headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

51
Bertha
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

Sweet bass drop-ins by Phil on intro; extended Garcia solos in bridge jam; very intense and fun
49
Jack Straw
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

There are longer versions, but none has a better bridge jam than this one. My favorite version ever--must listen!
88
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Feb. 24, 1974
Winterland Arena

Hard-charging drumming from Billy leads the way. Best MLB jam in this pairing I've ever heard. Hard to believe it wasn't listed yet.
37
Cassidy
Oct. 12, 1983
Madison Square Garden

Intense build-up jam, perfect touch-down. Weir absolutely nails it. My favorite version all-time
21
Shakedown Street
Jan. 10, 1979
Nassau Coliseum

Laser-focused, perfect rendition, start to finish. Super-funky with awesome Jerry fuzz-guitar, rock-blues jamming post-vocals
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Comments

Shakedown Street
Sept. 16, 1978
Sphinx Theatre

Delicious disco Dead in the desert. This version is crazy groovy and disco-infused in a good way and while it's lacking the 3rd verse and the coda the jams in between are incredible. (In particular after the 2nd verse, what would be the "middle jam" had they sung the 3rd verse is incredibly funky and turn on a dime tight. These shows never got the respect they deserved.
Cosmic Charlie
June 14, 1976
Beacon Theatre

The ones just above this one (6/19/76 and below ((7/16/76) are my two go-to's. I really think '76 was the best (Marybe only) year for this tune. The early versions feel too raw to me and the song isn't given a chance to really breathe. I like the quieter spacey stretch feel of the 76 versions and Donna actually sounds great.
Bertha
Nov. 14, 1971
Texas Christian University

I did. I agree. Locked in year for this tune and this is one of the best.
New Minglewood Blues
May 8, 1977
Barton Hall - Cornell University

Top 5 '77 is crazy hard to do (limiting to 5 I mean) My list would be nearly identical to cgarces but 10/29/77 is at the top of my list for that year and any year.
New Minglewood Blues
May 8, 1977
Barton Hall - Cornell University

My 2 pennies on Cornell: it is a truly great and epic show because of the big ticket songs that it's best known for: ScarletFire, Stephen/NFA and Dew. All as good as advertised even if none of them are in my mind "best evers". What drives me bonkers about Cornell is what you've pointed out here: that so many smaller tunes are automatically given prime marks just because they're in this show. Brown Eyed Women is another perfect example along with this NMB. It's fine but there are at least a dozen others way better that are lower on the list. Some people just see Cornell and instantly vault every song to the forefront when objectively they're not worthy.
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