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

Deal
July 4, 1989
Rich Stadium

@flippp The "jamless" '72 versions have a laid back appeal but of course, yes, they don't go as far out as late 80s versions...the mid 70's '77-'78 versions had a little more jam expansion while keeping an excellent rolling gait but also not as jammed out as late 80's...but you are doing disservice to the EARLY 80s versions which are every bit as jammed out as '89s, and I would ask you to go straight to exhibit A being 5/1/81 and tell me that doesn't rip the ever-loving piss out of this 7/4/89 version that, quite frankly, is overrated.
The Eleven
Jan. 17, 1970
Oregon State University

REALLY glad this was posted and commented on. LOVE the slower pace to this 11....still jammed out but way more controlled and thus focused. Tremendous version & possibly my new favorite.
Big Railroad Blues
April 8, 1972
Wembley Empire Pool

This is so good and needs way more votes. Both Jerry solos are perfecto and if i'm not mistaken a bit longer than many other versions from this era. Smokin' hot stuff.
Brown Eyed Women
June 18, 1976
Capitol Theatre

They haven't yet extended Jer's bridge jam but the one he does here, while shorter, is super smooth and note-perfect. It's a bit slower and ,more relaxed as with the versions heard in the early days but Jer nails every lyric and sings with passion and it's a self contained little gem of a version, if a bit less "grandiose" than post '76 and later versions. Very upvoteworthy. (DL series Vol. 4)
Playin' In The Band
June 22, 1973
Pacific Coliseum

Never heard it til today taking a walk w/Grendel in the woods, totally grooving to this spacey/mellow version and outta nowhere, it hit me, YES--a distinct, absolutely can't miss, but very brief "Fire on the Mountain" riff led by Phil...blink your ears and you'll almost miss it, but it is there for certain. So cool.
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