China Cat Sunflower

"China Cat Sunflower"
Japanese cover art for the 1969 Japanese single issue of "China Cat Sunflower", backed with "St. Stephen". A picture of the band, tinted green, is the primary design; the songs are identified in English and Japanese on top of the image. 'NEW ROCK BEST HIT SERIES' is printed upon the top banner.
Japanese single cover, 1969
Single by Grateful Dead
from the album Aoxomoxoa
B-side"St. Stephen"
ReleasedJune 20, 1969
StudioPacific Recording Studios
San Mateo, California
GenrePsychedelic rock
Length3:40
LabelWarner Bros.
Composer(s)Jerry Garcia
Lyricist(s)Robert Hunter
Producer(s)Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead singles chronology
"Dupree's Diamond Blues" / "Cosmic Charlie"
(1969) 		"China Cat Sunflower" / "St. Stephen"
(1969) 		"Uncle John's Band" / "New Speedway Boogie"
(1970)

"China Cat Sunflower" is a song by the Grateful Dead, which was first recorded for their 1969 studio album Aoxomoxoa. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter and the music composed by Jerry Garcia. The song was typically sung by Garcia. The first live recording of this song appeared on Europe '72, paired (as was typical) with "I Know You Rider". Lyrically, this song has many literary references, including Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, George Herriman's Krazy Kat, and Dame Edith Sitwell's "Polka".[1]

  1. ^ Dodd, David. "The Annotated 'China Cat Sunflower'", UCSC's Division of the Arts