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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

4
Ramble On Rose
Oct. 21, 1971
Auditorium Theatre

Keith's second show & he's all over this faster paced super fun honky tonk version!
5
The Weight
June 7, 1991
Deer Creek Music Center

This is really the best one I've heard--everyobody nails their parts/lyrics...great piano fills on the side (yay, Bruce!). Just exactly, etc.
20
Althea
Sept. 9, 1982
Saenger Performing Arts Center

Incredible. Check out Brent's fills during the epic post-lyrics outro. A must-listen top tier Althea w/bounce, power, & panache!
17
Deal
Feb. 23, 1974
Winterland Arena

Apparently no one is aware that a fellow named Keith played in this band or this version would have 50 votes already. Needs to be heard!
1
Pretty Peggy O
Sept. 4, 1980
Providence Civic Center

Outside of 1977 this may be the best version I've heard. A+ vocals from Jerry, killer mid-solo; slightly faster tempo. Must hear. Gr8 Matrix!

Comments

Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 14, 1990
Madison Square Garden

^^^^ Yeah I’m going to check the rest out for certain. Can’t understand why this was so far under my radar til now. It is hard to crack the top 20 but I do know it’s better than a whole bunch above it currently.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 14, 1990
Madison Square Garden

At (as of now) a mere 6 votes this is without a doubt in my mind THE single most underrated version of any tune on this board (supplanting the Bertha from 5/26/77). As stated above this really could be a top 10 all time version (if not top 10, top 20 for absolute sure). This must be listened to by more posters here...it is a phenomenal version for any era featuring (among other things) a crazy good Wind in the Willows Jerry bridge--confident and melodic and in a grand ol' groove)....the lyrics are nailed & delivered with gusto ("Heart of gold banDDDD!") & the transition to Fire is a mind meld with a terrific Garcia solo blissfully absent of any MIDI meddling. Some great jamming in Fire as well and a lot of nice calypso percussion adding background color throughout. It's just stupid to leave this lying down here in the single digits. It's better than every damn 90s version miles above it (and I mean EVERY one) and it's exactly the sort of rendition this board was created to expose--an unheralded version that no one knows about but would love if they did. Come on, folks. Step up to this one.
Drums -> Space
March 2, 1992
The Omni

The jackhammer stuff is in the latter half...the first is some amazing calypso/marimba stuff that bounces and flows. A lot of drums/space is background music.....this one is a sit up & take notice.
Eyes Of The World
June 26, 1994
Sam Boyd Silver Bowl

The only problem with these '91-'95 Eyes is a lack of peak jamming. It's not valleys you're left with...more like meadows, that just stretch and stretch and are really nice and pleasant but not much in the way of thrills. This one falls into that category but benefits from the acoustic guitar sound Jerry runs with & that might be enough to get you to upvote it. I'm holding off, only because this is nice for its era, maybe one of the better ones (& best certainly I've heard from '94 unless someone else has a rec), but there are so many better versions in every era that I can't quite tick this one up. (I also wouldn't disagree too strongly with anyone that would.)
Visions of Johanna
April 22, 1986
Berkeley Community Theatre

A livelier rendition here than the lauded '95's, which have more gravitas and do sound more "Dylan-esque" perhaps, but Jer's voice is better here than in any of those '95's & there's a stronger punch to the lyric delivery. Check out the "Infinity goes up on trial" thru the Mona Lisa musta had the highway blues" section & you'll see what I mean.