headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

13
Brother Esau
Oct. 28, 1985
Fox Theater

Complete with kickin' cow bell, nice long intro, easily one of the best you'll find.
13
Run Run Rudolph
Dec. 7, 1971
Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden

Give it a spin before Santa comes...Pig does Chuck Berry and Kris Kringle proud!
11
U.S. Blues (Wave That Flag)
Sept. 11, 1974
Alexandra Palace

DP Vol. 7 in London...special hard-core ROCK&ROLL kick-ass version, as if to remind the good folks across the Pond what happened 200 years earlier.
5
The Wheel
May 1, 1981
Hampton Coliseum

Like every song in this vastly underrated show: Just Exactly Perfect.
28
Beat it on Down The Line
Feb. 28, 1973
Salt Palace

Normally not a song I take much notice of...but Keith just takes over this puppy and turns it into a rollicking good time!

Comments

Greatest Story Ever Told
June 22, 1973
Pacific Coliseum

...and Keith is more prominent here than in many versions. Can't really go wrong w/any song from this show but yeah, the G-SET shoulda been up on the big board already.
New Minglewood Blues
June 8, 1977
Winterland Arena

check out all the other tunes mentioned above as well. Was just grooving to that version of Eyes recently. Phenomenal. A perfect 3-night run.
Eyes Of The World
March 25, 1990
Knickerbocker Arena

Absolutely love this version now that I've heard it in its best CD form, and yes, it will forever be in the shadow of the Branford performance from 4 days later....but while it can't reach that level, it's far better than any other save Nassau that I've heard in the 90's (and that includes the excellent 3/31/91 w/Hornsby.) What really sets this apart is how great Jerry's singing is...he sings this so well it's kind of astonishing, really, given the year. As noted above, the jamming is mellow and groovy but w/many points of departure into interesting and jazzy spaces. let's move this puppy up the ladder!
Eyes Of The World
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

@allyinnoyang You have no idea how jealous I am. This is my all-time, hands-down, favorite Grateful Dead show of all time. Can't believe you were there with like, what, 5, maybe 6,000 people, tops? Dang.
Deal
Sept. 16, 1978
Sphinx Theatre

Agree it's too low...in fact this whole Egypt run gets strangely overlooked even after the official CD release. One of my favorite versions of EYES also come from the Pyramid shows & this DEAL is very worthy of more attention.