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The Music of Upper and Lower Egypt features unique performances recorded during the Grateful Dead's 1978 tour of Egypt. Produced by Mickey Hart and issued in 1988 as part of “THE WORLD” series (now part of the Mickey Hart Collection made available by Smithsonian Folkways), the album includes music of celebration, triumph, gratitude to God (Allah), and commemoration of a bride and groom. In contrast to the first four Mattoki and Mahasi-style tracks featuring voice and drums alone, the fifth and sixth tracks in the Sa’ed Oena style feature a great variety of instruments including the supporting bass, tenor, and melodic alto variants of the mizmar (a reed instrument), tambura (a five-string lyre), tabla baladi (a double-sided stick drum), darabukka (a goblet-shaped drum), and tar (a single-skinned frame drum).

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This soothing, 70-minute soundscape, originally created for the birth of Mickey Hart’s son Taro in 1983, was intended to transform the coldness of a hospital birthing room into a warm, rhythmic environment for the process of labor and birthing. However, after requests by several friends to use the album for their own birthing processes, Hart decided to release the recording for the general public. The music consists of Taro's heartbeat (recorded in utero) overdubbed with bass harmonics (provided by Bobby Vega), drums, and wooden shakuhachi flute (played by Steve Douglas). Music to be Born By was issued in 1988 as part of “THE WORLD” series (now part of the Mickey Hart Collection made available by Smithsonian Folkways).

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