headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+48136


Submissions

1
Black Throated Wind
Oct. 23, 1972
Milwaukee Performing Arts Center

Solid heady version with a great build-up. Sound is only B quality though.
4
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
Oct. 19, 1972
Fox Theatre

One of the rare versions that stands apart with or without its NFA bread.
6
Dire Wolf
Oct. 19, 1972
Fox Theatre

For a song that was effectively out of rotation at this point, they pulled it off with sing-round-the-campfire sweetness. Jerry growls it out.
6
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Oct. 19, 1972
Fox Theatre

Sweet version with an innovative transition. The whole band was on, but Keith and Phil are high in the mix and brilliant..
3
Bertha
Oct. 19, 1972
Fox Theatre

Recording is good, with Keith and Phil high in the mix. Everyone is switched way on, and the jamming shows perfect unity.

Comments

Scarlet Begonias
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

Phil's running counterpoint to Jerry throughout the long jam is a masterclass on its own. Love the deconstruction of the outro theme before the finally land on it and come together like presto! hop! magic. As much as I loved Scarlet>Fire, I treasure the solo Scarlets too.
Good Lovin'
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

That's a mysterious little theme they bring in twice, but it doesn't sound that much like the Samson to me. It seems way too precise to be totally spontaneous, as they all land on it both times without a single note or beat a hair out of place. Maybe they were rehearsing a new song or jam that didn't survive into '77? Cool stuff.
Wharf Rat
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

The transition in from a brilliant Eyes is a thing of pure beauty. Man, could a good sweet Wharf Rat bring you back in to reality when you needed it most, and here everyone is just whispering and cooing into your ears in just the sweet spot. Check out the gentle Donna tones around 5:30 and tell me that wouldn't put peace into your heart? But then of course trickster Jerry comes in with that biting tone (some guitarist out there know what he was using then?) that would tear through the world like a flaming buzzsaw. Great version in a wall-to-wall highlights show.
Eyes Of The World
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

Fast and precise, with beautiful ensemble playing... but that transition into Wharf Rat is the smoothest just-exactly-perfect thing I've heard. Spectacular transition: Must have pulled a lot of trippin' hippies out of a wild spin and back into the sweet sweet mellow mellow.
Playin' In The Band
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

Agreed that this is a beaut. This one goes through several phases, with the noted jam at around 10:00 and then another transition into a more biting/buzzsaw tone around 15:00. It holds at a simmer rather than a boil, however so if you're looking for mad freaky weirdness then this won't necessarily scratch every itch.