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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

Sugaree
Sept. 9, 1972
Hollywood Palladium

Every little detail is right on. Garcia and Weir ping-ponging over a raging current of bass guitar.
Estimated Prophet
May 13, 1977
Auditorium Theatre

Way under-voted. Classic rich, chocolately rendering. This is the Time of the Great Estimateds. I need some choral music. It's not 5/19 (nothing is) or dead-on tough comp for a couple of other dates, but it is an ELITE version of the song. I've listened to May 77 Estimateds so thoroughly, I frighten myself a little. Will I lose my job b/c of this obsession? Will I forget to eat? I feel like I should leave my cell number.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
June 7, 1977
Winterland Arena

A little clumsy for the time, and worse yet - missing 4th verse (never forgivable). The wheels come off the next 18 months or so (not always) - still (late) Spring 77 is always worth the time. But you can hear late 77 coming - missed cues, tired passages, forgotten lyrics . . . interesting. Still some GREAT stuff after May, but May was Camelot.
The Eleven
Aug. 23, 1968
Shrine Auditorium

A couple of years later, I haven't solved the 10/12 vs 8/23 Eleven Dilemma. Further research is needed, which is fine - I'm listening to this for science. Super kick ass is my conclusion. A band with special, weird powers.
Dark Star
Feb. 3, 1968
Crystal Ballroom

As much as I appreciate 1970 Dark Stars, these '68 gems are just perfect little packages of space rock, jazz, and acid.