headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

52
Dark Star
Dec. 31, 1978
Winterland Arena

Farewell to Winterland; Not 40 mins. long ; no break down into feedback nonsense. Just sweet jazzy jamming; Just exactly perfect send off.
10
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 25, 1981
Stabler Arena

Transition jam weaves into spaces most fail to go; touch-down into Fire is GOLD. Jerry flubs first line in Fire-after that: 1 of the BEST ever!
19
He's Gone
Sept. 26, 1972
Stanley Theatre

Perfect, self-contained, blues-infused, stellar vocals, 14+ minutes of bliss. Extra fun: Check out the "Birdsong" riff about 10 secs. into the intro
36
Dark Star
Sept. 16, 1972
Boston Music Hall

Amazed this isn't here yet Gorgeous, melodic, jazz-infused, mellow, trippy, spacey into hard ripping Jerry riffs; melts into Brokedown Palace. Sublime
48
Cold Rain and Snow
Oct. 12, 1984
Augusta Civic Center

Kicks off with authority a 2d set every DeadHead needs to hear. Perfect bookend to Jerry's scorching Dew. They say it was cold&rainy that nite in ME.
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Comments

She Belongs To Me
Sept. 15, 1985
Devore Field

With all due respect to the Dick's Picks version currently ranked above this one, THIS is the most beautiful version of the classic Dylan tune the boys ever performed. Jerry's middle solo is like a drifting cloud you can't stop staring at. His vocal delivery here is stronger than 11/1 and the final solo digs deeper. I'd like to see this one in the #1 slot.
The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)
Sept. 19, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Bestest of the best right here. Jerry belts out the vocals, nails all the lyrics. Confident, chunky Phil-led backbeat...and tons o' fun.
Gimme Some Lovin'
June 15, 1985
Greek Theater

J_B is right on. I don't think they ever performed this song perfectly, but the transition from Wheel>Gimme Some is absolutely sublime, perhaps even the most underrated transition the band ever performed. Brilliant. Take a half point off for Bobby's out of tune falsetto screeching at the end (which is very much on purpose and not meant to be taken seriously), but even so this one is deserving of a far higher ranking than it has right now.
It's All Over Now Baby Blue
Oct. 13, 1994
Madison Square Garden

I was a doubter too, but no longer, Best/most surprising thing about this version is that Jerry's voice doesn't sound like a frog getting pureed in a blender, as most anything post 1991 does. It's not quite the level of 10/10/82 (my all time favorite) but an upper echelon version for certain.
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
Dec. 11, 1972
Winterland Arena

Really impressed with this. Most early versions have me saying "meh" but this one has some extra Jerry guitar work and a lovely rolling gait to it. Nice recommend.
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