headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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OrangeTangoJam

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Submissions

1
Turn On Your Love Light
Oct. 31, 1969
San Jose state university

This is The Dead at peak performance level. Cataclysmic version. Everyone is ON. Explorative and not a beat missed. Easily top 5 of 69.
2
Dire Wolf
Oct. 31, 1969
San Jose state university

Nice early electric version. Always preferred this key for Dire Wolf compared to when they changed it in the later years. Just right. Nice version.
1
Next Time You See Me
Oct. 31, 1969
San Jose state university

Takes you right to Chicago. Jerry’s playing emulates the blues greats. Hard rocking version that reminds me of a Junior Wells cut. Highly recommend.
1
High Time
Oct. 31, 1969
San Jose state university

Haunting organ playing. Crystalline and psychedelic early version that feels very spacey. Great vocal delivery.
1
Me and My Uncle
May 25, 1974
Campus Stadium, UCSB

Very nice solo from Jerry. Phil is all over this as well, some great melodic bass playing that compliments the song very well.
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Comments

Bird Song
Sept. 9, 1972
Hollywood Palladium

What a spiraling staircase of a bird song. Starts off as a typical 72 version would, and then BAM, you’re hit with some incredibly intricate and quite whimsical interplay. Jerry plays some wonderfully inventive lines all throughout this. A very special version.
The Music Never Stopped
Dec. 28, 1979
Oakland Auditorium

Awesome eagle screech in the beginning. Just missing Donna.
Dark Star
Feb. 26, 1973
Pershing Municipal Auditorium

Phil in particular is very interesting this show. It’s the energy, the energy he puts into each and every note is quite funny. It’s like he realized with each pluck each time his fingers graze over his strings, he realizes the energy that he puts out people can feed off of that. Instead of exploring musical themes, he’s exploring energy. Listen closely to him because it’s not super obvious at first but his playing here is stupendously interesting, not leading but influences. Lovely Keith being ripples in the water after Jerry casts a stone. Jerry also completely dances with melody with this one. Very cool Dark Star.
Dark Star
Aug. 27, 1972
Old Renaissance Faire Grounds

Starts as a Salvador Dali painting and then quickly dissolves into Jackson Pollock post the first verse. Whichever you prefer, is up to you, some may even enjoy both. I’m one of those people. All hype aside, this is a great Dark Star who’s classic status is deserved, but in the grand scheme of things, is merely a bench mark in the progress of psychedelic, spiritual, and space exploration. I don’t listen to this often, but it will always hold a special place in my heart.
Cryptical Envelopment
Sept. 2, 1968
Betty Nelson's Organic Raspberry Farm

Primal Dead. Like dinosaurs on a hunt, traversing lush and wild landscapes. Furious.
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