headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

10
Black Peter
Sept. 25, 1981
Stabler Arena

After 10/29/77 this should be your go-to BP. Emotion oozes and Jer shreds the outro.
11
Beat it on Down The Line
March 22, 1990
Copps Coliseum

A breezy bouncin' bubbly Bobby Beat it...best of the 90's.
8
El Paso
March 27, 1972
Academy of Music

Jerry in serious bluegrass mode. Most country-westernized version ever. At the end Phil sez "Thanks, Texans" even tho' they're in NYC. Awesome version
23
Let It Grow
Sept. 19, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Hornsby gets on board in a big way & Jerry jazzes up the jam sections. Weir slashes away & sings w/passion. Strong candidate for Best of the 90's.
4
Desolation Row
April 17, 1987
Irvine Meadows

This song was only as good as Bobby was committed to it, and on this night he was 100% in Dylan-idoling mode. Gorgeous rendeition, lovingly sung.
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Comments

Row Jimmy
April 9, 1987
UIC Pavilion

Yes Moberg, very nice indeed thx for pointing this one out. I'm not a huge fan of '87 overall but for some reason I like the way they were doing this tune then (&when Jerry could remember the lyrics, never a given). I was at the 3-day run in Irvine at Easter a couple weeks after this show and there's a nice version from that run as well with some fun giddy up to the closing section. This version has some of that same get up and go to it. +1 (Edit: Should be made clear...that second solo is pretty damn impressive)
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
Nov. 6, 1977
Broome County Arena

It is my fervent hope that with the official release of this show, with A+ sound reproduction, that people will finally realize how hard this version rocks, that its two tsunami rush jam sections are unequalled, and that this GOAT Half Step moves from bronze to gold where it belongs. The numbers say it'll never surpass Englishtown, but it really is so much better....and that's saying a lot.
Me and My Uncle
Nov. 6, 1977
Broome County Arena

Points just for sounding different from so many others for a song that is mostly uniform year to year (not that it isn't great). The transition from Mexicali is truly bizarre in that it really does sound as the liner notes indicate on DaP 25 like a digital segue made by a computer.
Row Jimmy
April 9, 1987
UIC Pavilion

^^^^You have me intrigued, sir, as RJ is one of my all time faves and 3/20/77 is the undisputed absolute king of them all, and in fact Jerry's 2d solo in that version is I truly believe one of the greatest musical passages the band ever offered. I wonder if you could point me to the best source for this show before I check this one out?
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
Aug. 19, 1980
Uptown Theatre

I'm eager to hear if you guys can find a better source. This feels like an amazing show but I can't really enjoy the ones i've heard so far b/c he mixes are just a mess with some instruments just sounding like they're being played from behind a curtain or something. It's a shame b/c there's some great playing here that's not coming across on any source I've tried to this point. (I think even CM in his notes said there wasn't much he could do)
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