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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

Brown Eyed Women
Dec. 27, 1977
Winterland Arena

Listening to this one again and some things: it really might be best ever; if not it's Top 5 all time and the six votes it has now makes a mockery of what we're supposed to be doing here; there's no doubt in my mind this kicks Barton to the curb.
Jack A Roe
March 27, 1994
Nassau Coliseum

I don't normally care for this tune post 1977, really preferring the old style Mark Knopfler-ish slow cadence, slinky approach so perfectly captured by 5/17/77 on the "Phil Zone" release, but this fast-picking version with Jerry doing the acoustic/electric thing and nailing all the lyrics deserves the upvote. This whole show as cgarces has pointed out is chock full of surprisingly grand renditions especially given the year. The Dew from this show gets all the accolades but there's a lot more to like here, and this Roe is one of the gems.
Big River
Sept. 11, 1982
West Palm Beach Auditorium

Fully agree, about this version and this show overall. One of the top five in 1982. Check out the Scarlet>Fire after you're done grooving you this BR.
Wharf Rat
July 18, 1976
Orpheum Theater

Yes! The intro to this is other-worldly and melancholy and beautiful. This song may have been perfected in '77 but the origins of that perfection are found in '76. This is spectacular,
Me and Bobby McGee
April 2, 1973
Boston Garden

This is my favorite version. So gentle and honest, flowing beautifully out of space from HCS