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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

52
Dark Star
Dec. 31, 1978
Winterland Arena

Farewell to Winterland; Not 40 mins. long ; no break down into feedback nonsense. Just sweet jazzy jamming; Just exactly perfect send off.
10
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 25, 1981
Stabler Arena

Transition jam weaves into spaces most fail to go; touch-down into Fire is GOLD. Jerry flubs first line in Fire-after that: 1 of the BEST ever!
19
He's Gone
Sept. 26, 1972
Stanley Theatre

Perfect, self-contained, blues-infused, stellar vocals, 14+ minutes of bliss. Extra fun: Check out the "Birdsong" riff about 10 secs. into the intro
36
Dark Star
Sept. 16, 1972
Boston Music Hall

Amazed this isn't here yet Gorgeous, melodic, jazz-infused, mellow, trippy, spacey into hard ripping Jerry riffs; melts into Brokedown Palace. Sublime
48
Cold Rain and Snow
Oct. 12, 1984
Augusta Civic Center

Kicks off with authority a 2d set every DeadHead needs to hear. Perfect bookend to Jerry's scorching Dew. They say it was cold&rainy that nite in ME.

Comments

He's Gone
Sept. 3, 1972
Folsom Field, University of Colorado

The sustained Jerry guitar ring echo into TOO is insane. Brilliant. Also, props for Jerry blowing the line for "dogs in a pile" first time around, but deftly subbing in a repeat of "like I told ya" instead, but THEN, he makes up for it by bringing back the "dogs in a pile/nothing left to do but smile smile smile" line later on! A rare lyrical backpedal and save by Jerry, much better than his usual mumble-jumble when he messes up a lyric!
They Love Each Other
April 19, 1982
Baltimore Civic Center

Check out near the end when Jerry goes full- on Dylan singing "better not be there when it rolls oh-vaaah". Whole version is a byoot.
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
May 7, 1972
Bickershaw Festival

I tend to lump all the E72 versions of ChinaRider together & that's my bad b/c this version has a stand-out feel to it, most notably with Phil in total beast mode & just driving the whole train start to finish. Great jamming in the transition as expected, but I'm disappointed to see this just barely into double digits. Outstanding rendition that should break from the pack at some point.
He's Gone
Nov. 22, 1972
Austin Municipal Auditorium

Late to the upvote but very deserving version here that could use a lot more love. Whole show seems underrated but if you check out even one tune from this show it oughta be this
He's Gone
Oct. 19, 1974
Winterland Arena

Oh I checked that out recently based on your rec in another thread. Fantastic mellow version with a great vocal section!