headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Ernie5

No cholesterol.

+3668


Submissions

13
Bird Song
Feb. 21, 1971
Capitol Theater

An intimate very early Bird Song - Quartet-styled, which serves this song really well. Also: you can hear the thinking, especially between guitars.
3
Tennessee Jed
July 21, 1972
Paramount Northwest Theater

Ho-Hum: Another outstanding 1972 TJ. This gem from the sorta overlooked summer tour. Garcia aces the break, natch. Band - unconscious. Whew! at end.
6
Candyman
June 21, 1976
Tower Theater

From Garcia's cheeky intro on, this graceful cabochon throws a faint, warm light. 1976 elegance w/a sick, raw spider web guitar break.
2
Wharf Rat
March 21, 1985
Hampton Coliseum

First show - I didn't know this gem very well & after this criss-crossy version, I was hooked. Dark & murky.
3
Loser
July 21, 1972
Paramount Northwest Theater

Download Series - An intimate, casual living room Loser. Garcia coming out of the guitar break is divine. Not the actor.
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Comments

China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Nov. 19, 1972
Hofheinz Pavilion

Fluid China Cat - Godchaux's in especially sweet form. Torrid transition - has it fucking all.
Bird Song
Aug. 25, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

It really shouldn't surprise how sweet and delicious this is given the time & place, but still plenty of unexpected pleasures lurk. As always, the guitars are relentlessly inventive & cool - Weir channeling Wes Montgomery at various points. Garcia channeling Garcia. Fall 1972 might be the peak of his note bending - so artful, emotive, and trippy. And, like most of '72, the group has complete control over all dynamics. Most rock bands who dip into improvising forget the dynamics part (everything is a repetitive build). 12:30 flies pretty quickly in this rendition.
Playin' In The Band
March 19, 1977
Winterland Arena

Still love this Playin' - one thing I noticed recently is just the buoyancy of the group and the crowd. A constant. And the group responds to this great ambience with some killer ambience of its own: patient, spacious, and on the QT. Great Playin' from a masterful show.
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Sept. 21, 1972
The Spectrum

How'd I miss this one? Textbook China>Rider circa 72 and not in a boring textbook way. Fall 1972 is endlessly sweet. Band at peak, Ex. A.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
May 8, 1977
Barton Hall - Cornell University

To be fair, I have loved this one since I first heard it - and it was not famous then. At least not as far as I knew. To me, the start, the transition, and the detail make this one absolutely one of the best. My vote for this one has nothing to do w/its fame. It’s famous b/c it’s great, not the other way around. The best? Who knows or gives a shit? I just know that when it’s over, you sense you’ve travelled a pretty epic path.
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