headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

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catalonia

neshaminy

+2148


Submissions

2
Feelin' Groovy Jam
Feb. 24, 1973
University of Iowa

This one emerges from a Phil solo. There are only two fragments of this show on the archive.
2
Brother Esau
June 23, 1984
City Island

Sometimes hard to tell one from another. But whatever. This one is good. It's from City Island, which should have been a cool spot to watch a show.
2
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
May 4, 1979
Hampton Coliseum

There is some magic post rio grandeo.
2
It's All Over Now Baby Blue
Aug. 14, 1981
Seattle Center Coliseum

Strike another match, go start anew: First one in 7 years. Sweet and slow, like the dozens to follow in the 80s and 90s.

Comments

Sugaree
June 21, 1980
West High Auditorium

I like this one for Jerry's tone when he starts his second solo - its outer space travel soundtrack material. That follows one of those occasional solo breaks taken by Mydland in Sugaree early in his tenure.
The Other One
June 8, 1977
Winterland Arena

This one gets a vote for the outro which is so sweetly played into wharf rat. If you like the way Eyes goes into WR on 5/22/77, you'll find something similarly beautiful here. The Other One itself is solid (what on this box isn't?), but the outro is what brought me here.
Bird Song
March 9, 1981
Madison Square Garden

Jerry tears out of the gate on this solo. There are some weird choices and an emphatically psychedelic jazz aesthetic - it belongs up on the list. I saw some names I knew up here talking about this version a couple of days ago and made a mental note. These guys usually know what they're talking about.
To Lay Me Down
Dec. 31, 1980
Oakland Auditorium

Great call - there's a YT video and the playing and the harmonies say that this is peak dead. It's early on NYE and everyone's clear and on. A fantastic opener.
Samson and Delilah
Dec. 31, 1976
Cow Palace

This intro stands out. All other versions are so similar, it's hard not to wish that they'd played it like this at least occasionally. I'd have to put this close to the best ever, if not actually #1.
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