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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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Books and Music

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Submissions

5
Ramble On Rose
Oct. 26, 1971
The Palestra, U. of Rochester

One of the earliest live versions ever and boy oh boy is Jerry into it. Belts out the lyrics. Quick tempo & a real joy to hear!
14
Hey Pocky Way
March 28, 1990
Nassau Coliseum

Weird how little folks seem to care at all about this tune. I love it & Brent does the Neville Bros. proud w/this version--as good as it gets.
5
Eyes Of The World
May 5, 1978
Thompson Arena - Dartmouth College

First there were only AUDs available, but now that a sweet CM SBD is up you oughta check out this sweet '78!
18
Bertha
Oct. 22, 1971
Auditorium Theatre

Rippingly good early version with Keith way out front. Jerry and the whole crew rock it hard!
3
Row Jimmy
Oct. 28, 1985
Fox Theater

Great cadence to this one and some cool reverb effects lend a trippy mesmerizing feel to this fine entry from the Fox. Get the CM SBD source.

Comments

Row Jimmy
April 21, 1978
Rupp Arena

Always on the lookout for great versions of this song, one of my all time favorite Jerry tunes and I think a bit underappreciated, so thanks for pointing me to this show, which I was only vaguely aware of and will check out more. If I can be a bit nit-picky about this one, it's that Jerry's old nemesis, the blown lyric, pops up at an especially bad time. After kinda flubbing the "here's a half a dollar" line the first time around, he brings it back when it's time for "broken heart don't feel so bad" after the second jam break. Again, a small thing in the overall scheme, but I like this song so much I get protective of it ;-) Still, lot to like here. This one strikes me as that rare version in which Garcia's first instrumental break may outshine his second. This one's just country-beautiful, flowing and gentle and a joy to the ear. The final repeated choruses are also better done than many, with a picked-up gait and noticeable reggae infusion. This won't crack my top 5 list (3/20/77, 4/12/78, 2/28/73, 9/18/74, 2/4/78), but it's worthy of upvote and further listening.
Playin' In The Band
April 2, 1973
Boston Garden

Wow. Getting called out by not one, but 2 of my favorite posters! Tough crowd, but you gotta love Deadheads being honest. We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one, fellas. I listened again recently and enjoyed this PITB thoroughly top to finish. And deadprof you're right that Keith is a great presence here, I just think Billy really drives this one along. Still will campaign for this one to go higher, though, despite yours and cgarces' objections ;-)
Dark Star
June 24, 1973
Memorial Coliseum

Really like most of this, including the brief drum solo by Billy that doesn't go on too long and then leads right into the main theme and then the first sung verse. Unfortunately after that it degrades into a meandering Phil solo followed by just uninteresting noise + some feedback and it goes on entirely too long until seguing into a really pretty Eyes, which is very very good. Can't vote for this one, even though everything pre-verse is as advertised...jazzy, mellow, some nice Phil-led bass jazz exploration.
Might As Well
Nov. 2, 1977
Field House - Seneca College

Rollicking good version. Takes the silver to 10/29/77's gold but it's almost a photo finish. Fantasmagoric Scarlet>Fire at this show, too.
Samson and Delilah
Nov. 4, 1977
Cotterell Gym - Colgate University

They did this song so well this year in so many different shows it's hard to remember to give the ones with a little extra mustard some props. This is one of them.