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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

28
Playin' In The Band
May 11, 1972
Rotterdam Civic Hall

Sometimes shorter is better. At around 10 mins. this beauty from E'72 packs the jazz, jam, passion. Like a more intense version of the one on ACE!
26
Scarlet Begonias
Oct. 3, 1976
Cobo Arena

No clean SBD on archive but at official Dead site a pristine version was on 30 days of Dead for DL. 2d best stand-alone I've heard next to 3-20-77
66
Pretty Peggy O
May 19, 1977
Fox Theatre

DP Vol. 29...Each time I think I've heard the best (i.e. 12/27/77) I hear one better. This is it. Flowing, gorgeous Jerry bridge jam. Perfection.
4
Don't Ease Me In
June 20, 1980
West High Auditorium

Proves the boys could really swing when they wanted to. Hear Jerry on "The Girl I Love" line; like 'Gator Alley--1980 a good year for this tune
32
Not Fade Away
May 26, 1977
Baltimore Civic Center

Insane. Ridiculous. Drummers locked in, Garcia in take-no-prisoners mode. 16+ minutes of full-bore Rock to the G-D Roll.

Comments

They Love Each Other
May 21, 1977
Lakeland Civic Center

yes yes YES!!!!
Brown Eyed Women
Dec. 27, 1977
Winterland Arena

No might about it. How this one escaped my attention before I have no idea. Extended jam by Jerry, impassioned lyrics. This one has it all. Same show contains possibly the best ever "Peggy-O", but I digress ;-)
Here Comes Sunshine
Feb. 23, 1974
Winterland Arena

Had to bump this one into the lead after hearing it for the first time. The '73 versions noted below are all excellent but this goes beyond in terms of jam tightness and sense of purpose. Check out the picture perfect piano flourish by Keith heading back into one of the main theme reprises.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 2, 1978
Giants Stadium

Funny--I just ASSUMED this was already here! Indeed a stellar version and reportedly Dick Latvala's favorite all-time. It's arguably the most intense of the "Scarlets" in this pairing ever, and the jamming on both tunes is very tilted to the rock n roll side of the ledger. Certainly belongs on a Top 10 list of all-time versions, even if you prefer some of the more "silky" 1977 versions (as I do.)
New Minglewood Blues
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

...as is the whole show. Check out every tune.