headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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OrangeTangoJam

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Submissions

1
Mister Charlie
Dec. 4, 1971
Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden

The blues is strong here, Jerry's solo is truly incredible. Keith laying it down with Pigpen in the Garden rapping up a storm. One of the best.
1
Playin' In The Band
Nov. 23, 1978
Capital Centre

The band tries to catch Jerry and wolf as they’re seemingly on the loose. Traversing through snowy mountaintops. A wonderful journey.
1
Good Lovin'
March 9, 1981
Madison Square Garden

Brent’s organ takes this to another level. I’m partial towards the Pigpen Version, but this shines in its own ways. Lovely phrasing from Jerry as well
1
U.S. Blues (Wave That Flag)
March 9, 1981
Madison Square Garden

Shocked to not see this here yet. Absolute scorcher from a really great show. Jerry’s tone cuts through like a scorching hot knife. Skin your wife.
1
Drums
Aug. 12, 1972
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium

Coming out of He's Gone. Billy goes ham, hitting the drums like a machine gun.
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Comments

The Other One
Nov. 7, 1969
Fillmore Auditorium

This is the meteor that took out the dinosaurs. If I’m correct this is supposedly the date where Jerry had some frosting from a cake that had about 800 hits of acid, and he thought the mafia was going to kill him, so he decided to play for his life. While I don’t know if the story matches this day, you can certainly hear Jerry playing with everything he’s got. This is PRIMAL, a fiery performance that brings utter destruction with the promise of creation after the decimation of everything in its path. Utterly underrated.
Dark Star
Oct. 30, 1968
The Matrix

Mickey and The Hartbeats show. Glorious duet between Phil and Jerry, two souls expressing transcendental ideas though the pluck of their strings, creating themes and moods at a whim, quickly catching on to each others groove. It’s funny how they debated and even went through with kicking Bobby and Pigpen out of the band, and listening to this, it makes me glad they didn’t go through with it. This is great, but I miss those rascals and their, at times, highly underrated contributions to the band, especially during this era. Still, this is a wonderfully beautiful musical exchange that’s worth the listen.
Uncle John's Band
May 4, 1972
Olympia Theater

A very cinematic version from a very cinematic show. One of my all time favorites for its triumphant feel after such a unique journey through new musical epiphanies.
Beat it on Down The Line
May 4, 1972
Olympia Theater

I feel like Pigpen’s presence was felt the most here out of all the performances this tour. I always felt like this show was the beginning of the end of Pigpen’s time with the band, which adds more emotional weight to the show as a whole, this show is like a memorial to Pigpen in a way. Anyways enough over analyzation, this is a swinging performance that’s full of joy and fun. Reminiscent of the 60s versions.
The Other One
May 3, 1972
Olympia Theater

Mary Shelley's The Other One. Been a while since I gave this leviathan a listen, this is the music of an awakening giant, behold! How great and terrible is he. While at times this The Other One showcases their impressionistic ideas and expression, this whole suite ultimately reminds me of The Garden Of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch. One of the all time great titans of improvisation in the bands history of musical epiphanies.
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