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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

5
The Weight
June 7, 1991
Deer Creek Music Center

This is really the best one I've heard--everyobody nails their parts/lyrics...great piano fills on the side (yay, Bruce!). Just exactly, etc.
20
Althea
Sept. 9, 1982
Saenger Performing Arts Center

Incredible. Check out Brent's fills during the epic post-lyrics outro. A must-listen top tier Althea w/bounce, power, & panache!
17
Deal
Feb. 23, 1974
Winterland Arena

Apparently no one is aware that a fellow named Keith played in this band or this version would have 50 votes already. Needs to be heard!
1
Pretty Peggy O
Sept. 4, 1980
Providence Civic Center

Outside of 1977 this may be the best version I've heard. A+ vocals from Jerry, killer mid-solo; slightly faster tempo. Must hear. Gr8 Matrix!
4
Greatest Story Ever Told
Oct. 11, 1989
Meadowlands Arena

Bob's lyric phrasing on this version is unique. He sings it in a way so different than any I've heard before & it's inventive & super-fun. Must hear!

Comments

Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
May 5, 1979
Civic Center

Finding this under a giant pile of rocks was like the musical equivalent of finding an old painting in the attic & you take it to Antiques Roadshow on a whim & it turns out you have a Van Gogh. OK, I admit to some slight exaggeration there, but I feel like in order to get the proper attention for some of these way under-appreciated gems you have to shout hyperbole from the rooftops. In any event, my vote just clicked this up to a measly 4 and it is so very much better than that. First, seek out the Dusborne Matrix version. It's superb. Second, notice the perfect tempo of this version...never plodding, but never too speeded up either. This becomes especially apparent in the excellent bridge jam, which features a scintillating Jerry solo that doesn't lead into the "Fire" segue, but lays up nicely for Bobby to take over for one of those mind meld rhythm guided forays into "Fire" that just makes your brain smile. Great "Fire" to follow, heavy on drums--especially in "Scarlet" and lots of Phil throughout. Early in Brent's tenure, it's a sweet version, and for cryin' out loud, if you agree, let's get it out of the single digits.
Althea
April 3, 1982
The Scope

This whole show is grossly underrated. Yes +1 on this fine Althea.
He's Gone
Dec. 28, 1990
Coliseum Arena

Hands down the best version of the '90s, and quite frankly, stands up to just about any version of any era and by any objective measure should be way higher on this list, top 5, even, no kidding. Why? Let's begin with the vocals. Jerry could not be more committed here. Check out the "nothin' left to do but smile, smile, smile" line and the subsequent crowd reaction. Even more telling, in a much more subtle manner, is his reading of the "knife in the back, and more of the same" line, which can sometimes fall flat in other versions but here is given a twisty, bluesy delivery, and the full band nearly acapella coda of "nothing's gonna bring him back" makes you feel like you're hanging with the band in the back of some back country blues bar at the end of a long night swigging whiskey. If that wasn't enough, Jerry rips into a grungy, gritty solo following the round robin vocals, and takes us out on what really has to be considered one of the best renditions of this song ever performed live. If you search the lower rungs of this site for versions of your favorite tunes that you didn't know before and will knock your socks off you will be supremely rewarded here. This is a diamond buried far in the rough.
Not Fade Away
Oct. 27, 1979
Cape Cod Coliseum

Everyone loves the Cape Cod shows, except for me. I think they're amazingly overrated, especially with so many better shows in '79 that fly under its radar. HOWEVER, my favorite tune from the 10/27 show is this NFA, which, like most in this year, is super funky, grungy slow and awesome. Skip the tinkly-keyed Franklin's that goes on for far too long and hardly goes anywhere interesting, ditto the hideous Dancin' that precedes it ('ll take any '77 over it any day) & go straight for the Other One (very good due to Phil) and then this NFA, which is A+ stuff.
Scarlet Begonias
Oct. 3, 1976
Cobo Arena

^^^^ It's fantastic and it's actually one of the better choices they made in issuing 30 Trips Around...You could make a case for any number of great June/July shows in '76 but they'd already released some and this show is a dandy. Highly recommended (I was lucky enough to have a friend who purchased the whole shebang loan me a copy).