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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49707


Submissions

5
Sugaree
May 25, 1974
Campus Stadium, UCSB

Swings and rocks you back and forth so sweetly. Not my favorite Dead song, but this one is just a beaut.
26
Wharf Rat
May 21, 1974
Edmundson Pavilion

A musical triumph capping an amazing 2nd Set. Soaring, almost Bird Songish intensity to the ensemble soloing. Perfect.
18
Sugar Magnolia
May 21, 1974
Edmundson Pavilion

Are you kidding me?!? This just blazes white hot. Whole 2nd set is just a supernova.
16
U.S. Blues (Wave That Flag)
May 21, 1974
Edmundson Pavilion

The boys were still inspired after that 46min Playin' and it shows. Possibly the best US Blues I know of. Don't overlook it or the rest of the show!
46
Wharf Rat
May 19, 1974
Portland Memorial Coliseum

Slightly faster with a steady ostinato bass that works beautifully. No dirge, but a thoughtful tale. I hear waves against a wharf at the end.

Comments

They Love Each Other
June 10, 1976
Boston Music Hall

Seems like the first one where they made slowness the musical objective. While I personally prefer the uptempo versions, this one highlights some of the subtlety and innuendo that sometimes got lost in the uptempo ones.
Sugaree
June 10, 1976
Boston Music Hall

Just what they said above: Here starts the great Sugaree surge. Keith's work here is tremendous, and signals where the thinking was on this song for the future.
Brown Eyed Women
June 9, 1976
Boston Music Hall

Beautiful ensemble singing and a pristine jam here.
St. Stephen
June 9, 1976
Boston Music Hall

Before the '76 Stephen slowed waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down, you have this brilliancy. Expanding to 11 minutes of thematic bell-ringing, followed by a tight re-entry. No secret that St. Stephen was a point of contention in the band's history, but I listen to this one and wonder why didn't they take this style further?
Ship of Fools
June 9, 1976
Boston Music Hall

The orchestration of this version brings out emotional arcs that were sometimes lost in later version that didn't have the crescendo-decrescendo of intensity characterized by this one. I know some folks found this song a snooze, but when I listen to this one I can hear a complicated, introspective piece that does it for me. Nice version.