headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Ernie5

No cholesterol.

+3673


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.

Comments

Playin' In The Band
June 17, 1972
Hollywood Bowl

Super focused and yet far far out. Fresh back from Europe. Fresh-ish. Swagger anew in a subtle way. Beautiful Playin' one way or the other. Killer audience. Golf claps included! This band keeps the entertainment coming. Yes.
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
March 5, 1972
Winterland Arena

Are you fucking kidding me? Crazy carnival-beer opening straight into the teeth of the song. This China>Rider is a great example of the treasure trove of between-period GD out there - waiting. This is one great, loose, exploratory, focused little show. This China>Rider even has some weird spooky shit going on. This would be Shirley Jackson's China>Rider. Nothing quite like this version. A real sparkler, this. Ride The Magic Elk!
Tennessee Jed
March 5, 1972
Winterland Arena

Tangy '71/'72 hybrid! Kreutzmann sittin' solo on the drum throne suite for a year - and he seems to have adjusted pretty well. Cool ass show - one of those lesser heard shows between known micro-eras of the dead. 'Course the guitar break is out of it's fuckin' mind. Exit from the break is telepathic.
The Other One
Feb. 28, 1969
Fillmore West

From the opening restrained stereo chaos of the drummers, it's clear this is going to be a whale of an Other One. And it is. Everyone is in supercharged shape and the rendition is both heavy and light on its feet -- something this version of the GD were particularly great at: holding two opposites in peaceful balance and having an amazing time doing it. Thrilling.
Estimated Prophet
Sept. 3, 1977
Raceway Park

This is industry standard - full-blooded and confident. Collectively, they may not have had this song more in the crosshairs. Just Dead perfect.