headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

grendel

Books and Music

+24523


Submissions

4
Estimated Prophet
Aug. 31, 1985
Manor Downs

Hot as the night in Texas on which it was played.
11
One More Saturday Night
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

Like every other song from this, my favorite all-time show, it's a best-of candidate. Just rocks hard.
2
Alabama Getaway
Dec. 5, 1979
Uptown Theater

Come for the 'Bama but stay for the rest of the show. This rocker 'Bama is Jerry and Brent at their very best. This entire show, tho', is a monster.
13
Stagger Lee
June 27, 1985
SPAC

Right after Phil tells a guy to get off the blacony cuz 50,000 people are waiting for him to, and Bob does the dog nose joke, Jer rips into a fine SL!
8
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Oct. 18, 1989
The Spectrum

Pretty good China followed by the best 80's OR 90's RIDER I've ever heard. Check Jer's run going into "sun gonna shine" verse. 5 stars fo RIDER alone.
show more submissions

Comments

Pretty Peggy O
Sept. 18, 1974
Parc des Expositions

Astonishing that they could take a song so long in the rotation and have one stand out as beautifully as this. Almost like a completely different tune compared with the more aggressive versions that (deservedly) get a ton of attention--i.e. 12/27/77. 9/3/77, and 4/16/78 which all feature "heavier" Garcia solos but for pure beauty and full band engagement (more to love for Phil and Keith fans here) this one deserves its place in the pantheon of the greatest ever. Another runner up (if you're craving a five star mellow version) can be found at 6/30/74.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
May 4, 1977
The Palladium

Re-listening after the DaPicks vol 50 release and my oh my even with its relatively high vote total on the board this one is still grossly underrated. Listen to how Phil subtly elongates the bass notes before they drop into the Fire theme after the lovely transition. Donna sparkles here, too. The whole band does. When you consider the versions played from here right thru Barton and the also vastly underappreciated 5/11 version in MN. this is a master class stretch of the finest '77 versions around. This one still gets somewhat lost in the shuffle, tho', and it could use some more ears and votes methinks.
Cassidy
April 16, 1978
Huntington Civic Center

Contrarian opinion here--nice version for most of the tune but it ultimately falls short because they flub the landing at the end. Awkward re-entry at best to "flight of the seabirds". Can't upvote it when there are so many better performed versions from the same year (5/14, 4/24 just to name a couple)
Mind Left Body Jam
March 10, 1993
Rosemont Horizon

Everything said plus extra points for the relative rarity of getting to hear this gem in this particular era. Really tender, almost nostalgic, pulled off beautifully.
Wang Dang Doodle
June 22, 1991
Soldier Field

Heck, I'm upvoting this too despite the MIDI which really is actually pretty cool in this version--plus, Bobby's all in vocally. Snuff juice everywhere.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)