‘We Bid You Goodnight,’ The Grateful Dead at Brendan Byrne Arena

by JAY LUSTIG

Jerry Garcia sings “We Bid You Goodnight” at the Brendan Byrne Arena in October 1989.

In honor of the upcoming closing of the Izod Center, which will present its last concert tonight, today’s selection for 350 Jersey Songs is The Grateful Dead’s “We Bid You Goodnight,” as performed by them at the East Rutherford building (then known as the Brendan Byrne Arena) on Oct. 16. 1989.

The Dead, of course, performed often in The Meadowlands, and “We Bid You Goodnight,” which they sometimes used to close concerts (as they did at this show) is a traditional song, originally developed for use at funerals.

Goodnight, Izod Center.

New Jersey celebrated its 350th birthday in 2014. And in the 350 Jersey Songs series, we marked the occasion by posting 350 songs — one a day, from September 2014 to September 2015 — that have something to do with the state, its musical history, or both. To see the entire list, click here.

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