headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

130
Wharf Rat
Oct. 7, 1977
University of New Mexico

Most pristine version I've ever heard. So smooth, so clear. Keith leads the way, Jerry brings it home. . Essential for all Wharf Rat fans
18
Aiko Aiko
Aug. 10, 1982
Iowa Fieldhouse - University of Iowa

Another kick-ass version out of Space...not as long&rising a wind-up as the 9-14-82 tripiness), but raucous, fun & full of N'awlins cajun rock!
36
Cold Rain and Snow
Oct. 12, 1983
Madison Square Garden

Powerhouse. Garcia belts out vocals. Hear amazing riff of added notes in the main theme instrumental sections.Drums pound away as well.
7
Brown Eyed Women
Nov. 29, 1979
Cleveland Public Hall

Jerry commits strong vocals to this rendition--he's into it big time...& Brent adds great accompaniment. Very strong Garcia bridge jam as well.
118
Cumberland Blues
April 8, 1972
Wembley Empire Pool

They could actually hit the high notes in '72, and the jams? Goodness gracious--this one just rips a hole in the space/time continuum!

Comments

Playin' In The Band
Oct. 10, 1982
Frost Amphitheatre

Possibly my favorite show of 1982 (Baltimore and The Scope VA. being the others) and yes, this Playin may not have the epic length of the early 70s but what is contained in less time is well jammed and very interesting especially with repeated listening
Truckin'
June 26, 1974
Providence Civic Center

This sounds more alive than ever if you check out the matrix as opposed to the official DP version. No faulting Dick but the energy of the performance is kind of droned out on the official recording. This is a great rendition w/Bobby confidently nailing all lyrics and an up temp charge through the main body & then the blues clinic Jerry puts on after is a thing of beauty. Ups.
Terrapin Station
May 17, 1977
Memorial Coliseum

^^^^ Heady_V... What you say here about Cornell is all true, and undoubtedly some Heads like to appear too cool for school by dissing it. In terms of introducing someone to the Dead for the first time there are some versions from Cornell I would not hesitate to use, starting with the Scarlet>Fire for an example of how very in the pocket they (and especially Phil) could be. That said, there are legitimate gripes to be made about Cornell in regards to "best ofs" (which this site is chiefly about) that should not be dismissed as Heads being purposefully contrarian. What drives me a little batty is, for example, the uber high rankings for a song like "Brown Eyed Women" from Cornell, which, objectively speaking, can ONLY be because the version has 5/8/77 in front of it and people are just clicking it to the front because of that date. I refuse to let that go unchallenged. As I said on that entry page, it's a fine version. There's nothing wrong with it. But there's nothing that stands out about it, either, and there ARE so many others that objectively have more punch, are better sung, contain better jamming by Jerry, and are simply put, better. And yet there it is as #1 just because it has the mythical Cornell attached to it. That's what I object to--I am happy to have the "best " Scar>Fire argument in relation to Cornell, best "Morning dew", etc., because ultimately even tho' I don't think the Cornell versions are THE best I would never denigrate anyone who thinks so because they are so undeniably good, so elite and upper echelon, that it makes perfect sense to have them in that discussion. But there are a lot of other versions that get the "Cornell bump" that do not deserve it, and it overshadows many other better versions that people may not seek out, thinking that because of the high ranking and votes for 5/8/77, those lower ladder versions couldn't possibly be better than Cornell. But many of them are.
New Speedway Boogie
July 13, 1994
Franklin County Airport

Last Dead show I ever saw. Great time at Highgate & the set list is ta die for, although listening back there are the usual late stage flaws to be found. Still, up-voting this for sentimental reasons and because the revived versions of Speedway are actually a lot better than the initial incarnations from 1970 that are just painful to listen to (awkward harmonies and band members stepping all over each other; no one sure whether to sing the "one way or another" line after the verse or not....seriously, those versions are almost uniformly ugly compared to ones like this).
Jack Straw
May 21, 1977
Lakeland Civic Center

Can't believe I hadn't voted for this yet. new listening to the DP blew my socks off and may have this one getting into my top 3 favorite all time (with 10/29/77 & 6/4/78) due to the unique Garcia soloing that sounds more stretched out than others (I don't mean length of the jam leading into final verse, but the way Garcia lets his solo drive that jam into more of a weaving exploration than the usual power chord jamming we come to expect). It's not "spacey" weaving, it's supercharged for sure, almost like a '77-ish version of late 60's jamming on a tune like the 11). This is just a fantastic version that could be way higher on the ladder.