
  15. 15.
    Good Lovin’
  16. 16.
    Me and My Uncle
  17. 17.
    Monkey and the Engineer
  18. 18.
    Morning Dew
  19. 19.
    Big Boss Man
  20. 20.
    Dancin’ in the Streets
  21. 21.
    St. Stephen
  22. 22.
    In the Midnight Hour
  23. 23.
    Dark Star
  24. 25.
    The Eleven
  25. 26.
    Turn on Your Love Light
  26. 27.
    Cold Rain and Snow
  27. 28.
    Alligator
  28. 29.
    Drums
  29. 31.
    Feedback
Credits
Producers
Writers
Keyboards
Harmonica
Trumpet
Timpani
Piano
Harpsichord
Steel Guitar
Dobro
Banjo
Additional Production
Mandolin
Guitar
Engineer
Percussion
Drums
Arranger
Label
Bass Guitar
Recorded At
The Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco
Released on
November 10, 1969
Turn on Your Love Light Live Performances
Turn On Your Lovelight (Live at Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA, April 2, 1989) by The Grateful Dead, Turn On Your Lovelight (Live at Lyceum, London, England, May 24, 1972) by The Grateful Dead, Turn On Your Lovelight [Live at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 1989] by The Grateful Dead, Turn On Your Love Light (Live at the Fillmore East, New York City, May 15, 1970) by The Grateful Dead, Turn On Your Lovelight (Live at Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco, CA, March 17, 1968) by The Grateful Dead, Turn On Your Lovelight (Live at Springer's Inn, Portland, OR, January 18, 1970) by The Grateful Dead, Turn On Your Lovelight (Live at the Hollywood Palladium, August 6, 1971) by The Grateful Dead, Turn On Your Lovelight (Live at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, August 1968) by The Grateful Dead & Turn On Your Lovelight (Live at Fillmore East NYC April 1971) by The Grateful Dead
View Turn on Your Love Light samples
Tags
RockPsychedelic RockBlues RockLive
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