headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

24
Franklin's Tower
May 1, 1981
Hampton Coliseum

One of the best played versions from one of the best played shows in the Brent era---ever.
16
Shakedown Street
March 24, 1981
Rainbow Theater

15+ minutes of funk w/extended overlapping vocal rounds of "just gotta poke around", etc. before jam Brent adds cool "fuzzy" SFX
1
Big Railroad Blues
Oct. 30, 1971
Taft Auditorium

Check out Keith on this one! He's never been so up front before & right outta the gate!!
21
Cream Puff War
July 3, 1966
Fillmore Auditorium

Peppy early version w/Jer belting out lyrics & Pig doin' some nice work on organ. No archive copy exists; got this off 30 Days of Dead-worth the DL!
9
Passenger
May 7, 1979
Allan Kirby Field House

Super-charged EARLY Brent version rips and tears and shreds. Final jam before the coda is the best they ever did in this tune. Goes to 11.

Comments

Let It Grow
Sept. 11, 1982
West Palm Beach Auditorium

Must agree, especially that this show is seriously under-appreciated. This LIG has that '81-'82 magic to it. Check it and then go right to the Scarlet>Fire. You won't be disappointed.
Deal
July 19, 1989
Alpine Valley Music Theatre

Deserthead is spot on. We don't need to be lectured on the qualities of JGB. And yes, those bands played fine Deals. Some may be "better" than some Dead versions, others are not. And I'll put up the Deal from 5/1/81 against any JGB version ever with no doubts of its superiority. I'm sure there are many others here who have their own favorites for which they'd do the same. This Alpine version is indisputably Heady, regardless of whether there may be a JGB version that can top it. You want to tout the qualities of JGB Deals, Donnie, go right ahead. But the declaration that these top Dead versions on the board here are somehow lacking, even in comparison, is just plain ignorant .
Casey Jones
Aug. 4, 1974
Philadelphia Civic Center

Love the slow, snaky cadence to this, especially for the lyrics. This song was always best when Jerry really nailed the lyrical parts and the windy groovier delivery here allows him to emphasize certain words and phrases. Ton of fun encore rendition from a great DP (31). .
It Must Have Been The Roses
Aug. 5, 1974
Philadelphia Civic Arena

Slightly faster tempo with this one does nothing to diminish the sweeping beauty of both the playing by the whole band and Garcia's terrific vocal reading. Just an excellent A+ version made even better by the fact that it emerges gorgeously from Half Step in one of the most seamless, underrated segues in Dead history, A first set bonus, if you will. Pull out yer DP 31 to hear it again or listen on archive. Either way, needs more climb on the ladder,
Bertha
March 27, 1993
Knickerbocker Arena

I do need to listen to more of this show. Will check out that Peggy O for sure.