From the album American Beauty to Workingman’s Dead, the Greatful Dead were famously masterful with their lyrics. Interwoven with references to folk songs and poems, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to catch all of lyricist Robert Hunter’s allusions.
Thankfully, there is now a close-to-comprehensive online annotated database of every song — although it’s doubtful we’ve caught every reference. Read more about it in Open Culture.