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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+48135


Submissions

5
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Oct. 30, 1972
Ford Auditorium

Brilliant, crisp ideas and tight ensemble playing on a warm Bear AUD. Just exactly perfect.
2
Brown Eyed Women
Oct. 28, 1972
Cleveland Public Hall

One of those note-for-note perfect versions that leave you staggered and smiling. Just beautiful.
2
Sugaree
Oct. 28, 1972
Cleveland Public Hall

Not a song I usually get so swept up by, but on this one Jer's vocals are just perfect, capturing the sweetness and sorrow of the lyrics. A beaut.
4
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Oct. 28, 1972
Cleveland Public Hall

High-powered and tight. This show has nothing but complaints about the mix on the archive. Listen to the Ashley transfer, and see what you've missed.
2
Tomorrow Is Forever
Oct. 27, 1972
Veterans' Memorial Hall

Such sweet harmony, such sweet sentiment - turning on a dime after the white-hot Dew. Shows the beautiful country chops Donna at her best brought.

Comments

Wharf Rat
April 25, 1977
Capitol Theater

Gets my vote for best of the year, but I also think it hard to say just where comes back into the Playin' space during the deep jam... They're so far out of the WR structure and into the wild outer spheres before coming back into the recognisable reprise. Not too often that Wharf Rat dips into Dark Star territory, but this is something special.
Playin' In The Band
April 25, 1977
Capitol Theater

Brings the expansive length and transitive madness of the most epic pre-hiatus versions if you take it as part of the whole suite. I don't say 'under-rated' often, but it fits here.
Deep Elem Blues
May 7, 1981
Tomorrow Coast To Coast with Tom Synder

Here it is with great video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chADQBmosEQ. It's quite cool to see this era with a decent/professional camerawork: Nice in-focus closeups of the band, Jerry singing beautifully and his fretwork. A beaut of a version any way you look at it.
Dire Wolf
May 7, 1981
Tomorrow Coast To Coast with Tom Synder

What a rare treat. Sweet video of the performance on the "Tomorrow Show": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chADQBmosEQ.
Estimated Prophet
April 25, 1977
Capitol Theater

Agree with Ernie5 - this is right in the sweet spot for the development of the song. Jerry's coda solo is a wild ride through the scrambled madness of the narrator. Bobby's voice in the C.Miller clean-up (I didn't get the box set!) is smoky and beautiful. For me this song has always been *the* emblem of '77 perfection and here it is on display.