headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

16
Shakedown Street
March 24, 1981
Rainbow Theater

15+ minutes of funk w/extended overlapping vocal rounds of "just gotta poke around", etc. before jam Brent adds cool "fuzzy" SFX
1
Big Railroad Blues
Oct. 30, 1971
Taft Auditorium

Check out Keith on this one! He's never been so up front before & right outta the gate!!
20
Cream Puff War
July 3, 1966
Fillmore Auditorium

Peppy early version w/Jer belting out lyrics & Pig doin' some nice work on organ. No archive copy exists; got this off 30 Days of Dead-worth the DL!
8
Passenger
May 7, 1979
Allan Kirby Field House

Super-charged EARLY Brent version rips and tears and shreds. Final jam before the coda is the best they ever did in this tune. Goes to 11.
30
Little Red Rooster
Nov. 30, 1980
Fox Theatre

All about Brent.
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Comments

Samson and Delilah
June 24, 1985
River Bend Music Center

Best Jerry background vocals ever for this song. Hecka jammed out too.
They Love Each Other
June 24, 1973
Memorial Coliseum

Maybe the best ever of Jerry's "fast version" solos...jazz gem. 1/4 point off for a typical Garcia lyrical flub but that's the only thing keeping this one from perfection. Call it a one-hitter instead of a perfect game, but it deserves to rise in the standings
U.S. Blues (Wave That Flag)
Nov. 1, 1977
Cobo Arena

As raucous as many listed higher and far far greater than many if them, too. Five votes is way to few for this gem.
China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider
April 19, 1984
Philadelphia Civic Center

Just lightning quick mesmerizing finger picking from Jerry on the transition into Rider, one of the best I've heard in any era. Jerome's vocals are, well, it''s '84 so temper your expectations, but he does nail the lyrics and the whole combo is an underrated gem likely to get more deserved accolades being on the new DaP.
Ramble On Rose
Sept. 20, 1990
Madison Square Garden

As a confirmed MIDI hater I have to admit the best part of this excellent version is Jerry's mid-"trumpet" solo courtesy of the gizmo thingy. 9 times out of 10 that gadget is a poor substitute for a real Garcia guitar solo but here it's simply triumphant. Jer also gets points for trying his best (& succeeding) in nailing down all the lyrics in the venue where he most needs to get tt right, & while the 1990 croaky strain in his vox is evident, it doesn't stop him or the band from pulling off a good-'un.
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