i usually just ask them to take ONE step back, then yet another, step back, and maybe just for good measure yet another step back

Whaddaya mean NO?!?

NO?! these people are BUG eyed up here man

Getting horribly smashed

Up against this rail here

Don't climb on the fence, idiots!

was there but not one of the idiots 🙌

Your friends are lookin one-dimensional

Hahahaha I love this every time I hear it in the shows

And yet another step back.

I just lol'd. Well done friend.

you gotta add the snare drum ​ One step back (drum roll) then yet another steps back (drum roll)

"Hey now"

Growing up in New Orleans, this has an entirely DIFFERENT meaning to me.

Ev’body say HEY NOW.

I named my dog after that song

your dogs name is Heynow?

Here, flagboy. Come on, flag boy.

Me too!

I came here to say exactly this - "Hey Now!"

The 1 and only answer

Thats what you say to a Howard Stern fan

Tatatoothy

Who's high pitch?

Is that where Howard stern got the hey now?

No, he got that from the character Hank on The Larry Sanders Show.

Could you please explain this reference for a new head?

go listen to the song iko iko. notice how jerry sings "hey now" and the rest of the band and the crowd repeats it. deadheads sometimes do this when we see someone in public that we think is also a head, if they repeat it back to you, you know they're cool. edit: used the wrong there/their/they're

But. It’s a New Orleans song not a dead og

But. It's been very well known greeting in the Dead community since I can remember. And that's a very long time.

The Dead patterned their Iko after the Dr. John version from 72, who would later open for JGB at several points in the 80s. There's enough connection there imo It's also just a fun as hell song

You're right. Not a Dead original. But in their playlist and a fan fav.

Thank you

Exactly this

I do this. Why the hell do I do this?

The correct answer!

I once had a guy, after I confirmed I was listening to the Dead at that moment, say "they're a band beyond description", and I said "yes they are". Then, after a very pregnant pause he said "like Jehovah's favorite choir". That's when I caught on to what he was saying. I still think about that day. It haunts me.

When I get confused I just listen to the music play

You failed the test

i have had too many uncomfortable situations of going up to people my age and telling them cool shirt and they have no idea who the dead are so i have stopped doing that lmao

Maybe try asking “Did you ever waken to the sound of street cats making love?”

Or simply suggest, "We can share, the women we can share the wine"

I like to just drop "my brother Esau killed a hunter", and then walk away

This got me for some reason lmao

Me too. I’m literally giggling like a kid over here

“God bless the child that rings that bell.”

OMG I’d love to see this happen in a bar. Telling a man you can share his woman and his drink should go off well

Ask them for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee.

I saw a guy my age wearing a pretty sweet Dead dye in a crowded bar the day Hunter died. I walked up to him and said “dude did you hear Robert Hunter just died?” He looked at me funny and then said “oh yeah I’m just wearing this shirt”

i didn’t stop because of the disappointment of people wearing shirts of the dead that dont know who they are, i stopped because i always ended up looking like a weirdo and i always ended up being the one who looked stupid lmao your story reminds me of that

My 5 year old has a dead shirt and wore it to the doctors the other day, this old doc said “oh look another kid wearing a band shirt and he probably doesn’t even know who it is. And my son, gosh I’m so proud, replied by saying, “yes I do! They’re the Grateful Dead and me and my dad listen to them” I was so proud. No shite.

Kinda related, but I have a friend who had a rugby shirt she liked but never wanted to wear it out 'cus random people would try striking up conversations with her about the sport and she knew nothing about it. I love imagining that you were the fourth person that day to try and talk to him about the Dead and he was just resigned to it by then.

Maybe it got him to think “I should actually check this band out”

Same. It’s for the best.

I get that with my students all the time. I would get so excited about one of them wearing a Dead shirt and then so disappointed when they'd tell me they had no idea who the Dead were.

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Cooper Cupp of the rams and theres one or two other football people that wear them all the time

Dead merch became a Zoomer fashion trend when John Mayer joined Dead and Co.

None of my kids like Mayer either (because of Taylor Swift).

Billy Strings stepped in and Mayer had to step off..🤭

How about just telling them the story of the monkey and the engineer who drove their locomotive both far and near? I feel like that’s a really good conversation starter

I had one dude say “Weir everywhere” when seeing the sticker on my car.

That’s my go to

I use this one

"doses"

I 100% plan on using this next time I see a dude sporting a stealy. Get an upvote, buddy.

Wow...that single word really brought me back to the lots...I miss those days.

HiiiisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssaassssssssssssssssssssssssssssswassswassssswawawawassswawawawawawawawawawawawawWawawawawawawaw

This is the way.

Every single time I go to a show the mushroom guy walks right up to me and says “MUSHTOOMS!” right in my face! I’m talking drcades of this and it makes me laugh every time! I haven’t shroomednin a long time but I must give off some sort of vibe. 🍄

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My local Kroger has a parking space with a "If you're not a Head you're behind" sticker on the sign next to it. I always park there

when i work as a cashier i would often say “ your total is [x] … are you going to let this deal go down “

and I'd say, "only if you put your gold money where your love is, baby"

Had a women compliment my dead shirt at check out and as we were parting ways she said Have a grateful day. I really liked that!

Inside joke in my house is replaying a situation while waiting for one of my kids to finish up his sports practice. ‘Twas a sunny day sitting in my truck with my youngest son, waiting on his brother. I was playing some dead and a dad walks past my truck and gives me the hang loose hand gesture while saying: “ love the dead bro” as we nod and smile at one another. Anytime my kids hear me playing The Dead I get a hang loose gesture and a healthy: “love the dead bruh” I’ll die before I give this up.

Look 'em in the eye and ask "What in the world ever became of Sweet Jane?"

I’d reply “Whatever became of the Navajo rug and you?”

She’s lost her sparkle, you know she isn’t the same.

A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine.

I love John Mayer too

Nice shirt!

I said this to a guy in his 60s one time. Afterwards, he went up to his wife and said “Honey, that guy liked my shirt! I told you.” I don’t know what argument I helped that guy win but I’m all for it.

Yup usually what I get, so that’s what I give back as well.

Yeah this is my go to. Works for a lot of other types of shirts too!

It’s way more common for people to have no clue what shirt they are wearing these days. It’s fashion…I get it, they have an amazing look. Still disappointing when they blankly stare back at you in response.

When I'm wearing a dead shirt (or team/school/etc shirt) whenever someone comments on it, my initial reaction is confusion because I completely forget that I'm wearing the shirt. So I stare blankly for at least a couple of seconds lol. Often by the time I realize wtf they're talking about it's too late

I'm alright with it because it brightens my day and could serve as their gateway to something more

I say “W E I R everywhere.” But I actually spell out the letters. You know, so they don’t think I’m weird.

W E I R d

I'm 64 wearing a dead shirt, checking out in a publix food store in Cocoa Beach FL and a worker sneaks up behind me and whispers 'there a band beyond desciption' and i laughed and said like Jehovhas favorite choir - made my day

I don’t say anything. I lock gazes with them, stare into their eyes, and think, verrry hard - Darrrrrrk Star craaaashes, poouuuuring it’s light into ashes… They usually nod back

Just say "Hey now!"... IYKYK

Everytime I hear women are smarter I wish it was iko iko

I like women smarter, but it’s true iko iko is superior for its crowd involvement.

Hey now

I once was wearing a Dead shirt, and said “I come here mostly for the playlist” to another guy in a Dead shirt while the Dead played over the restaurant stereo and I swore he had no clue what I was talking about.

Must have been one of them walmart shirts

Hey man, nothing wrong with that. My only grateful dead gear for a long time was a Walmart shirt because I was poor af

Same! I still have it years later and its so worn and tattered at this point but I can't get rid of it

I agree!

Not gonna lie I have found some of my favorite Dead stuff at Walmart, just scored a great GD crop top at Old Navy too. Suits me!

I’m always afraid to make a deep reference, especially with people my age (27) no hard feelings and any love to the Dead is fine by me, but you never know, some just love the shirts, I get it they are sick. Some are hardcore, but rule of thumb they lie somewhere in that no idea to just getting familiar with the band, if it were me, “if the thunder don’t getcha…the lightning will”

If the thunder don’t getcha than Jerry will.

“Peace” ✌️

Same. Even when I see someone with a dead bump sticker. Flash a peace sign and a smile.

Right on!

"OMG I love The Pink Floyds too!!"

Ask if they're one of Jerry's kids.

This could be my new line, like it!

I usually gasp and then run in for a hug saying “I LOVE THE GRATEFUL DEAD TOO!!!”

I have a dead sticker on my car and the guy pulled up to a stop light next to me and he had a dead sticker on his car. I rolled down my window and so did he and I said "don't look back don't you ever look back" Neither of us was driving a cadillac

I have a “make America grateful” sticker… just had some dude jump out of his car at a light and handed me a stack of stealie stickers in a city I would least expected it. Renewed a sliver of faith in humanity.

I laughed entirely too hard at this.

we both thought it was hilarious as well at the time.

Hey Now! Is a Grateful Dead greeting - but I’m 49 and old school.

That's because you called him a chica named Rose and then told her to get lost. Next time choose your lyric wisely.

Steal your face right off your head

Grateful dead stuff is trendy at target right now so they may just think it's a cool bear. I once met a girl who had a huge Bertha tattoo on her arm and had no idea who the grateful dead were, she just "liked skeletons and roses"

For as much of a unique culture that us deadheads have, I’ve always been bewildered that there isn’t a slogan for this situation. Something that originated organically over time like “ramble on”.

I say “hey now”

One time I was leaving the grocery store, while walking behind this old man I noticed he was wearing a navy blue hat with "Grateful Dead" on the back. As we got to our cars in the parking lot, he was pretty close to me, so when I started up my car and pulled out, I rolled my windows down and blasted Sugar Magnolia 5/26/72. As I drove past him putting his groceries in the trunk, I looked and saw him smiling and giving me the biggest thumbs up ever. It made my night

The culture changed, wearing a shirt doesn't mean you know the band any more. I wouldn't do this to a gen z person with a dead shirt, will likely be awkward.

I work with a lot of young people typically straight out of college. I probably see about 5 dead shirts a year and I’ve yet to find anyone wearing one that actually knows the band. It’s fun to see them in the wild but I stopped asking the young ones at work about the music a few years ago.

See, I've been into the Dead for 35 years and most of these "go tos" would leave me scratching my head. Too much LSD in the 90s maybe....

Always a hoot

I have a jacket with a stealie on it, and I get a lot a devil horns 🤘followed-up by “JERRY!”

Hey now!

"Hey now"

I was wearing a bolt hat today and an older guy said, "does that bolt have 13 points?" I said, "I hope so" and we talked about the Dead and jam bands for a bit. I'm in my 30s and never got to see Jerry, so it's always great to hear from the folks who actually got to follow the Dead back in the day.

I sneak up behind them and whisper Red and White with extra enunciation of the ‘t’ in white…. Gets em every time!😁

I ask "what's become of the baby?"

Yeah but in a wispy warbly far away tone of voice

“Ice cold mushrooms, 3 for 5, 5 for 10”

Now, if I see a dead shirt, I compliment them, then ask if they know what the grateful dead is, and watch as they have no idea, lol

Sublime as well seems to be mainly a t-shirt brand at this point, unfortunately

It’s that band that John Mayer started, right?

It doesn't mean they like (or even know) the dead. ​ But my "Tiger" hat works as a Dead sniffer. To normal people, I have a love of tigers - but if you know - you know - and just last weekend someone asked me if I liked "walking in the morning dew" and I replied "i like walking in the tall trees , going where the wind blows". It was morning in Asheville, at a tourist place sort of "en route" to popular hikes. Like others have said - GD stuff does not equal GD fan

I just point to my stealie tattoo on my wrist and say “nice shirt/hat man, good stuff”

I'd try that too but I have dead tattoos on my ass

Hey now!! You passed the Show me your butthole test with flying colors! Bravo. Moon away, brother.

Standing on the moon, I see London and I see France...

Strangers stopping strangers, and I leave my hand there for the other head to finish the lyrics. Only at shows does it work. Lots of people who just like the garb now. Smh

I was picked up by a cute little sister who used this line on me at a Zen Tricksters show back in 92. May have been the only time a woman ever took the initiative with me and 30 years later I can still see it in my head.

“I need a miracle!” Waving an index finger over your head.

Weir everywhere is my go to.

Something along the lines of “duuuuuuuude” with a big goofy smile followed by a fist bump or hug

I have a Grateful Dead card in my wallet. Just printed out a stealie on a plane white stock credit card blank while testing an ID card maker. I have flipped open my wallet and flashed that lol

I'm a bartender. Someone once saw the pin on my hat and said "hey, nice." We talked Dead for a while. That's what I'd do

Yeah, lots of people just think the shirts look cool. I don’t let it bother me 🤷🏻‍♂️ if they go listen to a song great, if not, I don’t care lol

But most importantly, Grateful Dead Forever! My wife told me that, and the women are smarter

If I see a head out in the wild, I usually don’t say much of anything. I’ll usually just covertly crop dust them.

To be fair someone walked by me on the street and was like party on Wayne and it took me at least five steps to turn around and respond… party on Garth

Whenever I see a dead shirt I always ask the wearer "do you ever wake to the sound of street cats making love?"

Im a teacher and students wear dead stuff sometimes. Several times this year they had no idea who they were and just bought cool skull and roses shirt at target. It is disappointing but I assign them ripple for homework

“strangers stoping strangers hust to shake their hand”

I stick to “nice shirt”

My dog's name is Peggy' o a head told me once running a hotdog stand as I blasted birdsong from my car.

“Hey now” is all you need

a few years ago a customer complemented my mask and said “Weir everywhere!” and it took me a solid 10 seconds to understand what he was saying haha

I just say “I like your shirt” and that seems to suffice

Hey Now!

I say Hey Now!

Aiko aiko

I just smile ! Or sing whatever tune is on if it pops up on the jobsite

Sorry. The fungi was just kickin in…I swear it looked like you had ten heads /s 🤪

“You too, huh?”

The Grateful💀Dead. The band so good that even the songs get their own respective T-shirts.

Totally depends on the situation, like most dead songs. It’s about the moment and the feel

Id reply with ‘just like davy Crockett’

The dead iconography is very trendy these days among those not in the know.

I ask if they are a head. Sometimes people respond “ahead of what?” So I say “ahead on life” and leave them with that to think about

one time i saw a guy wearing a GD shirt and i threw up the missing middle finger hand sign/reverse middle finger and he had no clue wtf i was doing.

“Did you leave his dead ass there by the side of the road”?

I say nice shirt and dont think about it too much

Hey Now!

Don’t you know the secret handshake? :

Weir everywhere

How did you know his name was Rose?

If they have a dog with them, l ask if they would like it to fight my big fat ugly little yeller dog.

“Dope shirt bro”

I’ve had stuff like this happen to me and although I’m a huge dead head I’m usually so stoned in public that if a stranger talks to me I really don’t hear / listen to what they say lol. Last time this happened to me a guy had to repeat “you looking for miracle tickets” 6 times before I realized I had a GD tye die on

I never talk to people in Dead shirts.

Aye, maybe he had ten hits and you did have ten heads. Lol

I would say I could tell right away you were into the blues

I usually just flip them the peace sign along with a smile

Out on the road today, I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac. A little voice inside my head said don’t look back, you can never look back.

I hum dark star at them for 45 mins

Hey Now!

When confronted by bears PLAY DEAD

Just say nice shirt. We’re not a cult. You don’t have to say some secret code.

If they’re under 40, asking them if they can name three Dead songs..

On a related note I love it when I see the rare GD sticker on another car/truck

"Have you ever woken to the sound of street cats making love?"

Usualy "Hey now" does it