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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

4
Estimated Prophet
Aug. 31, 1985
Manor Downs

Hot as the night in Texas on which it was played.
11
One More Saturday Night
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

Like every other song from this, my favorite all-time show, it's a best-of candidate. Just rocks hard.
2
Alabama Getaway
Dec. 5, 1979
Uptown Theater

Come for the 'Bama but stay for the rest of the show. This rocker 'Bama is Jerry and Brent at their very best. This entire show, tho', is a monster.
13
Stagger Lee
June 27, 1985
SPAC

Right after Phil tells a guy to get off the blacony cuz 50,000 people are waiting for him to, and Bob does the dog nose joke, Jer rips into a fine SL!
8
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Oct. 18, 1989
The Spectrum

Pretty good China followed by the best 80's OR 90's RIDER I've ever heard. Check Jer's run going into "sun gonna shine" verse. 5 stars fo RIDER alone.

Comments

Lazy Lightnin' -> Supplication
Oct. 28, 1977
Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Hall

can't say Keith is doing anything cheesy here but the Supplication Jam in this one is just plain nasty. Nothing will ever top 5/22/77 for the best in jamming AND precision--it is the gold standard for this combo IMO--but this one is right on its heels and deserves way more than the 2 measly votes it has now. (This show is also a Betty Board which should have you running to it for a listen. You won't be disappointed.)
Shakedown Street
Jan. 15, 1979
Springfield Civic Center

Gets my upvote for the transition/intro to Shakedown, which is as good as advertised, and it's a good version b/c they didn't really do any bad ones in '79, but compared to some of the truly excellent ones. it doesn't hold up as well throughout the whole tune. Jer botches the opening lyrics and the "just gotta poke around" round robin sections are kind of uninspired. The jam after the lyrics is good, no quarrels, but it won't blow you away like New Haven or Halloween Nassau of this year, and for a truly under appreciated and absolutely note-perfect killer Shake, I urge y'all to try just 5 days previous to this 1/10/79 from Nassau. This is a gritty, grimy-funkfest of Jerry at his best and the whole of the crew crushing it as well. Phil after says "Shakedown Street...you know it well!"
Althea
Sept. 11, 1982
West Palm Beach Auditorium

This whole show is great-- except, whoops, I was thinking of a different one from '82 ...my bad
Eyes Of The World
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

Yep, as merryjerry noted this is technically the first Eyes of 1977, coming just after SugarMag kicked off the New Year and strangely enough this version shares many of the same attributes as one at the tail end of the year in 11/4/77 marked by incredibly fast, yet in control Garcia jams. The band is all in tow as well and it serves as a great place-setter for what I fully believe was the best year overall for this song that was always in rotation every year since its debut in 1973. The intro is jazzy, the middle jams are raucous and beautiful at the same time and the jam after the final verse--while seeming a bit lackluster and meandering at first--actually serves its purpose for flowing lovingly into a sweet Wharf Rat. No question this gets my upvote.
Dark Star
Feb. 7, 1969
Stanley Theater

Some very cool early DS magic right here. Flowing psychedelic ooze that nevertheless maintains the main theme structure throughout...classic '69 Dead w/a fine recording taboot. Deserves a listen and some upvotage.