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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49707


Submissions

3
Cumberland Blues
Dec. 15, 1971
Hill Auditorium

Joyful chaos: A brilliant splatter. Bobby's voice never sounded so good to me as it did in '71.
5
Mister Charlie
Dec. 15, 1971
Hill Auditorium

Pigpen at his best with the band at its grit-in-the-gears crunchiest. They were on this night and this one is just full of butt.
6
Wharf Rat
Dec. 12, 1973
Omni Coliseum

Very passionate version, some distortion or tape speed issues (?) remind me of my cassette trading days and bring out the trippiness to the song.
11
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Dec. 12, 1973
Omni Coliseum

If this hard grooving China jam and Feeling Groovy transition doesn't just get you moving, then nothing can. Just perfect.
10
Pretty Peggy O
Dec. 12, 1973
Omni Coliseum

First version ever is real nice... but listen to the soundcheck version for insight into the bands working dynamics. Cool to hear them working on it.

Comments

Playin' In The Band
Aug. 2, 1976
Colt Park

Definitely a weird one, the meltdown is long and heavy, even a bit aggressive - maybe the weirdest one of the year not known for acid meltdowns. This isn't a first-time, convince your friend about the dead kind of Playin', unless your friend is into Trout Mask Replica and free jazz, and all that. The transition into Wharf Rat, is all the more amazing for it, out of wild abstraction they come in fast, landing on one of the more literal, prosaic (in the good sense) and story-telling songs in their oeuvre.
Lazy Lightnin' -> Supplication
Aug. 2, 1976
Colt Park

Jerry reaches terminal velocity. The band is absolutely shredding, reaches Colemanesque harmolodic polyrythms at on point right before the Supplication re-entry.
Looks Like Rain
Aug. 2, 1976
Colt Park

The only reason this isn't much higher is that we don't have a SBD for it. Check it out, everything Glynn said here was right on.
The Music Never Stopped
July 18, 1976
Orpheum Theater

Absolute stunner. There isn't a dud in this whole first set.
Scarlet Begonias
July 18, 1976
Orpheum Theater

How have I gone this long in life without hearing this? Goddamn, this is perfect. I love how they take it down to almost zero, (some Heads probably thought, "hey, man, are they stopping?") before slowly building it back up into a long exploration of theme and rhythm make it such a danceable and beautiful homage to sudden inspiration and love. The Ferguson SBD has a great mix, especially for an old Philzone freak like me.