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find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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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

Estimated Prophet
May 25, 1977
The Mosque

^^^^"...but that's the price of consistency. They all feel to me like studies in refinement." Spot-on observation, Ernie, and well said. I'm not upvoting this, not b/c I don't like it (I like every Estimated in '77), but b/c my ultimate favorite for the year is 10/29 & this one has plenty enough love to have its spot near the top AND b/c of what you wrote here about consistency. Much of '77 is like that--we sometimes lose the forest of the year b/c so many of the trees look the same, but when you really stop & appreciate it, they're all magnificent due to the consistent quality of the performances that year. This Estimated is a real good example.
Terrapin Station
Nov. 6, 1979
The Spectrum

Maybe the best of the '79 Terrapins, which is fast becoming my favorite year for the tune. If you like your Terrapins floating on a marshmallow cloud, patient & flowing & beautiful in every way, with Garcia nailing all the lyrics & in complete storyteller mode while doing so, this is your turtle stop. Gorgeous rendition here. (Also, if you dig this, try 9/2/79, although this one may be slightly better). Either way, this oughta be higher up.
Eyes Of The World
Aug. 10, 1982
Iowa Fieldhouse - University of Iowa

Always had--and still do--a real problem with speeded-up Eyes, especially those of the 80s, but THIS version is so ridiculously good that it's surpassed in my personal rankings the only other fast version I ever truly enjoyed and admired--11/4/77. And being a complete '77 snob that is saying something. As other have pointed out this versions is played at lightning speed but somehow doesn't sound rushed...Jerry keeps the train on the tracks and the runs he makes along the way are just astonishing. This is be-bop jazz guitar to the Nth degree and it's not sung half bad, either, which is a bit surprising for the year. Would love to see this version get booted up the ladder a fair way. Definitely my favorite of the 80s (better even than the much slower paced and quite excellent 4/3/82 from the Scope), and even though there are many many versions I like far better from 1977, this is my best-ever for a "fast Eyes". Glad it was bandied about recently or I would never have checked it out.
Row Jimmy
Dec. 2, 1973
Music Hall

Ah, beautiful. Thanks for pointing this one out. One of my favorite Jerry tunes of all time & love finding one that goes off for a wander in between verses.
Throwing Stones
June 15, 1985
Greek Theater

Power version, cleanly lit by Bob's fire. Tight, focused, and way way better than the paltry vote total so far. (This whole show is a candidate for best of the year, btw)....