headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

2
Brown Eyed Women
Aug. 4, 1982
Kiel Auditorium

Fast-picking goodness. Jerry's bridge solo is long and lightning quick and awesome. 1 point off for lyric flub on re-entry, but the rest is gold.
43
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
April 30, 1977
The Palladium

Sick of saying "How can X not be here" yet but C'mon! Get the digital DL series and start bumpin this up! Smooth Scarlet, killer Fire jams. Early gem!
15
Terrapin Station
Nov. 28, 1980
Lakeland Civic Center

From a year not particularly known for great Terrapin, this one proves the exception to the rule. Tight, inventive, soulful.
6
Monkey and the Engineer
Feb. 4, 1970
Family Dog at the Great Highway

Bob sez: "we're gonna play one of your favorites and we certainly hope it's one of ours" b4 this sweet electric version!
19
Sugar Magnolia
Oct. 7, 1977
University of New Mexico

As insanely good as the Wharf Rat that precedes it. How good? Almost matches 10/29/77 in intensity. Final jam section b4 SSDD will boggle your senses!
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Comments

The Other One
Feb. 22, 1969
Dream Bowl

New convert here. Jerry's playing is a fluid river of ideas, some roaring, others just rolling gently along. Superior version.
Dancin' in the Streets
April 15, 1970
Winterland Arena

I'll never love the way the Dead did this tune in any era, but this one is SO much better and listenable than anything they did in 1977, '79, or later...the jam section is really interesting & gets my upvote.
Comes A Time
June 24, 1985
River Bend Music Center

I was prepared to be underwhelmed by this version as I think much of '85 is marred by Jerry's horrid vocals and a choppy feel to the playing overall but this really surprised and kinda blew me away. Jerry really sings it beautifully and strongly and sustains many notes with his voice in just the right spots. His solo is gorgeous too....not to the level of 5-9-77 but impressive nonetheless and the whole version is worth upvotes...this should be higher on the list.
St. Stephen
Oct. 11, 1983
Madison Square Garden

How I was lucky enough to be at this show as well as the Box of Rain bust out in '86 I'll never know. And it's hard to say which crowd reaction was more bezonkers...maybe Hampton by a nose but it hardly matters. Both versions are similar in that objectively speaking they are flawed, a little rough around the edges due to being played first time in many years and maybe from the adrenaline of the crowd freaking the band out a bit but both versions are also made special by that crowd burst of pure energy and ecstacy.
Franklin's Tower
Sept. 28, 1975
Lindley Meadows, Golden Gate Park

I feel like this entire show is overrated, from the very shaky Help>Slipknot to the botched Truckin' and this extremely tentative Franklin's. Obviously they didn't have much to choose from in 1975 for the 30 Trips release but this show still gets way more accolades than it deserves, and can't hold a candle to One From the Vault from 8/13/75.
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