Heaven Help the Fool

Heaven Help The Fool was the second solo album by Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist Bob Weir, released in 1978. It was recorded during time off from touring, in the summer of 1977, while Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart recovered from injuries sustained in a vehicular accident. Weir returned to the studio with Keith Olsen, having recorded Terrapin Station with the producer earlier in the year. Several well-known studio musicians were hired for the project, including widely used session player Waddy Wachtel and Toto members David Paich and Mike Porcaro.

Heaven Help The Fool
Studio album by Bob Weir
Released	January 13, 1978
Recorded	1977
Genre	Rock, country, folk
Length	34:43
Label	Arista
Producer	Keith Olsen
Bob Weir chronology
Live 'n' Kickin' (1977) Heaven Help The Fool (1978) Bobby and the Midnites (1981)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	C+[2]

Track listing

1. "Bombs Away" (John Perry Barlow, Bob Weir) – 5:06
2. "Easy to Slip" (Lowell George, Martin Kibbee) – 3:05
3. "Salt Lake City" (Barlow, Weir) – 4:04
4. "Shade of Grey" (Barlow, Weir) – 4:30
5. "Heaven Help the Fool" (Barlow, Weir) – 5:30
6. "This Time Forever" (Barlow, Weir) – 4:09
7. "I'll Be Doggone" (Warren Moore, Smokey Robinson, Marv Tarplin) – 3:07
8. "Wrong Way Feelin'" (Barlow, Weir) – 5:12

Credits

Personnel

• Bob Weir – rhythm guitar, vocals
• Mike Baird – drums on tracks 1, 3-6 & 8
• Bill Champlin – background vocals on tracks 1 & 3-8, keyboards on tracks 2 & 7, organ on tracks 3 & 8
• David Foster – keyboards on tracks 1-8
• Lynette Gloud – background vocals on tracks 5-8
• Tom Kelly – background vocals on tracks 1-6 & 8
• Dee Murray – bass guitar on track 2
• Nigel Olsson – drums on tracks 2 & 7
• David Paich – keyboards on tracks 1, 3-6 & 8
• Mike Porcaro – bass guitar on tracks 1 & 3-8
• Peggy Sandvig – keyboards on track 4
• Tom Scott – saxophones on tracks 1, 3 & 5
• Carmen Twilley – background vocals on tracks 5-8
• Waddy Wachtel – lead guitar on tracks 2-3 & 7

Production

• Producer – Keith Olsen
• Engineers – David de Vore and Keith Olsen
• Art direction – Ria Lewerke
• Photography – Richard Avedon
• Mastering – Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NYC

Performance history

Unlike Weir's previous solo album (Ace), none of the songs entered Grateful Dead set lists – except the title track, which was briefly played as an instrumental version in the Fall of 1980. Those performances were at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco (nine performances in September and October), twice at the Saenger Performing Arts Center in New Orleans, and six times at Radio City Music Hall in New York City (all in October).

Additionally, "Salt Lake City" was played at one Grateful Dead concert, in Salt Lake City, at the Delta Center, February 21, 1995.

References

1. Planer, Lindsay. "Heaven Help the Fool". AllMusic. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: W". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 22, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.