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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49667


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

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.
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