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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49652


Submissions

3
Cold Jordan
Sept. 17, 1970
Fillmore East

The tape quality is low, but the band was completely on in an historically important and beautiful show. Completists only AUD is C-, you're warned.
4
Easy Wind
Aug. 19, 1970
Fillmore West

Undoubtedly one of the greats. Everyone is on. Bobby solos, then Jerry schools the world, then at 7:03 sounds like D. Crosby steps in like Godzilla.
3
Friend of the Devil
Aug. 19, 1970
Fillmore West

Early uptempo, shitkickingly good. These first ones are all worth mentioning. This one is fast and good bluegrass.
3
The Other One
Aug. 18, 1970
Fillmore West

Fast and furious acid rush here. That they could go from bluegrass sweetness to this hard rock monster in one night is testament to their huge range.
6
New Speedway Boogie
Aug. 18, 1970
Fillmore West

Pure version, with just the right amount of menace and swagger. A great jam here too. Check it out.
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Comments

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.
Bertha
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

Best one of the year: Deliberate, tight and right. Compare this to the weirdly accidental previous one they played on 15 October (the only clunker in that otherwise world-shatteringly brilliant show) and this makes me think they'd been thinking about bringing Bertha back into rotation, rehearsed it, nailed it, and brought it back in with diesel.
Comes A Time
Oct. 15, 1976
Shrine Auditorium

The transition out of this is so good it transforms the Franklin's that comes after it into an almost entirely different song. Strong performance and great show. Check out around 08:00: They go into a 12/8 meter riff that may be unique in the oeuvre. In any case this may be my top choice Comes A Time of all time.
The Other One
Oct. 15, 1976
Shrine Auditorium

Both a musically tight, breakneck roller-coaster and a psychedelicore madhouse filled with twists and turns a jump-out-at you moments of mind melting gooeyness. Around 08:35 they sound like they're going into a totally new jam, but it gets whisked away like so many hallucinations. Brilliant suite and one of the best of the few TOO of the year.
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