headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Ernie5

No cholesterol.

+3568


Submissions

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.
2
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.
8
Me and My Uncle
Nov. 17, 1971
Albuquerque Civic Auditorium

Two things: (1) the middle of a searing Other One > MAMU > Other One fest and (2) Garcia loses his mind (or mine) at the end of the solo.

Comments

Playin' In The Band
Oct. 18, 1972
Fox Theater

Authority! For the spaceout, Weir demonstrates his great skill in setting the table. The whole rendition is, as someone above said, purposeful. An anatomy chart of The Grateful Dead, Fall 1972.
The Eleven
Feb. 28, 1969
Fillmore West

Happy to be the 51st vote! I feel like Puerto Rico! This song isn't generally played much better. Alive!
Estimated Prophet
Nov. 26, 1980
The Sportatorium

This rendition deserves more news coverage! Garcia's the Cap'n here. Really nice period for Estimateds. Oh AND - the outro starts spare and patient. Then it gets intense. Again, Garcia's why this works so well. Outro: Garcia's warm envelope sauce soon melts into some super intense guitar work. A pretty great all-around Estimated.
Playin' In The Band
May 4, 1972
Olympia Theater

It's true. Such a great period for Playins.
Brown Eyed Women
May 9, 1977
War Memorial

Better than Cornell or not (for me: probably not), this demonstrates beautifully how, in May of 1977, this song achieved full flower. What scares me is that this has a mere 10 more votes than the next candidate: 1991 Giants Stadium? OK - "scares" is a bit of drama. Extra. Sorry.