headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49687


Submissions

7
Greatest Story Ever Told
June 30, 1973
Universal Amphitheatre

Top notch version. Builds and builds and builds.
7
Jack Straw
June 30, 1973
Universal Amphitheatre

Unique version from an excellent show. Has a different groove to it from other JSs from the era. Several listens and it still stands out.
3
Tennessee Jed
June 30, 1973
Universal Amphitheatre

Tight and groovy - doesn't drag ass at all. Great show in all directions.
20
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Nov. 25, 1973
Feyline Field

Beautiful. One of those rare gems where the Rider seems altogether tighter than the China Cat. What more can a head want?
19
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
June 26, 1973
Seattle Center Coliseum

Super mellow and smooth, understated grace - like the rest of the first set here - and one cool '73 beauty of a transition to Rider. Overlooked!
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Comments

Good Lovin'
April 6, 1971
Manhattan Center

Pig breaks it down for everyone, telling the crowd to just "take your clothes off" after building up to it. Apart from that generous and fine instruction, the different stages of the jam here really stand out. You can find the link between the Dead and Funkadelic's work of the era. Sounds in places like they were channeling Buddy Miles' work after the Band of Gypsies. The Dead were dialed way in to all of it and this one shows it.
Hard to Handle
March 24, 1971
Winterland Arena

Shows off the link between blues and acid rock like only the Dead of this era could do.
Good Lovin'
March 14, 1971
Camp Randall Field House

Brilliant barn burner of a jam out of the drum solo. It hangs back just enough to stay on the rails, Pigpen raps some, then it snakes its way back into the chorus in a uniquely sideways manner. Good stuff and an under-appreciated show all round.
Wharf Rat
Feb. 19, 1971
Capitol Theater

More interesting and self-confident than the first one, to my ears. I rate the melodicism and the overall arc of this jam above the 18th up top on this page. Still, I can't compare these early ones to the Spring-Summer '74 versions which top my list.
Wharf Rat
Feb. 18, 1971
Capitol Theater

First and best? I love this version, don't get me wrong. It being both the first one ever and sandwiched into a top-shelf Dark Star and Beautiful Jam help it by association, but I can't think of it as the best one out there. For my ears, May and June '74 is the apotheosis era, where Wharf Rat peaks on its own for power, emotion and musicality. My faves are 19.05.74 and 22.06.74, but anything from this time really stands out for the energy they were putting into it. I think the Rat played the next night and the one on the 21st from the same run are more cohesive and stronger performances.
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