headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

grendel

Books and Music

+24555


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
show more submissions

Comments

Bertha
Dec. 31, 1987
Oakland Coliseum Arena

There's a killer Terrapin from this show as well and an all-time Iko w/the Nevillies. This Bertha is high energy and can hang with the big boys for certain.
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.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)