headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49627


Submissions

2
El Paso
Sept. 30, 1976
Mershon Auditorium, OSU

Phil rips this one wide open with a brilliant countersolo to Jerry's brilliancies and whirlygigs. Strong version here.
3
Johnny B. Goode
Sept. 28, 1976
Onondaga County War Memorial

I think they encored JBG whenever they knew they'd absolutely nailed it. It's like comedians telling "The Aristocrats". Musicians can just tell....
9
Dancin' in the Streets
Sept. 28, 1976
Onondaga County War Memorial

How on earth is this not up yet? It really kicks off the Fall '76 retooling of Dancin' with style. Brilliant, tight, and part of an enormous 2nd set.
7
New Minglewood Blues
Sept. 28, 1976
Onondaga County War Memorial

This one and the 07.18.76 versions are both so goddamned good. Jerry is a tsunami behind snarlin' Bobby. So gritty, so good.
2
Samson and Delilah
Sept. 27, 1976
Community War Memorial Auditorium

Stunning. Chronically underrated song in a chronically underrated year: Listen to Jerry blaze through this like a man with 100 fingers.
show more submissions

Comments

Cassidy
April 26, 1977
Capitol Theater

Wharf Rat
April 25, 1977
Capitol Theater

Hey I just listened to this suite again and think the WR>Jam idea might be wrongly labeled. At 10:48 or so Jerry changes key back into Playin' and the band follows immediately. Their meter changes too and it sounds more like 10/4 (Playin') than 6/8 (WR) to my ears. This doesn't change a damned thing or detract from what's been said, but I think this is a Playin'>WR>Playin'>Meltdown>Playin' suite. Thoughts?
Wharf Rat
April 25, 1977
Capitol Theater

Gets my vote for best of the year, but I also think it hard to say just where comes back into the Playin' space during the deep jam... They're so far out of the WR structure and into the wild outer spheres before coming back into the recognisable reprise. Not too often that Wharf Rat dips into Dark Star territory, but this is something special.
Playin' In The Band
April 25, 1977
Capitol Theater

Brings the expansive length and transitive madness of the most epic pre-hiatus versions if you take it as part of the whole suite. I don't say 'under-rated' often, but it fits here.
Deep Elem Blues
May 7, 1981
Tomorrow Coast To Coast with Tom Synder

Here it is with great video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chADQBmosEQ. It's quite cool to see this era with a decent/professional camerawork: Nice in-focus closeups of the band, Jerry singing beautifully and his fretwork. A beaut of a version any way you look at it.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)