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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

1
Eyes Of The World
July 12, 1976
Orpheum Theater

Soundcheck! Excellent sound on source provided & brilliant flowing ripping Garcia leads. Classic '76 "backwards" version.
7
Estimated Prophet
Aug. 30, 1980
The Spectrum

Ultra hot mid jam (Bobby nearly plunges back too early but Jerry forges ahead) & Brent is all over the ivories. Hot stuff in Philly.
1
Eyes Of The World
Oct. 27, 1990
The Zenith

Can't fathom how this A+ 90s version, with a gorgeous, relaxed tempo & delicate Garcia touches throughout hadn't made the list Great show, great EYES
7
Althea
June 12, 1980
Memorial Coliseum

Just a great, grooving, bluesy Althea. Everyone right in the pocket. Find the exceptional Miller SBD & enjoy.
2
Bird Song
July 21, 1972
Paramount Northwest Theater

Download Series Vol. 10. This version is sparkling. Everything you expect out of a great '72 w/cool OR. vibe. Beautiful midsong drum break & much more

Comments

Cassidy
June 17, 1976
Capitol Theater

Digging this whole show now. Love the drums in these chill '76 versions. The big jams that would come in later years are absent but especially with the incredibly clear Miller source available you hear how brilliantly Mickey and Billy fill the gaps and propel the song forward.
Franklin's Tower
April 10, 1978
Fox Theatre

Franklin's out of Drums is nuts & there's a great Eyes-like mellow and long intro to this one & for those who like stretchy Franklin's this one clocks in around 16 mins. As noted, though, Jerry can't get out of his own way with the lyrics and just repeats a bunch of verses. For me it's just too sloppy for an upvote, but that said it should be checked out for some inspired jam sections and its unique set placement. You may feel it's worthy of some more votes and I wouldn't really put up much fight on that front.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Nov. 18, 1978
Uptown Theatre

Underdog. Hidden gem. Single digit sleeper. This is the musical equivalent of finding a great hole in the wall cafe that only the locals know about. Easy to miss, but so worth checking out.
Black Peter
Feb. 13, 1970
Fillmore East

First BP I ever heard and still one of the best. Agree with hypnotic as a description. While it lacks the monster outro section of later versions its melancholy feel and atmospheric mellow blues persona can't be beat.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Nov. 6, 1977
Broome County Arena

Hesitant to add my vote (but did) because I like where this is on the list right now & wouldn't want to see it rise above too many others (esp. 5/11/77 or 11/2/77) because it's just got too many rough edges to be in the upper echelon. On the plus side Jerry doesn't panic when he misses the "rings on her fingers" line at the very beginning and instead takes a quick round before picking it up a bit later and that gives this one a bit of a unique personality and doesn't detract from what becomes a very good Scarlet with a nice jam into wind in the willows. The segue to Fire is mellow, laid back, with a short burst of Jerry that re-fades into a softer flow drifting into Fire. I do take umbrage with Jerry's total butchering of the lyrics, though. I realie it doesn't bother some but he can't deal with either of the two verses here and does his mumbly Joe thing, which really detracts to my ears. Yes, he does mitigate the damage by crushing the solo after verse one. The outro is good, not spectacular, with many above it on the list--and rightly so--offering better. but this one does have its flares of brilliance and a general benefit of that tight '77 sound and so it gets my upvote. Just hope it doesn't rise too far with a bump from being an official release in this instance.