headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

grendel

Books and Music

+22978


Submissions

2
Me and My Uncle
May 2, 1970
Harpur College

Maybe b/c it's w/New Riders but one of the best acosutic versions ever should be here! Riders w/great backing vox + Jerry on pedal steel!
1
Bertha
Nov. 20, 1971
Pauley Pavilion

The new DaP release showcases how good this, especially w/Keith way up front in the mix & kicking the tune into ragtime jazz gear-a fantastic version!
3
Don't Ease Me In
Dec. 9, 1979
Kiel Auditorium

Don't sleep on this one. Brent's sweeping fluorishes permeate + a nice epic coda. Overlooked tune from a sleeper show now w/more looks due to DaP#47
4
Man Smart, Woman Smarter
Dec. 30, 1983
Civic Auditorium

Some of the smoothest rhythm Bobby ever laid down on this tune. Brent provides great harmony. Super sweetness here!
1
Man Smart, Woman Smarter
April 24, 1984
Veterans' Memorial Coliseum

Rhythmic, bouncy, Uptempo BobbyBrentastic version

Comments

Let It Grow
Aug. 29, 1980
The Spectrum

If my favorite version of this tune is 5-1-81 (and it is), this is the prequel--the origin superhero story if you will...Jerry flying all over the place with note after note but in total control of the thread and Bobby keeps up, as does the rest of the band. It's the Spectrum so you know it's a grand performance (always rising to the occasion at the big city venues like MSG & The Gahden in Boston), and damn if this isn't drastically underappreciated at less than 10 measly votes. Do yourself a favor and crank this one up and tell me it doesn't deserve your upvote.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
March 21, 1991
Capital Centre

One of those I've had in heavy rotation for years but always forgot to bump here on the list. Just a spectacular coupling of both tunes--not just "for this era"--but for any. Deep calypso vibes twirl throughout Scarlet & Jerry is belting as best he can for '91 & nails all the lyrics and damn if he doesn't bring back some of the old magic from about a decade earlier when he'd fly through a tapestry of notes, sprinting along at a fast but not too fast pace- and the Fire does not disappoint either with a furious full throttle band transition into it, and of course Bruce adds his usual brilliant flourishes. With scores upon scores of S>F to choose from I get how a '91 show version especially might get lost in the weeds, but this one really should have far many more votes than it does now.
Brother Esau
Dec. 30, 1986
Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center

Stunningly hot precision funk version--best drumming I've ever heard performed on this tune. Outstanding +1 & candidate for best ever.
Shakedown Street
Oct. 22, 1983
Carrier Dome, Syracuse U

Overshadowed by the "other" Carrier Dome shredfest the following year? Maybe, and that one's a beast, but oh my Cats Under the Stars so is this!!!! Grand furious funk ensues here -- as said above by other posters the whole band is dialed in. Get this one higher please
Scarlet Begonias
March 16, 1990
Capital Centre

it really is...super rare late era non-Fire pairing but a real winner