headyversion

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

4
Greatest Story Ever Told
Oct. 11, 1989
Meadowlands Arena

Bob's lyric phrasing on this version is unique. He sings it in a way so different than any I've heard before & it's inventive & super-fun. Must hear!
7
Greatest Story Ever Told
March 14, 1981
Hartford Civic Center

Best of the 80's or 90's, hands down. Picture perfect rendition: Vocals, jam fills, & finish.
6
The Other One
April 16, 1984
Community War Memorial Auditorium

Short but raging. Look beyond the length & enjoy for the fire within. Jerry attacks this from the get-go & it's awesome.
2
Truckin'
Dec. 12, 1993
San Diego Sports Arena

Anybody else hear a very distinctive riff of Steely Dan's "Black Friday" in the intro?
5
Sugar Magnolia
April 8, 1978
Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Just listen & you will believe. End jam before SSDD is a tidal wave of sound & power & beauty. A true must hear.
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Comments

Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
Aug. 22, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

OK, Garcia, now you're just showing off. (It's true that this version is perfect. And the solo before the final verse is not of this earthly realm.)
The Other One
Nov. 5, 1977
Community War Memorial Auditorium

Zounds. A perfect, power-packed 11+ minutes of '77 Other One glory sittin' in single digits on the big board. For shame. This rendition is a monster version for any era. Grab your copy of DP #34 or archive this beast now and see if you don't come running back to upvote. In particular the charge led into the second verse is a 5-minute microcosm of the Dead at their best led by--who else?--Garcia in a fury of guitar jam magic.
Cold Rain and Snow
Aug. 25, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

Had they played this song at Veneta 2 days later this exact version would be ranked up in the top 5. Because it's "hidden" in the show that gets overshadowed by the legendary one to follow it lingers down in the basement. That's unfortunate and undeserved. This is as beautiful a rendition as you'll find in '72 with lots of vocal commitment on the "winds don't blow" and other similar sections. Confident, relaxed musical reading punctuated by howling Garcia vocals. Five star stuff here.
Cassidy
Oct. 12, 1983
Madison Square Garden

^^^^ Makes my heart sing to read these reviews, Dude420. I was beginning to think I was hearing something no one else was. Maybe b/c the recordings available aren't 100% perfect (not that the provided sources are bad), but I seriously and honestly have never heard a better overall version than this one and I agree that if you stack it up head to head w/Frost '82 (I show I love btw) it still blows it out of the water.
Bird Song
Aug. 22, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

Just digging everything from this show lately. Another '72 Birdsong gem here, this one especially notable for Jerry's beautiful vocal reading. Honestly, after listening to how he sings this song in this year it's painful for me to listen to early 80's or really any other year when his voice is so croaky and he just can't sustain the note. Sure, the jams are still there in many later versions, but these '72s have that lovely interplay with Keith and the loping pace that just makes the song really, well....soar. This one should be a lot higher.
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