headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

4
Ramble On Rose
Dec. 30, 1977
Winterland Arena

Faster than usual tempo with just a brilliant Jerry bridge jam and no missed lyrics make this one a not-to-be-missed version.
14
The Other One
May 18, 1977
Fox Theatre

Not sure why everyone ignores '77 versions, but you're missing out if you haven't heard this one. Power packed Jerry-led fury.
4
Spanish Jam
May 21, 1995
Sam Boyd Silver Bowl

In the band's worst year they somehow came up with a really short but spot-on SJ that emerges nicely out of space. Ignore the date-check out the tune.
4
It Must Have Been The Roses
March 13, 1981
Utica Coliseum

Seek out the SBD (unknown lineage) then bask in what's possibly the best-sung, most heartfelt & lovely "Roses" ever.
54
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
May 11, 1977
St. Paul Civic Center Arena

It's criminal that this hasn't made the list yet. Like super-smooth '77 versions? You MUST hear this.
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Comments

Shakedown Street
Jan. 10, 1979
Nassau Coliseum

^^^^ "You know it well!" -Phil
Eyes Of The World
Oct. 30, 1973
Kiel Auditorium

There isn't any earthly reasn this should be so low on the board, other than it occurs in a year with so many incredible versions it can get lost in the shuffle. But this one needs more ears on it, especially for the outro section, which is mellower then most but hits every transition in the jam segments like a smooth sliding gear change, then empties out into a free floating gentle space before settling into the opening notes of Weather Report. Astonishingly excelllent EYES hiding in plain sight at single digit votes.
Sugaree
March 18, 1977
Winterland Arena

As good as advertised
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
April 11, 1978
Fox Theatre

Might sound crazy to upvote an entire combo of songs just for the coda that ends one of them, but the final jam of Fire back into the main Scarlet theme is worth it. Just a Garcia pinpoint perfect clinic of roaring crescendos and all-in rocking. It's not that the preceding stuff is bad in any way, but 3/4 of the way thru you could be forgiven for thinking this isn't a stand out version in any real way. Then that final flurry hits ya, and wowza, that's a keeper.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 5, 1979
Madison Square Garden

^^^^yeah, I gotta agree, this is far to good to have less than a handful of votes. Great expeditions take place in the transition jam and this is early in Brent's tenure before he resorted to the Fischer Price keyboard tinkling that marred some later versions. The Fire is pretty incendiary, too. Nice Miller SBD available. Check it out.
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