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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+48136


Submissions

1
Sugar Magnolia
Sept. 17, 1970
Fillmore East

Something happened to the song between August and September, and this is the "first" Sugar Mag that resembles the song we know, now it's tight.
3
Cold Jordan
Sept. 17, 1970
Fillmore East

The tape quality is low, but the band was completely on in an historically important and beautiful show. Completists only AUD is C-, you're warned.
4
Easy Wind
Aug. 19, 1970
Fillmore West

Undoubtedly one of the greats. Everyone is on. Bobby solos, then Jerry schools the world, then at 7:03 sounds like D. Crosby steps in like Godzilla.
3
Friend of the Devil
Aug. 19, 1970
Fillmore West

Early uptempo, shitkickingly good. These first ones are all worth mentioning. This one is fast and good bluegrass.
3
The Other One
Aug. 18, 1970
Fillmore West

Fast and furious acid rush here. That they could go from bluegrass sweetness to this hard rock monster in one night is testament to their huge range.

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.