headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

28
Playin' In The Band
May 11, 1972
Rotterdam Civic Hall

Sometimes shorter is better. At around 10 mins. this beauty from E'72 packs the jazz, jam, passion. Like a more intense version of the one on ACE!
26
Scarlet Begonias
Oct. 3, 1976
Cobo Arena

No clean SBD on archive but at official Dead site a pristine version was on 30 days of Dead for DL. 2d best stand-alone I've heard next to 3-20-77
66
Pretty Peggy O
May 19, 1977
Fox Theatre

DP Vol. 29...Each time I think I've heard the best (i.e. 12/27/77) I hear one better. This is it. Flowing, gorgeous Jerry bridge jam. Perfection.
4
Don't Ease Me In
June 20, 1980
West High Auditorium

Proves the boys could really swing when they wanted to. Hear Jerry on "The Girl I Love" line; like 'Gator Alley--1980 a good year for this tune
32
Not Fade Away
May 26, 1977
Baltimore Civic Center

Insane. Ridiculous. Drummers locked in, Garcia in take-no-prisoners mode. 16+ minutes of full-bore Rock to the G-D Roll.
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Comments

Shakedown Street
April 26, 1983
The Spectrum

When this site is working its best magic, it's pointing me to versions of songs like this, that were totally off my radar, far down the list, yet worthy of being so much higher. This whole shows is just chock full of A+ material and this Shakedown is probably head of the class. Confident even in Jerry's vocal delivery (mostly, it is early 80s after all), but chiefly it's the fierce funk of the faster tempo but un-sloppy delivery and the massive dig down dirty jamming post-lyrics that makes this a best of 80s candidate. Also check out the stellar Help>Slip>Franklin's. Women R Smarter, and much more. Excellent recommendations/comments by all. +1 easy.
He's Gone
April 17, 1972
Tivolis Koncertsal

Almost like a different tune it's so high energy. Jerry digs in with great leads. Missing the "goin' where the wind don't blow so strange" bridge that would be added later.
Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower
April 29, 1977
The Palladium

One of those shows that screams for a clean SBD. Suffers not from performance but from available sound quality.
Big River
May 16, 1972
Theatre Hall

why am i not seeing this song listed on any of the archive versions of this show?
Playin' In The Band
April 2, 1973
Boston Garden

^^^^ It happens sometimes, brother, it happens ;-) Sticking by my two cents on this one, though...love what it does.
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