headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49667


Submissions

2
Big Railroad Blues
Aug. 15, 1971
Berkeley Community Theater

Kicks off an excellent show with intense and driving energy. The quintet is super-charged and bursting with energy. One of the best versions I know.
2
Playin' In The Band
Aug. 14, 1971
Berkeley Community Theater

Packs a lot into its 4.5 short minutes. Great bass-heavy SBD gives you a Phil masterclass. Love the short ones, love the long ones....
4
Casey Jones
Aug. 5, 1971
Hollywood Palladium

Just kickin', this one. The whole show is dynamite.
2
El Paso
Aug. 4, 1971
Terminal Island Correctional Facility

One of the slower waltz versions, with lovely vocals from Cowboy Bob, who gives us a nice country warble. Sweet backup harmony and Jer being Jer.
6
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Aug. 4, 1971
Terminal Island Correctional Facility

Philzone masterclass. Hot and tight jam, the Rider three-part harmonies sound like some of the acoustic versions from the previous year.

Comments

Playin' In The Band
April 22, 1977
The Spectrum

Starts with snarling opening lyrics, like and Bobby and Donna about to pounce out of their skins. This high energy gets tweaky with both the mentioned Keith weirdness and the two drummers in an outrageously perfect high-speed pocket behind Jerry playing the mad-scientist. His tone and mood are both hot and mellow. This is a sound I associate with an the best 'Playins' of '73, though Keith's effects and the melty-bits also evoke the much maligned Phil and Ned era of '74s. Maybe this is what others mentioned of having an "earlier Dead" feel to it. That said, this is no nostalgia piece and the outro is a hard-core crunching beast with a unique and hard rockin' sound .
Pretty Peggy O
April 22, 1977
The Spectrum

Oh jeez, this is a pretty one. It rocks - not like rock-and-roll rocking, but like a sleeping baby in a cradle in a safe warm boat on a gentle lake with a soft breeze just ever-so-lightly scented with a whisper of indica flowers.
Cold Rain and Snow
Jan. 31, 1970
The Warehouse

They hit this show opener with some gusto - one of the reasons why it was always my favorite when they opened with it. I'm not sure if it's tape speed wobble or some tuning issues at first, but they seem to sort out the sound by the end.
Estimated Prophet
April 22, 1977
The Spectrum

These early versions had the madness in them. Though short, this one conveys 'cracking up' in a heavy way.
Deal
April 22, 1977
The Spectrum

Mid-tempo with a bounce and soft-shoe, but doesn't really lift off until the out-chorus. Clean and pristine... the '77 sound starts to really coalesce just about here.