headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+48130


Submissions

3
Who Do You Love
March 9, 1966
Owsley's House (rehearsal)

Pig is on fire and the band revs to 6000 rpm. Jerry's tone is a shredding crisp fist full of razor blades.
2
Samson and Delilah
Oct. 15, 1976
Shrine Auditorium

Lickety split drummer precision here and a stylin' strut in the heart of a great 2nd set.
2
Mama Tried
Oct. 15, 1976
Shrine Auditorium

Solid shitkicker. "As usual, dedicated to our equipment crew". Lol, Bobby.
3
Might As Well
Oct. 15, 1976
Shrine Auditorium

Great party starter. This song always signals good time ahead.
1
Looks Like Rain
Oct. 14, 1976
Shrine Auditorium

Sweet slow buildup to an explosion of emotion and Jer's flying guitar work. A strong version.
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Comments

Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower
Feb. 26, 1977
Swing Auditorium

They drag and splatter the Help a bit, and just imagine the fear in your heart if your band doesn't get it together before the knuckle-busting Slipknot! comes along. It's one of the most challenging pieces of music they ever performed, and even the finest band in the land tended to spin out. Well it seems that right on that cowbell cue they tightened right up. Best Slipknot! ever? I can't say with certainty, but it's up there: Jerry's fuzzy sky-saw buzztone makes its extra spacey and cool. It isn't the fastest or tightest, but it's one of the most interesting for sure.
Tennessee Jed
Feb. 26, 1977
Swing Auditorium

I'm one of those Heads who doesn't get all twitchy with excitement when Jed's on the setlist, but the buzz around this one is justified. Jerry puts it right to you after the 'kicked my dog' line with a blistering high-tension twang that just bites down hard and doesn't let go. The shout chorus builds and builds, making this one a crackin' good hair-raising stem-winder of a Jed.
Dark Star
Nov. 26, 1972
San Antonio Civic Auditorium

Hey Bzfgt! I don't know if other heads refer to Jerry's tone as a "whale call" or "whale song", but sometimes he launches a series of sweeping, bending tones like a great transmission of deep meaning beaming in from beyond the deep deep dark. Outer-space or under water, like great groaning whales communicating across an infinite dark space or like the searchlight casting for faults, if we're only there to pick up on the signal. Check out 1 August '73 after the first verse (around 15:15) for when they go fully submarine.... There's a bit of it in the Veneta Dark Star, too. Enjoy the search and enjoy the ride, fellow traveler.
The Eleven
March 17, 1968
Carousel Ballroom

Jump on this wild Carousel ride folks. Because this isn't on the archive I hadn't heard it until now, but it's the bomb. From its note-for-note perfect transition out of China Cat to one of their tightest performance of the lyrics, then its broiling-hot furnace of a jam into Caution, this should be up there with the best of them.
New Potato Caboose
March 17, 1968
Carousel Ballroom

While I love this and am happy to have the Download series, I feel like it lacks the crackling high-voltage danger that many of the recordings from the era have. This isn't about their performance, which is f'n brilliant, but the compressed sound. I'm guessing that they had to compromise on crispness to get a better balance in the mix. Still, it's '68 Dead and I love it.
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