DMBAlmanac.com

overview all songs live releases broadcasts liberations

Liberation Guidelines

Here are the ground rules:

A song joins the list when it goes 1000 days without being fully played live by the full band, and it is "liberated" when it is fully played live by the full band. Our definition of "full band" is fairly loose but generally includes a minimum of Dave, Carter, and one other member of the current touring band.
A song qualifies if it has been fully played live by the full band five or more times. The exception is that officially-released, Dave-penned studio songs qualify as long as they have been fully played live by the full band at least once (e.g., Baby Blue, Let You Down).
A song is disqualified if it has not been fully played live by the full band five or more times or if it is in the Defunct category (e.g., #36, Leave Me Praying).

Top 10 Liberations (by days)

Little Thing
4.30.96 – 7.7.12 (5912 days)
Blue Water
2.25.95 – 4.24.09 (5172 days)
Melissa
9.29.09 – 7.19.23 (5041 days)
Kit Kat Jam
7.26.13 – 5.9.26 (4670 days)
Busted Stuff
9.3.10 – 5.9.23 (4631 days)
#34
3.23.93 – 7.9.05 (4491 days)
Blackjack
6.2.12 – 8.30.24 (4472 days)
Rye Whiskey
7.5.09 – 9.17.21 (4457 days)
American Baby Intro
9.18.11 – 7.14.23 (4317 days)
Break for It
9.5.10 – 5.11.22 (4266 days)

Top 10 Liberations (by shows)

#34
3.23.93 – 7.9.05 (1235 shows)
Little Thing
4.30.96 – 7.7.12 (1166 shows)
Blue Water
2.25.95 – 4.24.09 (1082 shows)
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
11.17.92 – 5.5.01 (1008 shows)
Melissa
9.29.09 – 7.19.23 (767 shows)
Blackjack
6.2.12 – 8.30.24 (719 shows)
Rye Whiskey
7.5.09 – 9.17.21 (685 shows)
Kit Kat Jam
7.26.13 – 5.9.26 (682 shows)
Busted Stuff
9.3.10 – 5.9.23 (664 shows)
American Baby Intro
9.18.11 – 7.14.23 (651 shows)

Songs Most Liberated

Christmas Song (5 times)
Maker, The (5 times)
#34 (4 times)
Cortez the Killer (4 times)
Dreamgirl (4 times)
Fool to Think (4 times)
Help Myself (4 times)
JTR (4 times)
Last Stop, The (4 times)
Pay for What You Get (4 times)

Current Liberation List

#	Song	Missing Since	Days Since	Shows Since	Notes
1	People People	1.26.93	12228	2498	teased by Stefan in 2012; never fully played without Peter
2	Spotlight	10.22.93	11959	2346	teased once in 1994 and once in 1997
3	Get in Line	12.31.94	11524	2106	reportedly soundchecked in 1999
4	Let You Down	6.20.97	10622	1794	played by Dave & Tim in 1997; teased by Stefan in 2003 & 2013; played by Dave solo in 2015
5	For the Beauty of Wynona	9.10.00	9444	1552	played by Dave solo in 2002 and by Dave & Tim in 2003
6	Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard	5.5.01	9207	1520	played by Dave & Paul Simon in 2014
7	Angel From Montgomery	8.26.01	9094	1471	played occasionally by Dave & Tim, Dave solo, and Dave with guests; never played by DMB without Boyd
8	Mother Father	8.26.01	9094	1471
9	Angel	7.5.03	8416	1363
10	Exodus	10.2.07	6866	1068
11	Dream So Real, A	6.21.08	6603	1050
12	#40	6.21.08	6603	1050	teased and partially played occasionally; played by Dave solo on 7.4.15
13	Money (That's What I Want)	7.26.08	6568	1034
14	Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)	8.30.08	6533	1015	sister song played by Dave solo on 1.21.14
15	Money	9.6.08	6526	1012
16	Blue Water	4.25.09	6295	998	played occasionally by Dave & Tim; teased or partially played occasinally by full band (most recently in 2014)
17	Road	6.18.10	5876	883	never played without Danny Barnes
18	Some Devil	7.21.10	5843	866	played regularly by Dave solo
19	Baby Blue	8.27.10	5806	852	played by Dave & Tim in 2010 and 2011 and by Dave solo in 2011, 2012, 2023, and 2024
20	Little Thing	7.13.12	5120	776	played by Dave solo on 11.7.15 and regularly by Dave & Tim
21	Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour Arrives)	5.17.13	4812	742
22	True Reflections	6.15.13	4783	729	played regularly by Boyd with Crystal Garden in 2017; never played without Boyd
23	Good Times Bad Times	6.29.13	4769	722	played by Secret Stash on 8.26.17
24	Crazy Easy	8.30.13	4707	703
25	Gaucho	9.1.13	4705	701
26	(Don't Fear) The Reaper	9.8.13	4698	697
27	Take Me to Tomorrow	7.16.14	4387	657	played by Dave & Tim in 2015 and occasionally by Dave solo
28	Good Good Time	8.29.14	4343	646	played by Dave solo regularly in 2015 and twice in 2017, and played by Dave & Tim in 2022 and 2023
29	Slip Slidin' Away	8.31.14	4341	644
30	Still Water	10.27.15	3919	580
31	Out of My Hands	6.28.16	3674	546	played occasionally by Dave & Tim
32	Death on the High Seas	7.29.16	3643	530	played occasionally by Dave & Tim
33	Oh	9.2.16	3608	524	played regularly by Dave & Tim and Dave solo
34	Runnin' Down a Dream	2.3.18	3089	520
35	Sleep to Dream Her	11.29.18	2790	467
36	Belly Belly Nice	12.7.18	2782	462
37	Kill the King	12.8.18	2781	461
38	Sweet Emotion	12.14.18	2775	458
39	Save Me	4.1.19	2667	440	played on 9.3.21 without Carter or Stefan
40	Stand Up (For It)	6.21.19	2586	423
41	Fly Like an Eagle	10.20.19	2465	383
42	Write a Song	8.25.21	1790	294
43	Rye Whiskey	10.9.21	1745	263	played regularly by Dave solo
44	Time of the Season	10.9.21	1745	263
45	Time Bomb	5.21.22	1521	242	lyrics interpolated regularly during Two Step intro
46	Sugar Man	6.21.22	1490	228
47	#34	9.4.22	1415	206
48	Eh Hee	9.14.22	1405	203
49	That Girl Is You	11.16.22	1342	190
50	Riff, The	11.18.22	1340	189
51	Bismarck	6.29.23	1117	164
52	I Want You (She's So Heavy)	7.29.23	1087	148
53	After Everything	7.29.23	1087	148
54	Late in the Evening	8.29.23	1056	144
55	Help Myself	9.2.23	1052	142
56	Long Black Veil	9.3.23	1051	141

All Liberated Songs

#	Song	Missing Since	Liberation Date	Days Since	Shows Since
1	Christmas Song	12.8.93	12.2.98	1820	640
2	Maker, The	5.30.94	12.17.98	1662	556
3	#40	6.26.95	6.22.99	1457	379
4	Exodus	5.11.96	12.13.00	1677	404
5	Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard	11.17.92	5.5.01	3091	1008
6	Halloween	12.15.98	9.8.02	1363	277
7	Last Stop, The	7.11.99	6.17.03	1437	242
8	Typical Situation	8.26.00	6.17.03	1025	187
9	Pay for What You Get	7.7.99	6.18.03	1442	246
10	Cry Freedom	7.10.99	6.18.03	1439	244
11	Dreaming Tree, The	8.6.99	6.18.03	1412	227
12	Maker, The	8.29.00	6.18.03	1023	186
13	I'll Back You Up	9.13.00	6.24.03	1014	180
14	Spoon	11.21.98	7.29.03	1711	328
15	#34	3.23.93	7.9.05	4491	1235
16	Exodus	12.13.00	9.12.05	1734	337
17	Christmas Song	12.19.98	11.29.05	2537	466
18	JTR	8.28.01	4.29.06	1705	287
19	Raven	7.29.02	5.30.06	1401	221
20	Proudest Monkey	9.8.02	5.30.06	1360	204
21	Dreaming Tree, The	8.7.03	6.3.06	1031	163
22	Digging a Ditch	8.31.03	6.3.06	1007	156
23	Big Eyed Fish	8.8.02	6.7.06	1399	220
24	So Right	7.19.03	6.10.06	1057	179
25	Pay for What You Get	8.24.03	6.20.06	1031	170
26	Last Stop, The	8.8.03	7.2.06	1059	178
27	Sleep to Dream Her	9.9.03	7.28.06	1053	171
28	Maker, The	9.6.03	3.23.07	1294	206
29	Sweet Up and Down	7.25.00	8.7.07	2569	476
30	Fool to Think	9.4.04	9.21.07	1112	200
31	Long Black Veil	8.1.03	6.6.08	1771	287
32	#40	8.3.99	6.21.08	3245	553
33	Space Between, The	7.13.04	6.28.08	1446	257
34	Sugar Will	10.5.04	7.9.08	1373	228
35	Help Myself	9.4.04	7.12.08	1407	237
36	Spoon	9.14.03	8.9.08	1791	299
37	Blue Water	2.25.95	4.24.09	5172	1082
38	Big Eyed Fish	9.12.06	3.14.10	1279	238
39	Busted Stuff	5.18.02	5.28.10	2932	534
40	Kit Kat Jam	7.30.03	5.28.10	2494	453
41	Hello Again	9.10.05	5.28.10	1721	305
42	JTR	9.3.06	5.28.10	1363	244
43	So Right	9.22.06	5.29.10	1345	238
44	Digging a Ditch	9.9.06	6.2.10	1362	244
45	Cry Freedom	3.27.05	6.5.10	1896	369
46	Still Water	8.17.07	7.9.10	1057	221
47	Minarets	12.13.05	7.21.10	1681	319
48	Some Devil	8.26.07	7.21.10	1060	222
49	Good Good Time	10.2.04	7.30.10	2127	409
50	Last Stop, The	9.12.06	7.31.10	1418	274
51	Cortez the Killer	10.21.06	7.31.10	1379	267
52	If I Had It All	9.14.07	8.25.10	1076	226
53	American Baby Intro	11.15.07	8.27.10	1016	213
54	Fool to Think	9.26.07	9.4.10	1074	224
55	I Did It	9.4.04	9.5.10	2192	428
56	Christmas Song	12.15.05	9.18.10	1738	344
57	Captain	7.27.04	6.24.11	2523	472
58	Break Free	9.13.06	6.25.11	1746	312
59	Kill the King	7.1.06	6.26.11	1821	344
60	Joyride	6.24.06	7.8.11	1840	348
61	American Baby	8.1.06	9.2.11	1858	343
62	Beach Ball	5.1.09	5.18.12	1113	187
63	You Never Know	7.31.09	5.18.12	1022	144
64	Help Myself	8.29.08	5.28.12	1368	216
65	Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour Arrives)	12.15.05	6.3.12	2362	387
66	Typical Situation	9.10.09	6.22.12	1016	146
67	Star-Spangled Banner, The	9.24.03	7.3.12	3205	540
68	Little Thing	4.30.96	7.7.12	5912	1166
69	Dreamgirl	6.4.10	5.17.13	1078	148
70	Recently	7.9.10	5.26.13	1052	136
71	JTR	7.13.10	5.26.13	1048	134
72	Hunger for the Great Light	9.22.07	5.29.13	2076	339
73	True Reflections	7.29.03	6.15.13	3609	619
74	Space Between, The	7.2.08	6.22.13	1816	318
75	Crazy Easy	9.8.04	7.23.13	3240	563
76	Kit Kat Jam	7.1.10	7.24.13	1119	167
77	Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back)	9.7.08	7.27.13	1784	304
78	#34	10.2.07	8.31.13	2160	366
79	Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd	8.30.08	5.16.14	2085	332
80	Pay for What You Get	7.12.08	5.24.14	2142	359
81	I'll Back You Up	11.17.10	5.24.14	1284	147
82	Good Good Time	7.30.10	6.13.14	1414	189
83	Sledgehammer	3.14.10	7.4.14	1573	233
84	Burning Down the House	9.18.11	7.12.14	1028	149
85	Steady As We Go	8.6.06	8.31.14	2947	509
86	Maker, The	9.3.11	6.3.15	1369	184
87	Cortez the Killer	9.17.11	6.10.15	1362	185
88	Down by the River	5.27.07	6.26.15	2952	489
89	Smooth Rider	7.18.09	6.26.15	2169	340
90	I Did It	9.15.10	7.17.15	1766	233
91	Sugar Will	3.7.10	5.7.16	2253	332
92	Last Stop, The	11.20.10	5.7.16	1995	256
93	Shotgun	7.23.13	5.11.16	1023	143
94	Dreamgirl	7.6.13	5.13.16	1042	152
95	Dive In	9.16.11	5.14.16	1702	245
96	Break Free	9.17.11	5.17.16	1704	245
97	Fool to Think	7.9.13	6.24.16	1081	169
98	Time Bomb	7.6.13	2.3.18	1673	198
99	Alligator Pie	7.13.13	2.3.18	1666	194
100	Runnin' Down a Dream	9.7.13	2.3.18	1610	178
101	You Never Know	7.26.14	2.3.18	1288	131
102	Stand Up (For It)	10.1.07	5.18.18	3882	550
103	What You Are	5.31.13	5.18.18	1813	215
104	#27	7.23.14	5.18.18	1395	134
105	Louisiana Bayou	7.18.15	5.18.18	1035	89
106	Steady As We Go	8.31.14	5.19.18	1357	126
107	Hello Again	6.30.10	5.22.18	2883	360
108	Smooth Rider	6.26.15	6.2.18	1072	110
109	Captain	9.12.15	6.23.18	1015	92
110	Sledgehammer	7.17.15	6.29.18	1078	111
111	JTR	7.3.13	7.14.18	1837	230
112	Time of the Season	3.23.07	8.24.18	4172	646
113	Write a Song	7.14.15	8.25.18	1138	133
114	Spaceman	11.11.15	8.31.18	1024	95
115	#34	9.7.13	9.7.18	1826	226
116	Kill the King	6.26.11	11.27.18	2711	352
117	Sweet Emotion	7.10.11	11.27.18	2697	349
118	Sleep to Dream Her	5.29.13	11.27.18	2008	267
119	Cortez the Killer	6.10.15	11.30.18	1269	158
120	Christmas Song	6.28.14	12.7.18	1623	203
121	Dreamgirl	5.13.16	3.6.19	1027	111
122	Help Myself	6.29.13	3.10.19	2080	269
123	Sugar Will	7.30.16	6.15.19	1050	104
124	Maker, The	9.4.16	6.15.19	1014	97
125	If I Had It All	5.19.12	6.28.19	2596	385
126	Joyride	8.30.13	7.12.19	2142	290
127	I'll Back You Up	7.1.15	7.27.19	1487	214
128	Spoon	8.30.14	8.24.19	1820	243
129	Drunken Soldier	11.11.15	8.30.19	1388	171
130	Sweet Up and Down	8.31.10	2.28.20	3468	468
131	Beach Ball	7.20.12	2.28.20	2779	391
132	Riff, The	7.22.14	2.28.20	2047	272
133	Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd	5.21.16	2.28.20	1378	179
134	Sweet	9.13.15	7.23.21	2140	281
135	So Damn Lucky	6.22.18	7.23.21	1127	191
136	Hello Again	9.2.18	7.23.21	1055	164
137	If Only	8.27.16	7.24.21	1792	219
138	When the World Ends	6.7.18	7.24.21	1143	200
139	Drive In Drive Out	6.1.18	7.27.21	1152	205
140	Spaceman	9.7.18	8.11.21	1069	171
141	Rye Whiskey	7.5.09	9.17.21	4457	685
142	Christmas Song	12.15.18	9.18.21	1008	179
143	Broken Things	7.24.13	11.5.21	3026	451
144	Dive In	7.9.16	11.5.21	1945	283
145	Break for It	9.5.10	5.11.22	4266	599
146	Shotgun	5.11.16	5.11.22	2191	319
147	Break Free	11.27.18	5.11.22	1261	220
148	Dreaming Tree, The	8.29.15	5.13.22	2449	352
149	Idea of You	7.26.19	5.13.22	1022	158
150	Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back)	9.8.18	5.17.22	1347	226
151	Time Bomb	8.24.18	5.20.22	1365	236
152	Come On Come On	12.7.18	6.4.22	1275	225
153	Sugar Man	9.6.14	6.21.22	2845	414
154	Steady As We Go	7.14.18	7.2.22	1449	268
155	Pay for What You Get	8.1.15	7.9.22	2534	382
156	Fool to Think	6.29.19	7.15.22	1112	204
157	Cry Freedom	9.3.16	8.21.22	2178	313
158	Eh Hee	7.3.13	9.2.22	3348	512
159	Drunken Soldier	9.7.19	9.2.22	1091	187
160	Joyride	7.27.19	9.3.22	1134	197
161	#34	9.7.18	9.4.22	1458	266
162	Busted Stuff	9.3.10	5.9.23	4631	664
163	Bismarck	8.30.16	5.9.23	2443	340
164	Virginia in the Rain	7.1.18	5.9.23	1773	311
165	American Baby Intro	9.18.11	7.14.23	4317	651
166	Melissa	9.29.09	7.19.23	5041	767
167	Cortez the Killer	8.31.19	7.19.23	1418	245
168	Hunger for the Great Light	7.27.18	7.21.23	1820	329
169	Help Myself	3.10.19	7.21.23	1594	300
170	Spoon	8.24.19	8.24.23	1461	255
171	Long Black Veil	7.8.15	9.3.23	2979	473
172	Smooth Rider	8.27.19	11.18.23	1544	268
173	Dreamgirl	3.19.19	5.28.24	1897	342
174	Black and Blue Bird	6.23.18	6.1.24	2170	397
175	Sugar Will	9.18.21	7.16.24	1032	192
176	Blackjack	6.2.12	8.30.24	4472	719
177	Alligator Pie	2.3.18	8.31.24	2401	442
178	Burning Down the House	12.15.18	10.19.24	2135	385
179	Down by the River	9.9.15	11.22.24	3362	527
180	Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)	9.11.15	4.27.25	3516	529
181	Dive In	11.8.21	5.30.25	1299	197
182	Loving Wings	10.17.15	6.27.25	3541	539
183	I Did It	7.21.15	8.29.25	3692	577
184	American Baby	5.30.14	8.31.25	4111	650
185	Mercy	3.6.19	8.31.25	2370	427
186	Broken Things	11.9.21	5.8.26	1641	228
187	Cha Cha	7.21.23	5.8.26	1022	126
188	Kit Kat Jam	7.26.13	5.9.26	4670	682
189	Snow Outside	9.5.15	5.11.26	3901	571
190	Come Tomorrow	11.16.22	7.7.26	1329	182
191	If I Had It All	6.28.19	7.14.26	2573	417
192	Sweet Up and Down	5.21.22	7.15.26	1516	239
193	Beach Ball	2.28.20	7.17.26	2331	380
194	If Only	11.18.22	7.18.26	1338	188