headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49712


Submissions

7
Let It Grow
July 13, 1976
Orpheum Theatre

Gives you blisters on your fingers just listening to it. Great second bit coming after drums. Solid if not somewhat overlooked show.
8
Death Don't Have No Mercy
Aug. 23, 1968
Shrine Auditorium

A bit shorter and tighter than some, but brilliant, and part of an immortal set of primal blasting power.
33
Dark Star
Nov. 8, 1970
Capitol Theater

Takes off on you for a deep and weird ride, then goes into a brilliant "The Main Ten" which just kills me its so good.
18
El Paso
Nov. 8, 1970
Capitol Theater

The boys were in a mellow mood tonight, and this one is the sweet and tearful-cowboy ballad it was written to be.
7
I Know You Rider
Nov. 8, 1970
Capitol Theater

Moody, pensive, and beautifully acoustic. Like no other. Unbelievably beautiful.
show more submissions

Comments

Scarlet Begonias
June 3, 1976
Paramount Theatre

Revisiting after a long spell, and this is as pure as they come. No FoTM, but natch, it wasn't written yet. What a beauty.
Cassidy
June 3, 1976
Paramount Theatre

Years later and back for another dose of this historic show. Sure, there's some rough patches, but can you imagine being there as a head, waiting out the hiatus and they bust out with new repertoire including Cassidy? This is some of Barlow's greatest writing for the band, and I've always considered this one of the most philosophical songs in their oeuvre deceptively simple, but "scattered like lost words" speaks beauty, and "I can tell by the mark he left you were in his dream" is mysterious dark poetry of the highest order. This might not be the tightest version ever, but it's definitely one of the most satisfying - at least for me.
Sugar Magnolia
Dec. 31, 1972
Winterland Arena

Totally bonkers. Really, like zonkers bonkers: It's more uptempo - maybe our boys took their vitamins during the break - and Crosby's addition gives it an almost orchestral quality. Really a beauty.
The Other One
Dec. 31, 1972
Winterland Arena

Goes deep weird. (I love that.) But it also has a floaty ethereal passage before heading into Morning Dew that is just sublime. Phil and Billy's Drum and Bass solo is brilliant. Did they freakin' invent the genre? They did a similar solo on the 12th of the same month which is worth a listen, too.
Truckin'
Dec. 31, 1972
Winterland Arena

Scorching hot jam, with a great radio broadcast version on the Archive with a perfectly balanced soundboard. Everyone is audible, and they're deep in the pocket, plus Jerry is just inspiration on wheels. Truckin' when it's hot is unbeatable, and this one kicks off over an hour-long sweet sweet suite.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)