The Grateful Dead — St. Stephen Live at Shrine Auditorium Los Angeles August 1968

[Verse 1] Saint Stephen with a rose In and out of the garden he goes Country garland in the wind and the rain Wherever he goes, the people all complain [Verse 2] Stephen prospered in his time Well, he may and he may decline Did it matter? Does it now? Stephen would answer if he only knew how [Verse 3] Wishing well with a golden bell Bucket hanging clear to Hell Hell halfway 'twixt now and then Stephen fill it up and lower down And lower down again [Bridge] Ladyfinger dipped in moonlight Writing "What for?" across the morning sky Darkness splatters dawn with answers Darkness shrugs and bids the day goodbye Speeding arrow, sharp and narrow What a lot of fleeting matters you have spurned Several seasons with their treasons Wrap the babe in scarlet covers, call it your own [Verse 4] Did he doubt or did he try? Answers aplenty in the bye and bye Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills One man gathers what another man spills [Instrumental Break] [Verse 5] Saint Stephen will remain All he lost he shall regain Seashore washed by the suds and foam Been here so long he’s got to calling it home [Outro] Fortune comes a-crawling, Calliope woman Spinning that curious sense of your own Can you answer? Yes I can But what would be the answer to the answer man? High green chilly winds and windy vines In loops around the twining shafts of lavender They're crawling to the sun Wonder who will water all the children of the garden When they sigh about the barren lack of rain and Droop so hungry 'neath the sky Underfoot the ground is patched With climbing arms of ivy wrapped around the manzanita Stark and shiny in the breeze William Tell has stretched his bow ’til it won't stretch no furthermore When he will release it, where did the apple roll