headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

10
Black Peter
Sept. 25, 1981
Stabler Arena

After 10/29/77 this should be your go-to BP. Emotion oozes and Jer shreds the outro.
11
Beat it on Down The Line
March 22, 1990
Copps Coliseum

A breezy bouncin' bubbly Bobby Beat it...best of the 90's.
8
El Paso
March 27, 1972
Academy of Music

Jerry in serious bluegrass mode. Most country-westernized version ever. At the end Phil sez "Thanks, Texans" even tho' they're in NYC. Awesome version
23
Let It Grow
Sept. 19, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Hornsby gets on board in a big way & Jerry jazzes up the jam sections. Weir slashes away & sings w/passion. Strong candidate for Best of the 90's.
4
Desolation Row
April 17, 1987
Irvine Meadows

This song was only as good as Bobby was committed to it, and on this night he was 100% in Dylan-idoling mode. Gorgeous rendeition, lovingly sung.
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Comments

Passenger
Oct. 25, 1979
New Haven Coliseum

It has no equal. Best they ever did.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Oct. 19, 1981
Sports Palace

The last two Jerry solos in "Fire"....I mean, damn. Just, damn.
It's All Over Now Baby Blue
Aug. 10, 1982
Iowa Fieldhouse - University of Iowa

Grate version from a terrific '82 gem.
Here Comes Sunshine
Nov. 14, 1973
San Diego International Sports Arena

Will have to agree to disagree on this one. They butcher just about every tempo transition , not to mention the lyrics on the final verse. The whole band seems out of step with one another on this version...go back and listen to some of the truly ugly " I got it, you take it" handoffs. There are some nice moments of course and Jerry rips off some great riffs as you'd expect on this tune , but compared with some of the really tight performances in '73 available I'd have this one way farther down the list if on it at all . I apologize for my curmudgeonly tone here but I gotta call it like I see it. It appears tho that I'm the only one shaking my fist ;-)
Playin' In The Band
Nov. 30, 1980
Fox Theatre

First I thought "yeah, it's great for the 80's, but really can't compete with those killer versions from '72 and '73", but then I thought "so what? That doesn't mean it isn't still great", so here's my up vote.
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