headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

grendel

Books and Music

+23524


Submissions

12
Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower
Sept. 6, 1983
Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Rippin' at Red Rocks. Bouncy, jaunty, zippy and energetic early 80's version. Brent takes control on Franklin's.
85
Playin' In The Band
Nov. 15, 1972
Oklahoma City Music Hall

Got half an hour to kill? Lose yourself in one of the greatest, mind-blowing, spacious, jamming, jazzy, monster PITB's in history.
21
Bird Song
Nov. 15, 1972
Oklahoma City Music Hall

The '72 vintages are so silky smooth and this one is no exception. Jerry's vocals aren't prone to the frog-croaks of later years.This glides on wings.
25
The Other One
May 13, 1977
Auditorium Theatre

A rare extended TOO for '77,: a fat, sick, jamming gem. Crazy exploration, worthy of 1972; Phil in command, Jerry ablaze; melts into Stella Blue
51
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.

Comments

Dupree's Diamond Blues
April 19, 1983
Alfond Arena, U of Maine

Underrated version notable for Brent paying homage to the calliope days of late 60's yore... and while Jerry's vocal is typical early-80s-strained he doesn't botch the lyrics & is clearly into the saga, driving the narrative along & with a nice wah wah solo 3/4 of the way through. Version was featured on 30 Days of Dead a few years back & is well worthy of upvote
Greatest Story Ever Told
May 10, 1972
Concertgebouw

wah wah heaven
Shakedown Street
April 6, 1982
The Spectrum

I always come back to this one. The Jerry//Brent conversation is gold and so is the rest
Bertha
May 12, 1977
Auditorium Theatre

Patient, beautiful, mellow version with a lengthy bridge jam as is the norm for this year with this song...but this version stands out for Jerry's confident, easy vocal reading, and Bobby's numerous China Cat licks all over the early portions. Real nice Bertha here that could probably use some more vote-up
Bird Song
Sept. 16, 1972
Boston Music Hall

Yes new SBD source is the winner here..excellent Birdsong (was there not such an animal in ‘72?) but this whole show is a gem. Check out the DarkStar>BrokedownPalace too