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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+48136


Submissions

4
Uncle John's Band
Aug. 21, 1972
Berkeley Community Theater

Brilliant outro and high-energy version, a bit more up-tempo than others from the time. All-round sweet show, overshadowed by other giants of Aug. '72
6
Beat it on Down The Line
Aug. 21, 1972
Berkeley Community Theater

Has one of Jer's longest continuous strings of up-tempo 16th note solo lines (in the changes) I can recall. Wicked fast and right as rain.
3
He's Gone
Aug. 20, 1972
San Jose Civic Auditorium

This version, and the one on the 12th, are just butter. I admit to sometimes not even noticing He's Gone, but this is a high spot for it.
2
Me and Bobby McGee
Aug. 20, 1972
San Jose Civic Auditorium

One of those amazing versions of this underrated song where everyone is blazing along in collective improv to genius effect. Just beautiful.
3
Sugaree
Aug. 20, 1972
San Jose Civic Auditorium

Damn fine swagger on this one, in spite of a murky tape. Show cleans up after a few songs - thanks to C. Miller.

Comments

Wharf Rat
April 25, 1977
Capitol Theater

Hey I just listened to this suite again and think the WR>Jam idea might be wrongly labeled. At 10:48 or so Jerry changes key back into Playin' and the band follows immediately. Their meter changes too and it sounds more like 10/4 (Playin') than 6/8 (WR) to my ears. This doesn't change a damned thing or detract from what's been said, but I think this is a Playin'>WR>Playin'>Meltdown>Playin' suite. Thoughts?
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.