headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

5
Loser
Dec. 6, 1971
Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden

Glorious Jerry vocals, not one, but TWO "sweet Susie's", excellent gritty solo. Best early version ever!
4
Aiko Aiko
March 30, 1987
The Spectrum

Submitting this on Fat Tuesday 2017. Great Mardi Gras version with really nice piano (!) fills by Brent that oughta be heard!
5
Lazy Lightnin' -> Supplication
May 12, 1980
Boston Garden

Get on this one, folks. It's a ripper.
13
Let It Grow
July 29, 1974
Capitol Center

Absolute best of 1974. Not kidding. Jerry's leads are ripping & confident. The band plays flawlessly.Can stand w/some of the best of '77. Must hear.
4
Ramble On Rose
Oct. 21, 1971
Auditorium Theatre

Keith's second show & he's all over this faster paced super fun honky tonk version!
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Comments

Playin' In The Band
Dec. 29, 1977
Winterland Arena

and a killer reprise as well. Time I added my vote to this one. Could do so w/virtually every song they played this night,
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
June 26, 1974
Providence Civic Center

Hey Dude420 I'm gonna do the same with a lot of the DP chart toppers here. I used to just take it in face value that an official release would have to be best sounding but sometimes that's not the case at all and a good matrix recording delivers a better punch and puts certain songs in a much better light. I like almost all the choices for those DP releases but I think some sound a little flat at times esp. vol. 1 and even vol. 3 which are both great shows.
Bertha
May 5, 1977
New Haven Coliseum

^^^^This one is very good but if you haven't yet, try 10-29-77. Jerry's mid jam solo winds up for an extra go around and takes you places that'll blow your senses.
The Music Never Stopped
July 3, 1978
St. Paul Civic Center Arena

Merryjerry has it right. Box set highlights these very underrated shows (except for 7/8/78 which gets all the attention) and this version is just one example of a song that deserves a higher ranking along with the show itself.
Here Comes Sunshine
April 2, 1973
Boston Garden

I'll go against the grain here and say I really don't care for the space noodling attached to this otherwise fine version. The HCS itself is quite grand but the long section following gets tedious to these ears pretty quick, and the only really good thing about it is the transition into Bobby McGee which is beautiful. No upvote here, though, as there are many other versions from this era that hold up just as well and don't drift aimlessly around before getting to something more interesting. I'd rather hear a good self contained HCS, I suppose, and there are many to choose from.
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