headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Ernie5

No cholesterol.

+3568


Submissions

9
Bertha
Feb. 21, 1971
Capitol Theater

Warp speed, precise, slightly unhinged, and driving into the greenish-blue evening.
1
Jack Straw
Oct. 30, 1971
Taft Auditorium

Godchaux leads a version that seethes with the excitement of a new song.
2
Brown Eyed Women
May 20, 1973
U.C.

A giggly, slangy Garcia masterpiece (in sweet show sauce). Goes down EZ.
8
Mexicali Blues
Feb. 28, 1973
Salt Palace

So good you can practically see the border town.
8
Me and My Uncle
Nov. 17, 1971
Albuquerque Civic Auditorium

Two things: (1) the middle of a searing Other One > MAMU > Other One fest and (2) Garcia loses his mind (or mine) at the end of the solo.
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Comments

The Music Never Stopped
April 30, 1977
The Palladium

Whooooosh! So many gems in this show, how did I overlook the opener? And what an opener! Lesh plays a large role - big choco-bass! Strings are a big plus! And Garcia's Garcia - constructing the long outro speech.
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Feb. 14, 1970
Fillmore East

A loverly re-visit.
Bird Song
June 22, 1973
Pacific Coliseum

About as good as Bird Songs get! Kudos to Godchaux are well earned - he does as much to create the gliding-on-astral-plane mood as anyone. That's saying something: everyone is in top form.
Mission in the Rain
June 29, 1976
Auditorium Theatre

A beautiful version. Always preferred the GD versions to JGB (although I like those too) - mostly b/c Lesh is a much more interesting bass player than Kahn (to my ears).
Estimated Prophet
May 9, 1977
War Memorial

A rare song that peaked at it's introduction - which isn't even to disparage later versions. These are just perfect in their dynamics and their edge work. No surprise then that on one of their crowning nights, this should smash. Garcia's narcotic outro oozes through the War Memorial, natch.
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