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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

6
Candyman
Oct. 28, 1977
Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Hall

There's a Betty Board of this one available. And it's gorgeous. What's stopping you?
9
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Dec. 27, 1982
Oakland Auditorium

Seek out the CM SBD (2d set only). This is a fine combo w/Brent & Jer driving Scarlet & Phil prominent in Fire. '82 was a sweet year for S>F!
7
The Other One
Oct. 12, 1977
Manor Downs

Another roaring out of the gate and sustained thereafter 01 that should not be ignored. '77 had its great share & this is one of 'em. Heavy on Phil!
9
Brown Eyed Women
Oct. 4, 1981
Rainbow Theater

While I prefer the 1977 BEWs overall this one is excellent for its speed & precision & Jerry nailing all the lyrics w/ gusto! Don't overlook this gem!
4
Cold Rain and Snow
Oct. 4, 1981
Rainbow Theater

The overlooked European tour. Love Jer's voice for this song in '81.Hangs an extra vocal note or 2 on the chilly winds don't blow refrain. Great stuff

Comments

Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
May 26, 1995
Memorial Stadium

The Fire is good, but the rest is nothing special, not to mention botched lyrics by Jerry in the Scarlet. No upvote here and no way do I get where its placement on the list is. Just because it's good for '95 doesn't mean it should be listed higher than so many dozens of other versions that are by any objective measure better.
Spanish Jam
July 29, 1974
Capitol Center

Love the way Bobby seamlessly blends the Other One theme (which precedes this) in the first minute or so of the tune. This is a splendid reading overall as well.
Weather Report Suite
July 29, 1974
Capitol Center

Added the Let It Grow from this on best of Let It Grow section b/c it's just THAT good.
Tennessee Jed
Oct. 10, 1982
Frost Amphitheatre

Forgot to mention that after it wraps up Jerry tacks on a classic "Shave & a Haircut, two Bits" kicker!
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Dec. 16, 1978
Nashville Municipal Auditorium

Growing on me. Upvoted only now after finding the Miller version someone kindly linked to (via the Tennessee Jed thread for this show). This version has always suffered from not having a good SBD source but the Miller AUD is as close as it comes to hearing this as it should be heard. Slower cadence to the Scarlet works here. Jerry is well in command on the bridge break to Wind in the Willows and does many interesting things in the transition jam. My nitpick with that critical moment is that the band could have followed Jerry's lead into fire, building off a crescendo that never really comes. This in fact may be Jerry's doing, but whatever the cause, the turn into fire never builds off the jam from Scarlet. Instead, Jerry lays up after his last solo and things just kind of sit in suspended animation while Mickey toys with a bit of percussion and then they begin gently to introduce the Fire theme, followed by a very nice, if not incendiary version, and there's nothing wrong with that. Not every great version needs to be "off the hook" and this one isn't. For me, it floats in between solid B+/A- territory, and I'd probably bump it up to A- if there was a great SBD available. Gets the upvote here, and it's a nice '78 for sure, but doesn't in my estimation unseat any of the versions from April of this year (4/8. 4/11, 4/16 & 4/24 are all better) but it's got a lot to recommend it, and you may be kinder to it than I have been if you've yet to check it out. Do wish they'd found a stronger path into Fire, though, after Jerry's very cool work setting it up.