headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+47945


Submissions

14
Mister Charlie
Aug. 7, 1971
Golden Hall

Jerry leans into it with a jaw-tighteningly crisp and high-voltage tone for a killer solo, though the group is a bit loose. Pigpen sounds amazing.
6
Rosalie McFall
Sept. 26, 1980
Warfield Theater

Absolute goodness. These shows are all so beautiful, the playing is all virtuoso, and the feeling is so positive. Brent here is especially perfect.
2
Dark Hollow
Sept. 26, 1980
Warfield Theater

Perfect. Bobby's silky voice, Gerry's understated but perfect picking, and Brent's barrelhouse honkytonk all on proud display.
1
The Other One
Sept. 23, 1976
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke U

Poor sound quality midway through, but its the first '76 set since the hiatus that goes off-the-rails weird, evoking the Wall of Sound era. Hot stuff.
2
Samson and Delilah
Sept. 23, 1976
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke U

Bobby tears it up, not just vocally, but through brilliant guitar work
show more submissions

Comments

Good Lovin'
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

That's a mysterious little theme they bring in twice, but it doesn't sound that much like the Samson to me. It seems way too precise to be totally spontaneous, as they all land on it both times without a single note or beat a hair out of place. Maybe they were rehearsing a new song or jam that didn't survive into '77? Cool stuff.
Wharf Rat
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

The transition in from a brilliant Eyes is a thing of pure beauty. Man, could a good sweet Wharf Rat bring you back in to reality when you needed it most, and here everyone is just whispering and cooing into your ears in just the sweet spot. Check out the gentle Donna tones around 5:30 and tell me that wouldn't put peace into your heart? But then of course trickster Jerry comes in with that biting tone (some guitarist out there know what he was using then?) that would tear through the world like a flaming buzzsaw. Great version in a wall-to-wall highlights show.
Eyes Of The World
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

Fast and precise, with beautiful ensemble playing... but that transition into Wharf Rat is the smoothest just-exactly-perfect thing I've heard. Spectacular transition: Must have pulled a lot of trippin' hippies out of a wild spin and back into the sweet sweet mellow mellow.
Playin' In The Band
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

Agreed that this is a beaut. This one goes through several phases, with the noted jam at around 10:00 and then another transition into a more biting/buzzsaw tone around 15:00. It holds at a simmer rather than a boil, however so if you're looking for mad freaky weirdness then this won't necessarily scratch every itch.
They Love Each Other
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

This signals exactly where they've been and where they're going. The transition year behind them, '77 coming on strong... a great and historically relevant version. Could be much higher, but probably sits between the '73 and the '77 fans' choices.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)