headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

2
Greatest Story Ever Told
Oct. 9, 1982
Frost Amphitheatre

From the show always overshadowed by the next night, which is a shame. Fantastic Jerry/Brent conversation mid-jam. Give a listen!
11
Let It Grow
June 10, 1976
Boston Music Hall

Liquid
4
Althea
July 1, 1980
San Diego Sports Arena

3 versions on archive. Grab the SBD seeded by Brian Cole. Listen to the insane end jam. Listen to the whole thing. This is an A+++ version!
9
Lazy Lightnin' -> Supplication
Oct. 30, 1977
Assembly Hall - Indiana University

Can't believe what short shrift this show gets. They pull off the combo like gangbusters here.
5
Loser
Dec. 6, 1971
Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden

Glorious Jerry vocals, not one, but TWO "sweet Susie's", excellent gritty solo. Best early version ever!
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Comments

Pretty Peggy O
May 9, 1977
War Memorial

^^^^ Agree, but wit the caveat that this is still Avery fine version & would land squarely in my personal top 15-20 list, but would not crack the top 10. There’s beautiful flow, pacing, and singing here but the key mid jam solo never breaks from the pack of other epic versions & ultimately lands as “nice” but to my ears not quite worthy of the status it has currently on the board. My quick list of superior versions would be 5/19/77, 5/12/77, 12/27/77, 5/5/77, 9/3/77, 4/16/78, 4/12/78, 10/30/77, 12/30/77, & for some sleeper picks try 9/4/80 and 8/24/80
Playin' In The Band
April 21, 1978
Rupp Arena

It's time to up the Rupp. Crazy good spacey entry here ignored on the board for no good reason I can see, This is a hella underrated show--maybe because so many others this month overshadow it--but this is an epic PITB chock full of jazzy surprises & yeah, how many jams include a nod to the Bee Gee??? Easy +1
Werewolves of London
April 21, 1978
Rupp Arena

Really tentative, sluggish start, almost like they don't know whether to play the main theme fast or slow & it barely coalesces as Jerry enters the opening lyric. Plus Bob's obnoxious slide is way too loud. So why am I upping this one? Because as stated above, the howling & wailing & pure total monster FUN of this version is too great to ignore (just listen to Jerry & Donna in unison on "he'll rip your lungs out, Jim!") & you'll hear what I mean.
Eyes Of The World
June 24, 1973
Memorial Coliseum

Dreamy intro, loose & flowing & longer than most for the year...that loosey-goose feeling lopes along right up until Jerry;s first solo break & then he's off to the races & so is the rest of the gang. There's really no "bad" version from this year I can think of off the top of my head...the trick is to sift through all the diamonds to find some that are a little rough around the edges perhaps but shone with a special brightness in part because of those brilliant differences. This is one of 'em!
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
Oct. 17, 1978
Winterland Arena

Find the matrix, crank it up, & wonder just how in the hellinabucket is this pairing so far down the list. The date & venue alone should vault this one at least into listening range & my only guess is the lack of a top notch SBD (if there is let me know) but the matrix available is a beaut & so is this version. Great rich '78 multi-layered jamming from everyone, ,lots of balance/contributions from all & a thick transition jam, hot hot fire.. Grossly underrated & we all oughta get some ups on this to rectify the issue.
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