headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

13
Brother Esau
Oct. 28, 1985
Fox Theater

Complete with kickin' cow bell, nice long intro, easily one of the best you'll find.
13
Run Run Rudolph
Dec. 7, 1971
Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden

Give it a spin before Santa comes...Pig does Chuck Berry and Kris Kringle proud!
11
U.S. Blues (Wave That Flag)
Sept. 11, 1974
Alexandra Palace

DP Vol. 7 in London...special hard-core ROCK&ROLL kick-ass version, as if to remind the good folks across the Pond what happened 200 years earlier.
5
The Wheel
May 1, 1981
Hampton Coliseum

Like every song in this vastly underrated show: Just Exactly Perfect.
28
Beat it on Down The Line
Feb. 28, 1973
Salt Palace

Normally not a song I take much notice of...but Keith just takes over this puppy and turns it into a rollicking good time!
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Comments

Truckin'
May 19, 1974
Portland Memorial Coliseum

I still like 6/20/74 a shade better but really the difference is negligible. This is a triumph at every level.
Althea
Aug. 13, 1979
McNichols Arena

Got to be the weirdest version I've heard....and it's very good. Jerry doesn't so much forget the lyrics as he forgets how they're sung in relation to the music. I'm not explaining it well. You'll just have to listen and you'll see what I mean. In any event the jams are top notch and it's got that thick, deep '79 sound. +1
Deal
May 29, 1971
Winterland Arena

Slow, slinky, and sensational. You won't hear a version with Jerry in better vocal form than this one. Of course there's no shredder ending like the song added in the 80s but with these eras it's almost like a totally different song anyway and there's a damn fine blues solo by Garcia in this one so there's something for everyone here. For a great fledgling rendition it's hard to beat this gem.
Brokedown Palace
Nov. 15, 1972
Oklahoma City Music Hall

Very few really truly good live versions of this tune, but this is certainly one of them. .
Cold Rain and Snow
Dec. 31, 1987
Oakland Coliseum Arena

I'll add that this whole show is underrated. Spectacular Terrapin and my favorite Iko of all time. This Cold Rain is a confident rocker and as stated above Jerry's raggedy vocals actually work really well to strengthen the overall presentation.
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