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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

Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
July 12, 1989
RFK Stadium

Haven't heard a better one, mostly because Phil doesn't try to overextend himself vocally and setttles into a nice Dylan-esque range to deliver a great reading.
Touch of Grey
July 12, 1989
RFK Stadium

Can really only hope the new box set exposure shoots this one up the ladder. Totally clean version, energetic Garcia vocals and the band isn't missing a beat. This is far better than many others sitting above it right now (some, for reasons of sentiment and context like 12-15-86, which is fine), but others for no objective reason at all other than poor aud recordings only available prior to the official release. But listen to the new cd any way you can and then come back and get this one higher on the big board, please. (Whole 1st set from this show is magnificent).
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
June 22, 1974
Jai-Alai Fronton

Very impressed with this more relaxed, gently wavy version with some really pretty passages not normally seen in ChinaRiders of '74. Check out the jam heading into the third verse. A little gem of laid back jazz that doesn't miss a beat but really flows along, and the transition jam follows the same pattern. If most great '74 versions are blazing fastballs, this one's like a perfect knuckle curve. Upping it for sure.
Aiko Aiko
Aug. 30, 1978
Red Rocks Ampitheatre

Yes! Love this vastly underrated version! Has that great 1978 swagger to it and some funk on the side. Phenomenal "Eyes" from this show as well.
Playin' In The Band
June 16, 1974
Iowa State Fairgrounds

About to harsh everyone's mellow talking about how much I hate this version and to a lesser extent how overrated this entire show is. But first, let's discuss this train wreck, which begins with Keith's keyboard sounding like it's short circuited in the opening stanzas, but he keeps hitting the keys anyway, creating a nails on the blackboard-like monotone buzz noise that makes you palpably yearn for his acoustic piano to miraculously appear, but it never does. Then we get into the "jam" portion which consists of nothing interesting at all...a kind of lazy meander with no color or purpose until Jerry/Ned/Phil/whoever start trying to see who can play the most annoying screechfest of cacophony for the longest amount of time. It's not a melt down or a space exploration, it's just bad fucking noise and it goes on for far too long and is in no way saved by any kind of elegant re-entry into the main theme, and to top it off, there's the patented Donna off key caterwauling that sounds like Jerry accidentally stamped on her foot. This whole show is inexplicably held in high regard when almost every tune that's exalted is full of slop and tinny Wall of Sound reproduction. This might be the worst PITB of 1974 and the show itself is the dregs of the year, especially compared with so many better entries such as the February and October Winterland runs. Don't waste your time with this one, although with nearly 30 votes already I can see my kvetching is falling on deaf ears.