headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Ernie5

No cholesterol.

+3568


Submissions

10
Loser
March 24, 1973
The Spectrum

Heavens! It took a Dave's Picks to get this on the board! Soft, seductive, dark, and pretty much perfectly realized. Guitar break: shit yeah.
3
Estimated Prophet
Dec. 29, 1977
Winterland Arena

Bold, sharp, confident version with plenty of 1977 squoosh. This version has that great '77 restraint with Garcia speaking in MuTron tongues.
6
Brown Eyed Women
Oct. 29, 1973
Kiel Auditorium

Attention. To. Detail. - ESP Weir. Not the world's greatest recording, but the band is bubbly & effortless.
3
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
July 31, 1971
Yale Bowl, Yale University

Listened to this on a big PA outside over the summer and it's so alive, athletic, and filled with beautiful instrumental cross-talk. Improv!
3
Sugaree
June 4, 1976
Paramount Theatre

Another example of how Sugaree thrived in 6/76: Garcia's sweet, mellow, bubbly silver thread guitar and group dynamics both jaunty & subtle. Primo.

Comments

Cryptical Envelopment
Aug. 24, 1968
Shrine Auditorium

فوق العاده حماسی! - for a while a soundtrack to a completely different story. I'm not entirely sure what the Arabic stuff says, but something like "super epic" according to Google.
Casey Jones
Oct. 2, 1977
Paramount Theatre

Hearing so much high praise, I approached this version perhaps too hopeful. I admire the stick-to-it spirit, but the wheels coming off is really just the wheels coming off. Some inspired moments, but not really feeling this one. Maybe not horrible, but in somewhat depressing disarray.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
April 3, 1982
The Scope

Garcia sounds like he's really having fun singing this one - he improvises different grace notes and tails (giving that extra swirl). The Big Guitar sounds fucking tiparillo. And that's the Scarlet! A 14-minute version that just screams! Gets pretty far out. The Fire is merely a crushinator.
Terrapin Station
Feb. 4, 1978
Milwaukee Auditorium

Where has this been hiding???? Weir slashing & compressed. Garcia is in great voice and his guitar pierces the hazy air like an arrow (of sound, obviously).
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
April 11, 1972
Newcastle City Hall

I can't really think of many better ones. Into the 3rd verse = sick. The transition is just nasty! And, yeah, Garcia's Charles In-Charge.