headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

37
Promised Land
Sept. 18, 1990
Madison Square Garden

New #1 version--all time best. This is a stretched-out jam-fest for a song usually given the quick-off. Killer fills from Hornsby. MUST HEAR!
6
Sugar Magnolia
Sept. 25, 1981
Stabler Arena

Incredible Sugary-Mag Club sandwich: Sugar>BlackPeter>Round&Round>SSDD. Energy off the charts, and the SSDD starts spot-on the downbeat from R&R
13
Big River
July 31, 1974
Dillon Stadium

Scorcher start to finish. Keith comes up big, and Jerry goes ballistic in the final instrumental bridge. Check it out on Dave's Pix Vol. 2
45
Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower
June 19, 1976
Capitol Theatre

Just when you think you've heard 'em all...Peppy&Zippy yet tight HELP >groovy-spacedout Slip>killer jumping-Jerry-led Franklins. Must Hear!
44
Estimated Prophet
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

From the show that never stops giving--a spacey-jazzy-goeey-Wah-Wah-chunk-fest-of-Jerry.
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Comments

China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Dec. 29, 1977
Winterland Arena

Rock on, Dannydread...glad we're all enjoying the ride ;-)
Feelin' Groovy Jam
Oct. 2, 1972
Springfield Civic Center

Simply stunning portion of music that's only a little bit of Feelin Groovy but a whole lot of awesome coming out of the NFBM section. One of those just exactly perfect bridges of music that occurs spontaneously and could be done by no one but The Grateful Dead. Way under the radar stuff here that needs more ears.
Eyes Of The World
Nov. 17, 1973
Pauley Pavilion - University of California

Light and airy with a free flowing liquid jazz line throughout, but the bonus, as mentioned, of a really tight outro section. I'm more impressed with this section of the show, with this Eyes as the highlight, than I am with the more popular UJB>Playin section.
Eyes Of The World
Feb. 15, 1973
Dane County Coliseum

I have to agree with Summerraven that while the beginning segments of this version are lovely and flowing and as pretty as any the band has ever performed the outro material really drags and it's understandable, given that this song is barely on its feet live at this point. I'm OK with it being a top 15-20 version but not in the top 10 for that reason.
Wharf Rat
April 22, 1978
Nashville Municipal Auditorium

A few more spins via the DaP release has made me a believer. Well sung by Jerry but also the band as a whole is punctuating all the right benchmarks, hitting a heavy flourish after a particular line and dialing back when needed just so. There's also a run of notes Jerry plays in one of the big jam sections about 8 minutes in that's unique to any version I've heard. Definitely deserves its high ranking here. In other words, I've changed my tune on this version.
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