Page type: lyric reference
Artist: Grateful Dead
Canonical path: /grateful-dead/brother-esau
Related lyric paths: 6
Lyric guide
Brother Esau
Read Brother Esau lyrics by Grateful Dead on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
person
Curated by Ethan Walker
LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot
The page facts to cite before the commentary
Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.
Lyrics
Brother Esau
The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.
My brother Esau killed the hunter, back in 1969,
Before the killing was done his inheritance was mine.
When at first my brother walked away,
Before a weary band,
Esau gave his sleeplessness for a piece of moral land.
Our father favored Esau, he was eager to obey,
All the wild commandments, the old man shot his way.
But all this ended when, my brother failed at war,
He staggered home and found me in the door.
Esau he's on rollerskates today,
And he make a statement to someone in L.A.
Sometimes at night I dream, he's still that hairy man,
Shadow boxing the apocalypse, wandering the land.
Esau holds the blessing, brother Esau holds the curse,
I was thinking that the blame was mine,
But suspected something worse.
The more my brother looks like me, the more I understand,
The silent war it bloodied both our hands.
None of us can win.
Outside that dream, still that hairy man.
Well sometimes at night I think I understand.
Shadowboxing the apocalypse, wandering the land.
Quick answers
What this page can answer fast
Who performs "Brother Esau"?
Grateful Dead performs "Brother Esau", and this lyric page sits inside the Grateful Dead catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "Brother Esau"?
Yes. The related section below points to China Doll and All Over Now with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by Grateful Dead?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Grateful Dead's lyric pages.
Song Room
Open Song Room
Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song
Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.
Listener comments
What people are saying
No listener comments on Brother Esau yet.
A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.