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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

4
Estimated Prophet
Aug. 31, 1985
Manor Downs

Hot as the night in Texas on which it was played.
11
One More Saturday Night
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

Like every other song from this, my favorite all-time show, it's a best-of candidate. Just rocks hard.
2
Alabama Getaway
Dec. 5, 1979
Uptown Theater

Come for the 'Bama but stay for the rest of the show. This rocker 'Bama is Jerry and Brent at their very best. This entire show, tho', is a monster.
13
Stagger Lee
June 27, 1985
SPAC

Right after Phil tells a guy to get off the blacony cuz 50,000 people are waiting for him to, and Bob does the dog nose joke, Jer rips into a fine SL!
8
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Oct. 18, 1989
The Spectrum

Pretty good China followed by the best 80's OR 90's RIDER I've ever heard. Check Jer's run going into "sun gonna shine" verse. 5 stars fo RIDER alone.

Comments

Brokedown Palace
Oct. 3, 1980
Warfield Theater

^^^^Sorry, but this one's far better vocally, especially the harmonies. 9/27 is probably the best of that year, though, and is quite a nice version for that time period.
Scarlet Begonias
June 11, 1976
Boston Music Hall

Let it flow. Gorgeous '76 Scarlet right here. Do seek out the Miller upgrade & up this version. So sweet.
He's Gone
May 26, 1973
Kezar Stadium

Been a while and I’d forgotten how good this one is, from the harmonizing to the jamming and esp. the bluesy outro. Glad it’s still in the top 5.
Dark Star
Feb. 28, 1969
Fillmore West

Positively dripping with psychedelic musical ooze. A free flowing trip down a rainbow river of sound. I like it better than the more exalted 2/27 but it's kind of sixes with what you get from both...can't go wrong. Been appreciating this run a lot more with the attention paid lately here on HV.
The Eleven
Feb. 28, 1969
Fillmore West

Depends how you like your 11's...as in a Spinal-tap-ish "these go to 11", cranked-out wild & chaotic, or more disciplined & controlled but still jammed out like this one is. This is probably my favorite of the versions and of this really spot-on style of precision 11, but they're all pretty hot in '68 and '69, just differs on how you like 'em served up.