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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+23517


Submissions

41
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!
14
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!
19
Franklin's Tower
May 1, 1981
Hampton Coliseum

One of the best played versions from one of the best played shows in the Brent era---ever.

Comments

Eyes Of The World
June 30, 1973
Universal Amphitheatre

Love when I can still stumble across a version of Eyes that I'm either unfamiliar with or haven't heard in ages and realize how good it is--enuff to drop a comment on the board. It's been said before but with so many killer versions of this tune in its debut year many worthy entries will get lost in the shuffle. At a relatively paltry 20 or so votes this is one of them. Emerging quietly from a DarkStar this one gives you all the gooey flowing jamming that Garcia had going from the git-go in '73 and I'd also point out that the vocal harmonies are pretty sweet on the choruses...just a great, sweet as molasses reading of the tune and a typical for the year great post lyrics jazz clinic. Keith shines in this section, too.
Cassidy
May 11, 1978
Springfield Civic Center Arena

Don't see how this one's been kept hidden for so long...slightly longer jam section b4 the final return and played at a speedy but totally in control clip--Garcia is dialed in as is the whole band....great version sitting weirdly below 10 votes when I got here
Greatest Story Ever Told
Feb. 17, 1979
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Almost perfect, and almost better for not being perfect. You can tell they hadn't played it in a while & it's like Jerry's trying out new stuff in the jam section that he wasn't doing and the results are jaw-dropping if not what one could nitpick as "a bit off" when it comes to sticking the landing. But what he offers in color and energy and pure gamesmanship is more than worth the loss of pure precision. A grade stuff
Althea
Oct. 11, 1989
Meadowlands Arena

Grossly, unjustly, ridiculously overlooked version w/Jerry and the whole band dialed in--great '89 precision w/ hot keyboard fills and a sweet outro jam. Shame it's so low on the board
Eyes Of The World
March 27, 1993
Knickerbocker Arena

If you scrolled down this far to find a hidden nugget of a gem of an Eyes congratulations! You've found it. Unlike a lot of latter day versions Jerry abandons the Midi in this one and gets back to gritty guitar pickin with some fuzzy chaw thrown in and Weir just slashes away with really cool counter-rhythms & the whole thing just flows with great energy. Jerry's vocals aren't too bad either especially for the year and this is one of the top tier 90s versions available--shouldn't be this low on the board.