Incendiary second solo becomes delicate and beautiful before they build the final refrain.

You can't compare 70s Deals w/ late 1980 onward. There's a four minute shredded 2nd solo on this one that wasn't a part of Deal in its 1st decade.

This is the first one with the second solo, revamped for the 15th anniversary.

Pre rio grandeo is good, but there are two peaks post rio grandeo, one built off the other and the latter crashes into Franklin's Tower.

A fluttery and lyrical solo after the bridge and then an autobiography of an outro. There is a video on YouTube.

I spend most of my music listening time listening to the grateful dead, so believe me when I say that I'll take a Me and My Uncle over a whole bunch of different stuff. All the same, this song does not inspire strong feelings in me. The novelty of this version is welcome and that plus the already sublime context should make this number one, but I'll try the one the wingnut keeps talking about too. And those may be the last ones I ever queue up on my own.

It’s hard to say with certainty whether they knew this was their last show. The four breakouts would suggest it to some: Greatest Story - 1st since 10/18/74; Big Railroad Blues - 1st since 10/19/74; High Time - 1st since 5/26/77; The Wheel - 1st since 2/3/78 (and the only one in '79). And Donna Jean herself appears to suggest that they were perfectly well aware. According to the following excerpt from a David Gans interview with Donna Jean from March 28, 1998 in Philadelphia, PA, the decision was made at a meeting at the Godchaux house between 1/22/79 and 2/2/79. I’ve put the key phrase in ALL CAPS - this is Donna Jean speaking: "I get questions: 'Did you guys quit or were you fired?' And I say very honestly, it was both. Very much both. I LEFT A TOUR MID-TOUR ONCE, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THAT TOUR WAS, BUT I LEFT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOUR. I JUST SAID, I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE. SO IT WAS AFTER THAT TOUR, THEN KEITH AND I DID ONE MORE TOUR. AND THERE WAS A MEETING AT MINE AND KEITH'S HOUSE, AND THE WHOLE BAND CAME, AND THEY -- I BELIEVE IT WAS BOBBY THAT SAID, "WE THINK YOU GUYS NEED TO DO YOUR OWN MUSICAL THING, AND IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GO AND DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO." AND WE SAID, WE AGREE. THAT'S WHERE *WE* WERE AT. SO IT WAS A VERY MUTUAL DECISION. BUT THEY DID SAY THAT. I WANT TO GET THAT ON RECORD. THERE WAS A MEETING AT OUR HOUSE, AND THEY LET US KNOW IT WAS TIME, AND WE LET THEM KNOW WE WERE DEFINITELY IN AGREEMENT <CHUCKLE> THAT IT WAS TIME.” Donna Jean was not present for 1/20/79 (there's a dark star that night, btw) and 1/21/79, the last two nights of a tour. The next (and final K&D) tour begins 2/3/79 (awesome S>F that night), so there's the timeline. To be fair, here is another take on their departure which contradicts Donna Jean's account as to when and where the decision was taken. But it does makes an interesting claim about when Garcia first heard Mydland: http://lostlivedead.blogspot.com/2011/02/october-26-1978-paramount-theater.html

This one is top 5 for me. The last time round in the Scarlet solo is what really separates this version. I don't like to complain about AUD sources because that's part of the fun with the band. But I'd love to hear the "note" everyone is talking about in an official release. I'll live.

Other versions above on this list will be smoother, more laid back and more aesthetically "perfect." But the solo in this one cooks with gasoline. And Jerry knew he had just kicked the hell out of it too - listen to that growl on "Delilah Jones was the mother of twins." I cannot think of another time when I've heard Garcia's voice sound like that. Here's a version with as many comments as it has votes - usually a good sign around here.

Totally good. Definitely some bounce, with crisp, clean playing. Bobby plays some nice rhythm fills on the slide - nothing too screechy like so much of the Weir slide of 1978. Jerry misses a line just before that outro, which is great, as Grendel says. Sometimes I think Jerry tried harder to play well when he couldn't remember the words. I myself don't particularly care if they nail the words or not. But nothing's worse than uninspired playing or too much cocaine.