headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+24543


Submissions

56
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Sept. 11, 1982
West Palm Beach Auditorium

The very definition of "underrated." Almost lost to time& yet it kills. No flubbed verses, great steady reggae jams;perfect transition. Please try it.
46
Ramble On Rose
Nov. 30, 1980
Fox Theatre

Jerry sounds "just like Wolfman Jack" when he growwwlllzzz out the final chorus on "Goodbye Mama & Papa...!" Whole version is aces back to back!
45
It's All Over Now Baby Blue
Oct. 10, 1982
Frost Amphitheatre

Jerry in especially soulful voice on this completely perfecto version from one of the best shows of '82. If you like 4-6 Spectrum, you'll love this.
18
Playin' In The Band
Oct. 12, 1984
Augusta Civic Center

My favorite "sandwich" version, this PITB actually begins in the 2nd set as reprise from the previous night! Insane weaving thru UJB/Space/Dew
22
Samson and Delilah
May 13, 1977
Auditorium Theatre

Goofy stage banter by Bob, then the rippingest, roaringest, best-drummed version I know.

Comments

Big River
July 7, 1978
Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Bobby needs more credit for his work on this song and especially this version, which is A+ on all cylinders. But Bobby outshines even Jerry on this version with some incredibly fluid and amazing rhythm playing throughout, most notably before the final verse. Just outstanding Weir Work from an awesome show.
Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower
Aug. 13, 1975
Great American Music Hall

@Muffinman49 Just wanted to say I love your list of favorite shows in your comments here, especially listing 10/29/77 which is my #1 fave all time. The rest of your list is damn impressive as well.
Dark Star
Aug. 1, 1973
Roosevelt Stadium

Struggled with this as a potential upvote, but decided "yes" because my only complaint is with the final 3-4 minutes of cacophony that I so despise in Dark Stars of this era. But everything that precedes it is just too damn good not to push this up the ladder. And really, the 3-4 minute section of breakdown-screechy stuff can't nullify the amazing jamming previous, Plus, it does segue seamlessly into El Paso (which, you know, isn't necessarily a good thing; never really understood why such diametrically opposing tunes would be melded to each other, but perhaps that's part of the point with a song as mysterious and open to all possibilities of the universe as Dark Star.). Overall, though, this rendition stands out for its propulsive and confident jamming prior to the first verse, and following that is a truly one-of-a-kind-haven't-heard-in-other-versions Jerry-led section in which he sustains long, twanging notes on the guitar that never dissolve into dissonance but rather create a kind of quasi-psychedelic, classic rock, controlled and somehow beautiful portion of instrumental landscape that only this band could truly claim as its own. I am grateful to those who upvoted and commented on this version because I was unaware of it before and am pleased beyond measure to have discovered it now. More listenings will follow and maybe I'll be less peeved by the final few minutes of break-down disturbance that I wish a magical musical editor had convinced the band to excise.
To Lay Me Down
Sept. 18, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Klausmith called it: chills.
Bertha
May 5, 1978
Thompson Arena - Dartmouth College

Find the best sounding version of the show you can (MIller version the best; edits in others shorten Eyes and Sugar Mag; Miller patches in what's missing and you don't want to cheat yourself especially on the Eyes. 10/29/77 is my favorite show of all time.) IMHO best ever versions of Bertha, Eyes, Might as Well, St. Stephen, Black Peter, Sugar Mag and Top 5 versions of almost everything else, Can't say enough about that show.