headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49627


Submissions

1
Playin' In The Band
June 4, 1976
Paramount Theatre

This is a weird one. At times it seems like they forgot it was PiTB and went back to the HSF jam. Fun, but waaaaaaaaay loose.
1
Lazy Lightnin' -> Supplication
June 4, 1976
Paramount Theatre

Short, sweet, brand new, and flawless.
1
Friend of the Devil
June 4, 1976
Paramount Theatre

Brilliant early "slow version". I always prefered the desperado fast-paced ones, but this turns into a brilliant exploration and improv vehicle.
3
Uncle John's Band
Dec. 31, 1972
Winterland Arena

Uptempo, powerful, strong vocals. This is top shelf UJB. With David Crosby for that extra oomph, and with a tigh outro, it's strangely not here yet.
4
Jack Straw
Dec. 31, 1972
Winterland Arena

Like every other song in the first set, this is just pristine, air-play level perfection. Beautiful fills by Keith here, too.

Comments

Estimated Prophet
April 29, 1977
The Palladium

What Mercury said, plus this concert has Keith delivering the goods with great swooshing syth bits evoking the mental crack-up at the heart of the song and probably freaking out some of the more sensitive hippies in the crowd.
Brown Eyed Women
April 29, 1977
The Palladium

Thumpin' version. The backbeat is driving, but I can't help but find the disco beat incongruous with the depression-era lyrics at the heart of the song. That said, the ensemble vocals are just beautiful. Donna's accents are a glorious add.
Sugaree
April 29, 1977
The Palladium

Truly special. Keith is experimenting with what sounds like the 'strings' setting on the best a Moog could offer in 1977. The whole thing is a bit swimmy and mushy with the AUD quality adding to the brainfuzz, but the Keith/Jerry connection drives it ever spiraling upwards in a beautiful and unique jam.
Samson and Delilah
April 29, 1977
The Palladium

Bobby's voice is perfectly mic'd and mixed even though the only archive copy of this show is an AUD with muffled sound quality. Don't let that stop you though. The energy on this is off the charts, the soloing is dialed all the way in, and it's April '77 - so blazingly hot and peak Dead in all the ways.
Johnny B. Goode
March 23, 1975
Kezar Stadium

I love how they close out their first show back with a rocking rolling JBG after thirty minutes or so of mind-bending space travel through Blues for Allah and King Solomon's Marbles, just in case you forgot they were still the Grateful Dead during their hiatus.