headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

2
Me and My Uncle
April 19, 1978
Veterans Memorial Auditorium

Garciia packs epic multitudes into his brief guitar solo. Check out this WAY under the radar MAMU>BigRiver pairing. One of the best ever.
2
The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)
May 11, 1991
Shoreline Amphitheatre

Slowest but also funkiest version ever played. Garcia stumbles out of the gates on lyrics but it's no train wreck & the band rescues for a winner
2
Aiko Aiko
May 11, 1991
Shoreline Amphitheatre

Bruce is boss on this one, his keys just adding color & style throughout the tune. Overlooked show & performance
3
Space
May 12, 1981
Veterans' Memorial Coliseum

Numerous "Lively Up Yourself" teases within this short space--follows a "He's Gone" dedicated to Bob Marley
4
Samson and Delilah
April 18, 1978
Civic Arena

Kicking intro out of Dancin'>Drums and into a typically raucous, rippin', 1978 Samson. You'll dig it for the into alone but the whole thing is a beast
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Comments

Stella Blue
Oct. 1, 1994
Boston Garden

Nice vocal reprise but the rest is a sloppy, disappointing version from a show that otherwise is pretty great. Jerry's phrasing is tentative, not much gusto in the lyrics and uninspired playing by just about everyone. I suspect this one has its relative high slotting here due solely to the vocal "stella" call backs at the end & the show being a very good one for the year, but this version pales in comparison to the much better 3/21/94 which is easily the best of the year and perhaps only second to the Knick for best of the 90s
He's Gone
Oct. 2, 1972
Springfield Civic Center

Had to scroll nearly all the way down the list to find this superlative, dig your heels in, super-confident bluesy gem of a rendition? Come on, folks, it's fall 1972 & everyone's in sync on this fantastic reading from a great (& sadly underrated) show. There are myriad reasons to bump this one way up the ladder. More ears & votes please.
Franklin's Tower
Oct. 20, 1978
Winterland Arena

5 votes when I got to this one? Blasphemous. Bouncy, groovy, rockin' Franklin's from a well known show. C'mon, folks.
Playin' In The Band
Dec. 28, 1983
Civic Auditorium

Not sure why this very exploratory version gets so little attention. Maybe bc ‘83 is not considered a great year for the tune, I dunno, but this is a real stretched out jazz performance with Brent really digging in and Bob on his game, too. Fans of 10/14/83 S>F>Est>Eyes will dig this as will others who give it a chance.
Brown Eyed Women
Feb. 3, 1978
Dane County Coliseum

^^^^Hey Ernie I agree 100% w/everything you say here, & you describe the differences beautifully, but my only quibble is--why Cornell? I've tried & I just don;t get the high ranking for Cornell for THIS particular tune. It's a fine version to be sure but to repeat a point I know I've made before there are so many better, tighter versions, with a superior vocal & a more electrifying bridge, & just off the top of my head I'd say 11/4/77 is one of them. Otherwise, I'd say you're spot on that while this show is undeniably classic, there are better '77 versions of BEW that get lost in the shuffle below it. (I just don't think 5/8/77 is necessarily one of them).
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