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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

4
Estimated Prophet
Aug. 31, 1985
Manor Downs

Hot as the night in Texas on which it was played.
11
One More Saturday Night
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

Like every other song from this, my favorite all-time show, it's a best-of candidate. Just rocks hard.
2
Alabama Getaway
Dec. 5, 1979
Uptown Theater

Come for the 'Bama but stay for the rest of the show. This rocker 'Bama is Jerry and Brent at their very best. This entire show, tho', is a monster.
13
Stagger Lee
June 27, 1985
SPAC

Right after Phil tells a guy to get off the blacony cuz 50,000 people are waiting for him to, and Bob does the dog nose joke, Jer rips into a fine SL!
8
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Oct. 18, 1989
The Spectrum

Pretty good China followed by the best 80's OR 90's RIDER I've ever heard. Check Jer's run going into "sun gonna shine" verse. 5 stars fo RIDER alone.

Comments

Truckin'
May 19, 1974
Portland Memorial Coliseum

I still like 6/20/74 a shade better but really the difference is negligible. This is a triumph at every level.
Althea
Aug. 13, 1979
McNichols Arena

Got to be the weirdest version I've heard....and it's very good. Jerry doesn't so much forget the lyrics as he forgets how they're sung in relation to the music. I'm not explaining it well. You'll just have to listen and you'll see what I mean. In any event the jams are top notch and it's got that thick, deep '79 sound. +1
Deal
May 29, 1971
Winterland Arena

Slow, slinky, and sensational. You won't hear a version with Jerry in better vocal form than this one. Of course there's no shredder ending like the song added in the 80s but with these eras it's almost like a totally different song anyway and there's a damn fine blues solo by Garcia in this one so there's something for everyone here. For a great fledgling rendition it's hard to beat this gem.
Brokedown Palace
Nov. 15, 1972
Oklahoma City Music Hall

Very few really truly good live versions of this tune, but this is certainly one of them. .
Cold Rain and Snow
Dec. 31, 1987
Oakland Coliseum Arena

I'll add that this whole show is underrated. Spectacular Terrapin and my favorite Iko of all time. This Cold Rain is a confident rocker and as stated above Jerry's raggedy vocals actually work really well to strengthen the overall presentation.