headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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merryjerry

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Submissions

9
The Wheel
Oct. 2, 1977
Paramount Theatre

It's so apt that The Wheel would roll into Truckin' that the outro is short but the rest is very nice.
9
Eyes Of The World
June 27, 1984
Merriweather Post Pavilion

Jerry really mines the changes on this one and pulls out plenty of little gold nuggets (like Coltrane). Good interplay, too. An inspired version.
11
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
May 12, 1981
Veterans' Memorial Coliseum

A cheesy video of this kickass version would have Garcia playing atop a steam locomotive as it barrels down the track.
10
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Oct. 18, 1972
Fox Theater

Incomplete, but what remains is top-notch and essential.
12
Me and Bobby McGee
March 26, 1973
Baltimore Civic Center

I just gotta nominate this one, that's all.
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Comments

China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Aug. 5, 1974
Philadelphia Civic Arena

I had forgotten to post on this. Long and well-cooked, the meat falls right off the bone on this one.
Playin' In The Band
Feb. 22, 1973
Assembly Hall, University of Illinois

Some people who know way more about alternate universes than me might say there IS an alternate universe where this thing is listed on headyversion as a top ten PITB. Anyway, if there was a scenario in which I had to choose ten versions each of my favortite Dead tunes to take with me to that proverbial desert island, this very well might be one of my PITBs.
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
June 16, 1974
Iowa State Fairgrounds

An incendiary China Cat. Jerry is by turns as sweet as a Georgia peach and as gnarly as a swamp gator. Bobby’s solo is one of his best, and reminds me a bit of Zappa’s ‘Down in De Dew’ from the ‘Lather’ album. The Rider that follows is not equally as spectacular and so seems a bit anticlimactic--yet it is still a good version.
Eyes Of The World
June 18, 1974
Freedom Hall

Welcome aboard, heavyd! You're right--this one smokes, as do the two that came on either side of it (6/16 and 6/20). They smacked three big Eyes, one after the other, right out of the park!
Truckin'
Feb. 21, 1973
Assembly Hall, University Of Illinois

Decent jam at the end that leads to a Phil solo in which he plays a riff that kinda sounds like something that could’ve come from Stanley Clarke or an opening bass line from some Eddie Palmieri salsa jazz. He also hints at The Other One. On numerous occasions the boys hint at Eyes but they keep kicking it down the road. Jerry then throws down a little pastel sketch before the band goes into a unique Eyes.
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