headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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grendel

Books and Music

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Submissions

25
Althea
May 6, 1980
Rec Hall, Penn State U

Recent Road Trips release is a perfecto: Outstanding vocals from Jerry and a jam after the lyrics that grooves and rocks super-hard. 5-star version!
45
Deep Elem Blues
May 2, 1970
Harpur College

Jerry's voice just exactly bluesy perfect...groovy & slow acoustic cadence & the boys harmonizing sweetly on the chrouses. Outstanding early version
28
Box of Rain
March 20, 1986
Hampton Coliseum

A+ for the crowd alone. Are there better ones? Of course. But I was there & the ecstacy after 14 years of no Box makes this version legendary.
13
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
Sept. 18, 1990
Madison Square Garden

Astonishingly strong Jerry vocals, especially given the year, and some of the prettiest Hornsby-led fills make this one a real great sleeper pick.
35
Promised Land
Sept. 18, 1990
Madison Square Garden

New #1 version--all time best. This is a stretched-out jam-fest for a song usually given the quick-off. Killer fills from Hornsby. MUST HEAR!
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Comments

Eyes Of The World
June 26, 1994
Sam Boyd Silver Bowl

The only problem with these '91-'95 Eyes is a lack of peak jamming. It's not valleys you're left with...more like meadows, that just stretch and stretch and are really nice and pleasant but not much in the way of thrills. This one falls into that category but benefits from the acoustic guitar sound Jerry runs with & that might be enough to get you to upvote it. I'm holding off, only because this is nice for its era, maybe one of the better ones (& best certainly I've heard from '94 unless someone else has a rec), but there are so many better versions in every era that I can't quite tick this one up. (I also wouldn't disagree too strongly with anyone that would.)
Visions of Johanna
April 22, 1986
Berkeley Community Theatre

A livelier rendition here than the lauded '95's, which have more gravitas and do sound more "Dylan-esque" perhaps, but Jer's voice is better here than in any of those '95's & there's a stronger punch to the lyric delivery. Check out the "Infinity goes up on trial" thru the Mona Lisa musta had the highway blues" section & you'll see what I mean.
Loser
April 12, 1978
Cameron Indoor Stadium

Don't know how I overlooked this one. Jerry really takes his time with the solo and goes a few extra rounds before finding the high register and nailing it down. Unlike the other versions this one at least rivals (3/24/90 & 7/22/84, my 2 faves) Jerry doesn't rejoin the "last fair deal" at the climax of the solo, but ties a bow on it instead & lets it resolve a bit before heading into the riff that gets us back to the lyric. It's freaking great either way & the vocals are spot-on, too. It's way down the ladder from those other two leaders but it shouldn't be.
Dark Star
July 25, 1974
International Amphitheater

Where has this one been hiding? (From me anyway--at least 18 others at my count here knew all about it.) Jazz chops galore for the first half into some gorgeous, quiet, drifting space & then a collective color palette of mid 70s fusion stuff that's unique to most Dark Stars I've heard. Never gets dissonant or screechy...and not a word is sung...a completely instrumental Dark Star in the best possible way...oh, and uh, yeah there's that whole slipknot jam thing ya get, too. My vote made this 19 can we please get a 'Head to bump this at the very least up to 20?
Terrapin Station
March 2, 1992
The Omni

You weren't kidding. This is one fantastic Terrapin hiding in plain sight. Very fluid musically, not choppy or disjointed as some later year versions can be. Take a quarter point off maybe for some less than stellar vocals in the "Terrapin" chorus leading into the final jam coda, but before then Jerry is in fine vocal form (esp. for '92) and delivers a real confident and colorful reading. Post lyrics jam is drum-heavy and right on the mark...leads into a sizzling drums jam, as stated above.
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