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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+47940


Submissions

1
Sugaree
July 12, 1976
Orpheum Theater

Kicks off a the second set with a jam that creeps up on you and is suddenly shredding. Cool opener in an under-the-radar show.
2
New Minglewood Blues
July 12, 1976
Orpheum Theater

Comes storming out the gate after 5 years on the shelf. The Devils drive this one, but everyone is on, up, and jumping.
1
Cassidy
July 12, 1976
Orpheum Theater

Smooth highway. Bobby and Donna in sweet harmony, and with that whiff of grace that marks the best versions of Cassidy out there.
2
Might As Well
June 29, 1976
Auditorium Theatre

Good times for all on this sweet set closer, coming out of a killer TMNS.
3
Not Fade Away
June 28, 1976
Auditorium Theatre

Beautiful a capella outro here and check out Bobby's polyrythmic harmolodism during the last solo section for a treat.

Comments

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.
Dire Wolf
May 7, 1981
Tomorrow Coast To Coast with Tom Synder

What a rare treat. Sweet video of the performance on the "Tomorrow Show": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chADQBmosEQ.
Estimated Prophet
April 25, 1977
Capitol Theater

Agree with Ernie5 - this is right in the sweet spot for the development of the song. Jerry's coda solo is a wild ride through the scrambled madness of the narrator. Bobby's voice in the C.Miller clean-up (I didn't get the box set!) is smoky and beautiful. For me this song has always been *the* emblem of '77 perfection and here it is on display.