headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

grendel

Books and Music

+23524


Submissions

10
Beat it on Down The Line
March 22, 1990
Copps Coliseum

A breezy bouncin' bubbly Bobby Beat it...best of the 90's.
8
El Paso
March 27, 1972
Academy of Music

Jerry in serious bluegrass mode. Most country-westernized version ever. At the end Phil sez "Thanks, Texans" even tho' they're in NYC. Awesome version
22
Let It Grow
Sept. 19, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Hornsby gets on board in a big way & Jerry jazzes up the jam sections. Weir slashes away & sings w/passion. Strong candidate for Best of the 90's.
3
Desolation Row
April 17, 1987
Irvine Meadows

This song was only as good as Bobby was committed to it, and on this night he was 100% in Dylan-idoling mode. Gorgeous rendeition, lovingly sung.
9
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
May 13, 1977
Auditorium Theatre

Almost beyond description. The last full jam leading into the GDTR chorus is a perfect storm example of what made the Dead magic

Comments

Eyes Of The World
Sept. 18, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Listening right now baffled at how this is in single digits still & it's not like it's from some obscure show. This is from one of the best shows of an A+ MSG run in the fall of 1990 & this version is typical of the year for its mellow goodness. But this one also stands out for the great keys of Hornsby & some really inventive vibe/calypso flourishes throughout. I think it's better even than the much higher ranked 3/31/91 in NC, & that version is pretty fantastic. Look, nothing in this version is going to remotely approach a '74, '77 or '78 ripper in terms of Jerry opening another dimension in his solos (see 10/29/77 for transport to said dimension) but this is truly exceptional latter day Dead Jazz and it deserves a way higher spot if we're being fair at all to one of the band's greatest tunes.
Eyes Of The World
Oct. 1, 1977
Paramount Theatre

I mean, every '77 Eyes needs an upvote, but I just dug this nugget out of cold storage today & was amazed--even for the greatest ever year for this song--how stunningly good this one is & it needs to get out of single digit territory. Velveeta cheese (in its best sense) is not a bad description ^^^^
Aiko Aiko
Sept. 16, 1978
Sphinx Theatre

Can't believe I haven't upped this before!. This is the ultimate grooved-out mellow as the dunes of Egypt version, & yes, I love how Donna sounds on this one! The delayed overlapping on jockamo fee na nay between her & Bobby is like nectar. Yeah, it's on the short side but that also keeps it from dragging like some later versions would. Methinks this one is getting lost in the shuffle. Should be out of the single digits by now.
Foolish Heart
Dec. 28, 1990
Coliseum Arena

I never really cared a whole lot for this song (or much of anything from BTL tbh) until i heard this version, which is so spectacularly jammed in two heavy sections that are as jazzy as anything they did in any era, and they are in a groove on this one as well. It's still not a tune I seek out but when I do it's almost always to this one.
Brokedown Palace
June 25, 1995
RFK Stadium

This is really a sweet version. Jer gives it his all and then some,