"Shakedown Street" is a song by the Grateful Dead. It was written by lyricist Robert Hunter and composed by guitarist Jerry Garcia. It was released as the title track on the album Shakedown Street in November 1978. The song was first performed live on August 31, 1978 at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, in Morrison, Colorado. The song "From the Heart of Me" was also played for the first time during the performance. It depicts the reasons for inner-city urban decay. The album, including the song Shakedown Street was 41 in the Billboard top 200 for 1979. Shakedown Street later became a colloquial term to describe the area outside of a concert where various merchandise is bought and sold.