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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+48135


Submissions

4
Truckin'
Oct. 24, 1972
Performing Arts Center

Pity the SQ is so flat, as this one cooks up nice and hot, with some extra melodicism in the outro jam before D>TOO. This show needs a SBD infusion.
2
Playin' In The Band
Oct. 24, 1972
Performing Arts Center

hard to believe this big beast hasn't been tagged yet: Experimental, interesting, and at 23min, a nice long ride.
2
Box of Rain
Oct. 24, 1972
Performing Arts Center

Only the 2nd one they played after it went into circulation, and it conveys all the emotion and poetry of this wonderful song. Sing something Phil!
1
Brokedown Palace
Oct. 23, 1972
Milwaukee Performing Arts Center

For a song notoriously difficult to pull off live, this one is just beautiful. Succinct, harmonious, deliberate: All good, in spite of AUD quality.
2
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Oct. 23, 1972
Milwaukee Performing Arts Center

Great transition into Rider here. Really strong '72 ensemble playing. Sound quality is only about a B though.

Comments

The Eleven
Feb. 11, 1969
Fillmore East

This has to be one of the most up-tempo versions they ever played, and they skipped the lyrics, but so what. (Sounds like they're looking to drop them in around minute four, but they hit the kick into the blues groove instead). Keeping 11/8 groove going like this is no mean feat, they just slay it every which way. Powerful stuff from '69.
St. Stephen
Feb. 11, 1969
Fillmore East

Moves along nicely until they find the turbo button and it then it gets shot out of the cannon and gears up brilliantly for the last verse and WTO>11.
Mountains of the Moon
Feb. 11, 1969
Fillmore East

Beautiful, subtle, great mix cleanup on the box set version. Phil's steady pulse underscores Tom's gentle keys, and Jerry sings like an angel. It really doesn't get better than this according to this old Carrion Crow.
Dupree's Diamond Blues
Feb. 11, 1969
Fillmore East

The banter alone is worth an upvote, with Bill Graham is gifted a cowbell and inducted into the band.... Then the late show starts with this sweet, simple version. That's presumably TC on the steam calliope and who but the Dead would even try such a thing?!?
Dark Star
April 24, 1972
Rheinhalle

Back here for more. It's really that good. After nearly 40 minutes of creating whole cosmos out of the air it almost sounds like they might land back into Playin' then maybe back into Dark Star melody for the second chorus, then into that beautiful Wharf Rat. Like a spinning twenty-sided die it could have landed anywhere, perfectly. G'damn, but this one deserves its spot on the front page.