headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49682


Submissions

49
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
May 5, 1977
New Haven Coliseum

Unthinkable that such headiness be left from the lists! Stunning swagger, swooshing Phil, bril transition, mad jams.
3
Brokedown Palace
Dec. 15, 1971
Hill Auditorium

Passionate, sparkling harmonies. Beeyooteeful vocals. Beeyooteeful playing.
3
Jack Straw
Dec. 15, 1971
Hill Auditorium

Part of a first set that just kicks with horsepower from the 1st note. Purposeful, driving and strong. Hot stuff.
19
Estimated Prophet
March 19, 1977
Winterland Arena

Muscular and edgy, with that amazing off-kilter propulsion unique to this song.
15
Sugaree
Dec. 10, 1971
Fox Theatre

Sharp as a tack with lots of energy and a strong pulse. Clear they were having a great time.
show more submissions

Comments

Scarlet Begonias
June 3, 1976
Paramount Theatre

Revisiting after a long spell, and this is as pure as they come. No FoTM, but natch, it wasn't written yet. What a beauty.
Cassidy
June 3, 1976
Paramount Theatre

Years later and back for another dose of this historic show. Sure, there's some rough patches, but can you imagine being there as a head, waiting out the hiatus and they bust out with new repertoire including Cassidy? This is some of Barlow's greatest writing for the band, and I've always considered this one of the most philosophical songs in their oeuvre deceptively simple, but "scattered like lost words" speaks beauty, and "I can tell by the mark he left you were in his dream" is mysterious dark poetry of the highest order. This might not be the tightest version ever, but it's definitely one of the most satisfying - at least for me.
Sugar Magnolia
Dec. 31, 1972
Winterland Arena

Totally bonkers. Really, like zonkers bonkers: It's more uptempo - maybe our boys took their vitamins during the break - and Crosby's addition gives it an almost orchestral quality. Really a beauty.
The Other One
Dec. 31, 1972
Winterland Arena

Goes deep weird. (I love that.) But it also has a floaty ethereal passage before heading into Morning Dew that is just sublime. Phil and Billy's Drum and Bass solo is brilliant. Did they freakin' invent the genre? They did a similar solo on the 12th of the same month which is worth a listen, too.
Truckin'
Dec. 31, 1972
Winterland Arena

Scorching hot jam, with a great radio broadcast version on the Archive with a perfectly balanced soundboard. Everyone is audible, and they're deep in the pocket, plus Jerry is just inspiration on wheels. Truckin' when it's hot is unbeatable, and this one kicks off over an hour-long sweet sweet suite.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)