headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

37
Dark Star
Oct. 25, 1969
Winterland Arena

For those who don't care for the feedback/chase dog from the room DS's...this one is jazzy, jammy, rockin', & beautiful. No distortion; none needed
19
Satisfaction
Oct. 10, 1982
Frost Amphitheatre

Weir: "We know we aint gonna get no satisfaction but we're gonna give it a try...You can scream& twist & beg & cry!"
71
Let It Grow
May 1, 1981
Hampton Coliseum

Lightning quick yet totally on-track riffs from Jerry; intense, powerful version. Weir 100% into it. Segues into killer Deal. Trust me. Must hear.
51
Tennessee Jed
Oct. 10, 1982
Frost Amphitheatre

Perfect wind up, pitch & strike down the middle. I've yet to hear a better one, though I'll try some of the recs here. Til then.....
29
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
June 8, 1977
Winterland Arena

From one of the greatest shows ever, a bring the house down killer. Keith w/perfect piano exc. point!
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Comments

Bertha
Dec. 31, 1987
Oakland Coliseum Arena

There's a killer Terrapin from this show as well and an all-time Iko w/the Nevillies. This Bertha is high energy and can hang with the big boys for certain.
Estimated Prophet
June 25, 1978
Autzen Stadium, U. of Oregon

Heck yeah! Fine version from a really oddly underrated 1978 winner. Check out the "Eyes" from this show as well.
Brown Eyed Women
May 8, 1977
Barton Hall - Cornell University

Nice version. Nothing wrong with it. But it's placement at number one is exhibit A as to why Barton is so overhyped. I get it. Great show. Library of Congress great. But that doesn't mean EVERY song from the show deserves to sit at the top. The number two listed here from 11/4/77 is better in every conceivable way, from Jerry's solo to the vocal delivery, yet it's 30 votes off the pace. Ridiculous. Better versions from the same damn year include 5/17/77, 5/4/77 and 3/20/77. We diminish the overall greatness of Cornell when we blindly vote too many of its songs to the top just because we see 5/8/77 attached to it.
Brown Eyed Women
May 9, 1977
War Memorial

Hands down better than Barton. But there are better versions than both all throughout this year. 5/17/77, 11/4/77 to name just two.
Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower
May 9, 1977
War Memorial

Outstanding Help>Slipknot...quite possibly the best ever performed, but I agree that the Franklin's is the weak link in the chain here. I also find it a real drag that Jerry blows lyrics at critical junctures and he doesn't really make up for it in the jamming as he does in the 6/9/77 exactly a month later. It's hard for me to upvote this because the 3 songs really need to be taken as a whole. The first two sections are really that damn good, though, so I'm going to, but this complete version taken all together doesn't deserve a "best of" designation. As a whole, even a version like 10/1/94 is better.
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