Jack Straw
Aug. 23, 1987
Calavaras County Fairgrounds
Jack Straw is my all-time fave song. Hard stop. And this is easily my fave version. It's not the fastest nor is it the longest and it's certainly not a balls-to-the-wall shredfest, but hot damn if it isn't an absolutely pitch perfect rendition that checks off all of the critical Jack Straw boxes ...
Crushing Bobby vox & high energy? You betcha!
Brent &Jerry totally dial'd in with soulful back-up harmony vox? Oh, hell yeah!
Majestic 1st solo? Roger that, brah. And while we're on the subject, Jerry's tone is just ... (blows chef's kiss)
Ok, great, but let's separate the boys from the men ... is the 2nd solo superb? Like, am I going to pump my fists and go full Wayne's World with my head bob? Yes, sir -- and especially if you're here for:
**Jerry gloriously navigating the expansive and pastoral Jack Straw terrain with fluid, mellifluous phrasing that repeatedly culminates in one tasty, crunchy riff after another!
** Bobby comping Jerry with exquisite taste and intuition. You know how Bobby likes to say that he always tried to have a little surprise waiting to meet Jerry at the end of every run? Well, this is a case study.
** Bobby's whammy bar -- a weaponized musical exclamation point!
** A+ "Team Dead" ethos thanks to in-the-zone flourishes from Phil, Brent and the drummers, esp. Mickey!
Don't sleep on this criminally underrated version!!