headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Ernie5

No cholesterol.

+3673


Submissions

8
Mexicali Blues
March 24, 1973
The Spectrum

'73 Mexicali? Smokesville, USA.
11
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!
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Comments

Dark Star
April 27, 1969
Labor Temple

Great revisit - hallucinogenic from the start/falls immediately into a downey soft groove and gently (but firmly) pushes outward.
Scarlet Begonias
June 9, 1976
Boston Music Hall

Full mastery right here. How do you handle dynamics in a complex, up-tempo song? Listen & learn. Garcia with the spirited vocals (at least when the words come to mind). In the coda, he forgets nothing. Crackin'.
Samson and Delilah
Oct. 9, 1976
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Stadium

I, for many a moon, believed that the best of this song was from May 1977. Now, given Garcia’s silky smooth clean runs and the precision of the group overall, I must reconsider. Pretty fucking perfect.
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
March 24, 1973
The Spectrum

Chill verging on bravado. Kreutzmann's transition into the second verse is the stuff of legend. Swingin' legend. Such a beautiful, dynamic rendition of a fave (around these parts).
Scarlet Begonias
July 19, 1974
Selland Arena

This Scarlet jumps out of its skin from the very beginning. Lesh's playing is just out of this world - all over the place but totally coherent and coordinating. Cruising into the 4 minute mark, it's a sweet, smooth, tight-as-a-drum Scarlet with plenty of mustard. Then Garcia takes over like even he doesn't often do. Top sleeve material you got here. And a gorgeous Dave's 17.
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