headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Books and Music

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Submissions

28
They Love Each Other
Feb. 3, 1978
Dane County Coliseum

Dicks Picks Vol. 18. Ridiculously hot mid-section jam by Jerry. Donna ads very sweet accompaniment a la best of JGB versions. Don't overlook this one!
13
Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower
Sept. 6, 1983
Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Rippin' at Red Rocks. Bouncy, jaunty, zippy and energetic early 80's version. Brent takes control on Franklin's.
87
Playin' In The Band
Nov. 15, 1972
Oklahoma City Music Hall

Got half an hour to kill? Lose yourself in one of the greatest, mind-blowing, spacious, jamming, jazzy, monster PITB's in history.
21
Bird Song
Nov. 15, 1972
Oklahoma City Music Hall

The '72 vintages are so silky smooth and this one is no exception. Jerry's vocals aren't prone to the frog-croaks of later years.This glides on wings.
25
The Other One
May 13, 1977
Auditorium Theatre

A rare extended TOO for '77,: a fat, sick, jamming gem. Crazy exploration, worthy of 1972; Phil in command, Jerry ablaze; melts into Stella Blue
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Comments

Estimated Prophet
June 25, 1978
Autzen Stadium, U. of Oregon

Heck yeah! Fine version from a really oddly underrated 1978 winner. Check out the "Eyes" from this show as well.
Brown Eyed Women
May 8, 1977
Barton Hall - Cornell University

Nice version. Nothing wrong with it. But it's placement at number one is exhibit A as to why Barton is so overhyped. I get it. Great show. Library of Congress great. But that doesn't mean EVERY song from the show deserves to sit at the top. The number two listed here from 11/4/77 is better in every conceivable way, from Jerry's solo to the vocal delivery, yet it's 30 votes off the pace. Ridiculous. Better versions from the same damn year include 5/17/77, 5/4/77 and 3/20/77. We diminish the overall greatness of Cornell when we blindly vote too many of its songs to the top just because we see 5/8/77 attached to it.
Brown Eyed Women
May 9, 1977
War Memorial

Hands down better than Barton. But there are better versions than both all throughout this year. 5/17/77, 11/4/77 to name just two.
Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower
May 9, 1977
War Memorial

Outstanding Help>Slipknot...quite possibly the best ever performed, but I agree that the Franklin's is the weak link in the chain here. I also find it a real drag that Jerry blows lyrics at critical junctures and he doesn't really make up for it in the jamming as he does in the 6/9/77 exactly a month later. It's hard for me to upvote this because the 3 songs really need to be taken as a whole. The first two sections are really that damn good, though, so I'm going to, but this complete version taken all together doesn't deserve a "best of" designation. As a whole, even a version like 10/1/94 is better.
Uncle John's Band
May 9, 1977
War Memorial

"Cruelly overlooked" for sure. Maybe with release of Get Shown the Light box set this version will climb higher but for now it's undeservedly low of the ladder. Superior vocals and harmonies all delivered beautifully. If Donna had sung this way all the time there'd never have been a single snarky comment made about her. The outro jam before the reprise vocal coda is simply top shelf, all-time territory. +1 automatic.
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