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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

+23524


Submissions

9
One More Saturday Night
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

Like every other song from this, my favorite all-time show, it's a best-of candidate. Just rocks hard.
2
Alabama Getaway
Dec. 5, 1979
Uptown Theater

Come for the 'Bama but stay for the rest of the show. This rocker 'Bama is Jerry and Brent at their very best. This entire show, tho', is a monster.
13
Stagger Lee
June 27, 1985
SPAC

Right after Phil tells a guy to get off the blacony cuz 50,000 people are waiting for him to, and Bob does the dog nose joke, Jer rips into a fine SL!
8
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
Oct. 18, 1989
The Spectrum

Pretty good China followed by the best 80's OR 90's RIDER I've ever heard. Check Jer's run going into "sun gonna shine" verse. 5 stars fo RIDER alone.
2
Brown Eyed Women
Aug. 4, 1982
Kiel Auditorium

Fast-picking goodness. Jerry's bridge solo is long and lightning quick and awesome. 1 point off for lyric flub on re-entry, but the rest is gold.

Comments

Eyes Of The World
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

^So glad you noticed and commented on the cut in first jam bc even on the official release it’s a gross disservice. I used some software editing to restore the lost section (about 40 seconds worth) but even with the AUD patch it’s totally worth it
Jack Straw
Oct. 15, 1984
Civic Center

^^^^Dang you ain’t kidding! Garcia doing some serious lightning picking in the big jam section & the drumming is just insane. May be even better than Syracuse. Source provided is ok but could be better....haven’t searched yet but if you know of a better sounding board do let me know. Excellent rec, I may have to dig into second set as well, as I’m not familiar with this show.
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
April 16, 1978
Huntington Civic Center

Should have upped this long ago. Such a vibrant, tight, bouncy Scarlet & a mellow, beautiful bridge to a confident Fire with Jerry in fine vocal form. One of the all time great Betty Boards taboot. Always happy to come back to this classic & really when you look at the list, this one should be sitting higher.
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
May 26, 1973
Kezar Stadium

May have to go back & upvote almost every track from this A+ show that now sounds more amazing than ever: https://archive.org/details/gd1973-05-26.150710.SBD.BettyBoard.Anon.Noel.fixed.t-flac16/gd73-05-26.s3t07.flac seriously, this is no ordinary upgrade. Run, don't walk.
Estimated Prophet
March 30, 1980
Capitol Theatre

Put another way: best version you've never heard