headyversion

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.
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Comments

Brokedown Palace
June 25, 1995
RFK Stadium

I haven’t even listened to this version yet (I will) but I came here the night I learned of Robert Hunter leaving this realm & am just upvoting every version of Brokedown Palace, symbolically via this one, & because there is no such thing as a “bad” Brokedown Palace, because it is one of the most soulful pieces of poetry ever written, & because, well, just.....Robert Hunter.
Keep On Growing
June 22, 1985
Alpine Valley Music Theater

Phil takes a nice vocal turn on this rarity. Surprised it doesn't have more ups.
Brown Eyed Women
June 30, 1985
Merriweather Post Pavilion

The whiskey costs $5 instead of 2 in this one, so you know it's worthy. Nice chops from Jerry, long bridge jam, plus the aforementioned mini feedback on 'ready to kill'. Take a quarter point away for Jerry's weak-ish vocals (although he does nail all the lyrics, which is nice), but it's '85 so that's to be expected. I've done a non scientific analysis & I think '85 has got to take the cake for being the worst-sounding Jerry voice year in the band's history.
Playin' In The Band
July 1, 1978
Arrowhead Stadium

^^^^Excellent point Merry on this version and frankly many other Playins circa ‘77-‘78 that also click in around 10 mins and get passed over for lengthier “monster” versions. Those are almost like different songs in their bookended self contained 25-30 min. madness and they’re great but don’t overlook these shorter “launch pad” versions that pack a lot of jazzy exploration into a shorter space. This is one of them.
Fire On The Mountain
June 28, 1976
Auditorium Theatre

It's the Marcel Marceau version (no vocal) & really, none needed. I've been digging this one a LOT lately b/c the groove is just so damn infectious and irresistible. Easily the best of the prototype "beta" versions & better than some fully developed ones in which Jerry mumbles through blown lyrics & the band sounds tired. This one suffers no energy drain whatsoever despite its emphasis on rhythm & mellow flow rather than Garcia-led shredding.
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