headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

10
Black Peter
Sept. 25, 1981
Stabler Arena

After 10/29/77 this should be your go-to BP. Emotion oozes and Jer shreds the outro.
11
Beat it on Down The Line
March 22, 1990
Copps Coliseum

A breezy bouncin' bubbly Bobby Beat it...best of the 90's.
8
El Paso
March 27, 1972
Academy of Music

Jerry in serious bluegrass mode. Most country-westernized version ever. At the end Phil sez "Thanks, Texans" even tho' they're in NYC. Awesome version
23
Let It Grow
Sept. 19, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Hornsby gets on board in a big way & Jerry jazzes up the jam sections. Weir slashes away & sings w/passion. Strong candidate for Best of the 90's.
4
Desolation Row
April 17, 1987
Irvine Meadows

This song was only as good as Bobby was committed to it, and on this night he was 100% in Dylan-idoling mode. Gorgeous rendeition, lovingly sung.

Comments

The Other One
Oct. 30, 1977
Assembly Hall - Indiana University

I hear you, CK. There are so many fantastic versions of tunes languishing at the bottom of the ladder and this is one of them. I suspect this great rendition suffers from the bias people have against any Other One that's not 30 minutes long and was played after 1974. It's a shame because they played so damn well in 1977 and just because they shortened the length of the tune doesn't mean it should get overlooked. If anything they honed it down and cut out a lot of the excess fat that actually drags down some of those revered 71-72 versions. I don't need a meandering random Phil solo or a bunch of space feedback for a good TOO. Give me Jerry's blazing leads and the hard backing of the double drums and Phil's rolling intros any day. This one from a great and largely overlooked 77 show delivers.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Nov. 30, 1979
Stanley Theater

^^^^ Let me know when you find those other versions--I'd be curious to check them out!
Shakedown Street
May 12, 1981
Veterans' Memorial Coliseum

^^^^ It does, and you're right. Won't get as much notice as the barn-burner versions but it should.
Shakedown Street
May 12, 1981
Veterans' Memorial Coliseum

So psyched to find versions like this: Mellow but funky, & smooth as melted butter. Gets better every time I hear it. Love Garcia's take-your-time riffs in the jam section leading into a stick-the-landing finish. Brent fills are juicy and Bobby misses not a beat, Phil fans will love some of his chunk-a-dunks as well. Let's get this into double digits at the very least, please. It's more than worthy.
Here Comes Sunshine
Nov. 30, 1973
Boston Music Hall

Masterpiece version I've come to appreciate more listening to the Matrix available instead of DP14. The matrix starts out a bit rough but once yours ears adjust the jamming in the meat of this HCS really comes alive, especially what Jerry does in slowing it down after the little drum break. It's astonishingly patient and beautiful guitar work, stretching the outer contours of the jam cycle and eventually charging headlong into a rhythmic event of seismic full band participation before Jerry sings the final verse. What a spectacular rendition. 2nd only to my ears to 2/23/74.