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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49687


Submissions

24
Black Peter
Jan. 2, 1970
Fillmore East (Late Show)

Low key and smooth - a real treat. Show is known for its great DS>SS>11, but give this a listen. Nice.
2
Hurts Me Too
Jan. 22, 1971
Lane Community College

Despite the lo-fi tape, this has got to be some of the deepest blues they ever played. Don't let the murky recording turn you off - it's worth it.
7
Hard to Handle
April 17, 1971
Dillon Gym

Cruising along with 3rd° swagger when it suddently hits high gear and <BOOM!>, you become the Pig, and it feels good.
3
Truckin'
April 17, 1971
Dillon Gym

Openers this good let you know exactly how amazing the show will be. 17.04 isn't just the best Good Lovin' of all time but an all round killer show.
14
Big Railroad Blues
April 5, 1971
Manhattan Center

Simply the best one I know. Energetic uptempo rockin' and rollin' with a hard driving bass player named PHIL!

Comments

They Love Each Other
June 10, 1976
Boston Music Hall

Seems like the first one where they made slowness the musical objective. While I personally prefer the uptempo versions, this one highlights some of the subtlety and innuendo that sometimes got lost in the uptempo ones.
Sugaree
June 10, 1976
Boston Music Hall

Just what they said above: Here starts the great Sugaree surge. Keith's work here is tremendous, and signals where the thinking was on this song for the future.
Brown Eyed Women
June 9, 1976
Boston Music Hall

Beautiful ensemble singing and a pristine jam here.
St. Stephen
June 9, 1976
Boston Music Hall

Before the '76 Stephen slowed waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down, you have this brilliancy. Expanding to 11 minutes of thematic bell-ringing, followed by a tight re-entry. No secret that St. Stephen was a point of contention in the band's history, but I listen to this one and wonder why didn't they take this style further?
Ship of Fools
June 9, 1976
Boston Music Hall

The orchestration of this version brings out emotional arcs that were sometimes lost in later version that didn't have the crescendo-decrescendo of intensity characterized by this one. I know some folks found this song a snooze, but when I listen to this one I can hear a complicated, introspective piece that does it for me. Nice version.