headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49667


Submissions

3
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Sept. 20, 1973
The Spectrum

Solid smooth jamming on China Cat for a solid, beautiful 8 mins, including the FGJ. Rider has Phil high in the vocal mix, to a very nice effect.
2
Casey Jones
Sept. 17, 1973
Onondaga County War Memorial

Builds and builds and builds, faster hotter faster and hotter. The crowd goes wild (stage antics?) Something special was in the wind.
3
Looks Like Rain
Sept. 17, 1973
Onondaga County War Memorial

Who's playing the Theremin? There's definitely something odd going on here. Was Ned Lagin sitting in?
2
Loose Lucy
Sept. 17, 1973
Onondaga County War Memorial

Slower tempo gives this one a special feel. Jerry sings it with great gusto and a deeper bluesier feel then others. The whole ride is great fun.
4
Casey Jones
Nov. 11, 1978
Saturday Night Live

The band is having fun with it on live TV, even though squeezed into under 4 minutes: http://vimeo.com/35129207. Bobby slides over the disco beat.
show more submissions

Comments

Black Throated Wind
March 26, 1972
Academy of Music

Damn right. Sounds like they mastered it long before. Charlie Miller cleanup on this show is all that, too.
Estimated Prophet
May 25, 1977
The Mosque

Donnie's right here. I can't say this one touches the madness that makes this song so special. While my personal opinion is that the Dead were generally more musically interesting in '77 than they were in '91, I also think that the best Estimated Prophets convey jagged, off-kilter, schizophrenia, and could tip you over the edge given the right/wrong mental state. This one sounds like a work in progress - and I think this is one of, if not the best shows in all of '77.
How Sweet It Is
March 25, 1972
Academy of Music

This is one of the most brilliant versions of this song I've ever heard, whether or not I'm also a deadhead. (I am.) Donna never sounded better either.
Smokestack Lightnin'
March 25, 1972
Academy of Music

Pigpen comes out after an hour+ of, shall we say, a not-too-convincing Bo Diddley featuring the Grateful Dead set, and pours it on thick and luscious. Do you think he wanted to step up to Bo D. and say, "now that's how it's done", one bluesman to the next? It seems like the 'lil red rooster wanted to strut in his own backyard here. One of the best, and a painful reminder of how amazing Pigpen's sound could have blended with the emerging seventies Dead. It also sounds like half the band wanted to go into Truckin' for the last five minutes of vamping. Cool how it hovers around but never fully coalesces.
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
March 23, 1972
Academy of Music

Cucamonga's right here. This one has no business with only two votes. Were they completely on fire? Did they leave anyone alive? Did they have to replace all their equipment afterwards? Jeez, this one's a scorcher, and needs to be much higher up.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)