headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

grendel

Books and Music

+24566


Submissions

12
Candyman
March 24, 1988
Omni Coliseum

Lucky enough to be at this show. Candyman blew everyone away--best song played that night. Awesome trippy guitar jam &Jer belts out vocals
42
Ramble On Rose
May 19, 1977
Fox Theatre

Gorgeous, incredible, up and down, carnival-like bridge jam by Jerry. Picture perfect version--no flaws
43
Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On The Mountain
April 8, 1978
Veterans Memorial Coliseum

April '78 S>F's often mentioned are 4/16 and 4/24 (rightly so) but this one is every bit as good. Superior transition jam--, beautiful, & powerful
94
Eyes Of The World
Oct. 29, 1977
Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University

Starts out Jazzy, explorative, takes its time, 3 minute intro, then blasts off into the stratosphere with intense Garcia-led jamming

Comments

Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
Aug. 22, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

OK, Garcia, now you're just showing off. (It's true that this version is perfect. And the solo before the final verse is not of this earthly realm.)
The Other One
Nov. 5, 1977
Community War Memorial Auditorium

Zounds. A perfect, power-packed 11+ minutes of '77 Other One glory sittin' in single digits on the big board. For shame. This rendition is a monster version for any era. Grab your copy of DP #34 or archive this beast now and see if you don't come running back to upvote. In particular the charge led into the second verse is a 5-minute microcosm of the Dead at their best led by--who else?--Garcia in a fury of guitar jam magic.
Cold Rain and Snow
Aug. 25, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

Had they played this song at Veneta 2 days later this exact version would be ranked up in the top 5. Because it's "hidden" in the show that gets overshadowed by the legendary one to follow it lingers down in the basement. That's unfortunate and undeserved. This is as beautiful a rendition as you'll find in '72 with lots of vocal commitment on the "winds don't blow" and other similar sections. Confident, relaxed musical reading punctuated by howling Garcia vocals. Five star stuff here.
Cassidy
Oct. 12, 1983
Madison Square Garden

^^^^ Makes my heart sing to read these reviews, Dude420. I was beginning to think I was hearing something no one else was. Maybe b/c the recordings available aren't 100% perfect (not that the provided sources are bad), but I seriously and honestly have never heard a better overall version than this one and I agree that if you stack it up head to head w/Frost '82 (I show I love btw) it still blows it out of the water.
Bird Song
Aug. 22, 1972
Berkeley Community Theatre

Just digging everything from this show lately. Another '72 Birdsong gem here, this one especially notable for Jerry's beautiful vocal reading. Honestly, after listening to how he sings this song in this year it's painful for me to listen to early 80's or really any other year when his voice is so croaky and he just can't sustain the note. Sure, the jams are still there in many later versions, but these '72s have that lovely interplay with Keith and the loping pace that just makes the song really, well....soar. This one should be a lot higher.
show more comments
headyversion loves the dead but is in no way affiliated with The Grateful Dead or affiliated enterprises. find out more >:) >:)