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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

52
Dark Star
Dec. 31, 1978
Winterland Arena

Farewell to Winterland; Not 40 mins. long ; no break down into feedback nonsense. Just sweet jazzy jamming; Just exactly perfect send off.
10
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 25, 1981
Stabler Arena

Transition jam weaves into spaces most fail to go; touch-down into Fire is GOLD. Jerry flubs first line in Fire-after that: 1 of the BEST ever!
19
He's Gone
Sept. 26, 1972
Stanley Theatre

Perfect, self-contained, blues-infused, stellar vocals, 14+ minutes of bliss. Extra fun: Check out the "Birdsong" riff about 10 secs. into the intro
36
Dark Star
Sept. 16, 1972
Boston Music Hall

Amazed this isn't here yet Gorgeous, melodic, jazz-infused, mellow, trippy, spacey into hard ripping Jerry riffs; melts into Brokedown Palace. Sublime
48
Cold Rain and Snow
Oct. 12, 1984
Augusta Civic Center

Kicks off with authority a 2d set every DeadHead needs to hear. Perfect bookend to Jerry's scorching Dew. They say it was cold&rainy that nite in ME.

Comments

Franklin's Tower
April 19, 1987
Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre

I was at this one too, and yeah, it's time this Irvine Easter run got some love. This is a nice, bright, peppy and confident Franklin's as Jerry is starting to get his chops back post-coma and having fun again. There's a very nice Row Jimmy from this run of shows and an excellent Desolation Row as well.
Sugaree
Dec. 28, 1978
Golden Hall, Community Concourse

Great fanning by Garcia in the jam before the final verse. Upvote worthy even if it doesnt knock any of the iconic '77s from their perches.
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
Aug. 22, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

OK, Garcia, now you're just showing off. (It's true that this version is perfect. And the solo before the final verse is not of this earthly realm.)
The Other One
Nov. 5, 1977
Community War Memorial Auditorium

Zounds. A perfect, power-packed 11+ minutes of '77 Other One glory sittin' in single digits on the big board. For shame. This rendition is a monster version for any era. Grab your copy of DP #34 or archive this beast now and see if you don't come running back to upvote. In particular the charge led into the second verse is a 5-minute microcosm of the Dead at their best led by--who else?--Garcia in a fury of guitar jam magic.
Cold Rain and Snow
Aug. 25, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

Had they played this song at Veneta 2 days later this exact version would be ranked up in the top 5. Because it's "hidden" in the show that gets overshadowed by the legendary one to follow it lingers down in the basement. That's unfortunate and undeserved. This is as beautiful a rendition as you'll find in '72 with lots of vocal commitment on the "winds don't blow" and other similar sections. Confident, relaxed musical reading punctuated by howling Garcia vocals. Five star stuff here.