It was written by lyricist Robert Hunter and composed by lead guitarist Jerry Garcia;[2] however, compositional credit is sometimes extended to include Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, and Bob Weir.

[3][4] "Dark Star" was an early Grateful Dead classic, which the group often used as a vehicle for extended jam sessions during live performances.

[2] A handful of months later, Robert Hunter, who would become a longtime collaborator of the Grateful Dead's, arrived back in California and overheard the band playing around with the track.

While in Rio Nido, a small town on the Russian River just north of San Francisco, he immediately sat down and wrote the opening line, contributing the lyrics and name of the song.

[5] "Dark Star" was initially released as a single in 1968, backed with "Born Cross-Eyed", a track written by rhythm guitarist Bob Weir.

Due to the relentless touring of the Grateful Dead, and the fact that fans were allowed to tape the band's shows, many live versions of "Dark Star" exist.

Semi-regular guest pianist Bruce Hornsby would later incorporate such teases into his own concerts, knowing a good number of Deadheads might be in attendance.

The final live performance of "Dark Star" by the Grateful Dead occurred on March 30, 1994, at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia.

In an unofficial survey of the Grateful Dead's fans, the performance most cited is the Veneta, Oregon, "Dark Star" of August 27, 1972.