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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Ernie5

No cholesterol.

+3568


Submissions

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.
4
Ship of Fools
Oct. 18, 1978
Winterland Arena

An especially sharp and spirited specimen - expressive vocals, the rhythm section is precise, and Garcia's guitar break is masterful. A still life.

Comments

Loser
July 18, 1976
Orpheum Theater

A quiet conversation - drenched in warm dynamic waves. Yes - so very '76. The guitar break is practically a whisper.
Terrapin Station
Nov. 1, 1977
Cobo Arena

Still like this one quite a bit, but Hart won't stop running his sticks as the song builds to its apex. Blump-a-da-blump. He even makes Kreutzmann overplay. Not top cheese Terrapin but still worth your time.
Tennessee Jed
Aug. 10, 1982
Iowa Fieldhouse - University of Iowa

One of those perfect shows. Perfect for what it is anyway, but a tape that helped make me bonkers in the first place. Authoritative Tennessee Jed with all the trimmings. Garcia gives a robust singing performance. And his guitar break, forget about it. But a combination of dynamically aware playing/listening and a great audience recording shows a band firing on all 12 [Exhibit A].
Playin' In The Band
April 15, 1978
William and Mary College Hall

Am I an idiot if I don't know what the Tiger Jam is? Probably yes. Anyway - a sweeeeeet Playin' all the way through.
Brown Eyed Women
April 15, 1978
William and Mary College Hall

If the out-of-sync was intentional, it was just a clumsy idea that should have been jettisoned after the first time. My opinion, of course. Brown-Eyed Woman lives on (among other things) its groove. This version offers none. I keep trying with this one, but it smacks of indiscipline to me. As Hart had an occasional tough time finding the one, I still don't know if it was intentional or an unhappy accident. Either way, I find this a really annoying version of one of my favorite songs. So boo hiss and stuff.