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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49667


Submissions

8
St. Stephen
Feb. 4, 1970
Family Dog at the Great Highway

Very cool NFA sandwich. It works well this way.
4
Dire Wolf
Feb. 1, 1970
The Warehouse

Starts with the chorus instead of the verse and a funny banter intro. Sweet version.
5
Katie Mae
Jan. 31, 1970
The Warehouse

As deep and simple a beautiful blues as they ever did. Pig's got the spirit of the Delta here alright. What a treat.
6
I've Been All Around This World
Jan. 31, 1970
The Warehouse

Simply gorgeous.
5
Little Sadie
Jan. 31, 1970
The Warehouse

Upvote for all Little Sadies, of course, but this one is special. Subtle, understated, and delicate: Jerry is barely whispering the lyrics. Beautiful.

Comments

Samson and Delilah
March 20, 1977
Winterland Arena

Shuffles along a bit loose until Jerry takes his solo after the second chorus that just rips the sky apart with his buzz saw. On the C. Miller edition you can hear some of Bobby's cool counterpoint spurring Jerry on that's missing too often from other versions.
Scarlet Begonias
March 20, 1977
Winterland Arena

That ending scrambled some brains, my god. That said, I can't be the only one who thinks that for all if its glory, Scarlet/Fire gave up the awesome lead-up to Scarlet's punctuated ending (here beginning around minute 11:00) that couldn't be regained when it always morphed into FoTM. But can we also have a moment for that rising intensity Jerry-driven insanity starting with the solo after "let her pass by"? Keith's kool kooky Kraftwerky keyboards also give this a nice Mars-era throwback sound (like the Phil and Ned stuff) during the slow sizzle period before that oooooh god-yes ending.
Estimated Prophet
March 20, 1977
Winterland Arena

Anyone here who's attempted to jam in 7/4 knows how outrageously hard it is to make this so smooooooth. Jerry is overflowing with ideas, laying back but telling you everything you need to hear. Keith's toy-piano-on-a-fritzed-amp sound is pretty weird too, making this a fun spooky-good version.
Beat it on Down The Line
March 20, 1977
Winterland Arena

I have to agree that this isn't the top of the line for me. You want a BIODTL stripped down in kerosene to its pure rock-and-roll essence? Try March 18, 1967, cause it'll curl your straight hair and straighten your curls. Plus it was also at Winterland, so that's kinda kool too.
Deal
March 20, 1977
Winterland Arena

Love this version. Deal comes out of Jerry's guitar like it was his very heartbeat. Solo after solo, this was his vehicle. This one is mellow and swinging, still conveying a bit of that '76 sweetness, and includes an extended out-chorus with nice ensemble harmonies.