headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Ernie5

No cholesterol.

+3668


Submissions

10
Jack Straw
June 10, 1973
RFK Stadium

Relaxed and joyous space-age electric guitar semi-ballad.
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.
3
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.

Comments

Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Feb. 5, 1978
Uni Dome, U of Northern Iowa

This one has some cool moments, but it's sooooo fast - takes most of the swing out of it. There are points where the drummers lose the thread or go into a rather homely shuffle b/c the pace is so breakneck. And I have an issue with so many '78 Scarlets b/c Garcia always seems (as he does here) to forget the verse after the bridge and go directly into the guitar break. For whatever reason, that irks. Somewhat indicative to some of the sloppiness that crept in @ late-77/78. I just don't believe this compares at all to any May '77 versions, which are models of both heat and precision. Not an awful version by any means - some of it's great, but #2 on the list? That's just insane to me.
Wharf Rat
Nov. 15, 1972
Oklahoma City Music Hall

Beautiful work here. Lesh, in particular, sounds imbedded. The outro jam is a stunner.
St. Stephen
April 21, 1969
The Ark

What a St. Stephen should be.
Tennessee Jed
March 28, 1972
Academy of Music

They use this thrust to get them over the ocean. Assured, brash, model version. Great pace and totally in control. And yeah - Garcia's Strat.
Uncle John's Band
May 19, 1977
Fox Theatre

Like seemingly everything from this show, this is a Cutty Sark beast. A song that doesn't always come off live (this spans most of their career for me, much as I love this song) the 5/19 Fox version hits all the targets. Lesh dots all the eyes and crosses all the teez. Kruetzmann is just swinging. This is one of the all-time great sets. Ever.