[Shaggy]

What covers that the Grateful Dead performed did you hate?

Either you hated the song in general or you just hated the way the Dead played it?
Either way, doesn't matter?

I hated Big River. Great song, but thought the Dead ruined it.

[tigerstrat]

Dang. They sometimes played it too often, but Big River was at times a major tour de force for Jerry, Phil and the whole band...! My own band has more than once reversed the fortunes of a lackluster 1st set by burning thru Cash's river-ballad.

IMHO, I Fought The Law and Baba O'Reilly are tied for the worst covers, and Last Time is 2nd, but could often be a bigger bummer, coming out of a Drums>Space that "seemed to have so much potential"!

[HOWEYMAN]

I can't agree on Big River. I love Cash and and I love the Dead cover. A couple others come to mind. "Dancin in the Streets". Ok song, the Dead cover on the verse is kinda weak, but, some of the jams they did from this song were some of the best I've heard. Another is "Knockin on Heavens Door". Why cover that tune? The Dead and Garcia band sometimes just dragged this way out. To repetative.
Remember, this is just opinion. On the flip side, "All over Now" is one my favorite cover tunes they perform. Bobby just riped this tune up.They played this song the way it was meant to be.

[BlobWeird]

I happen to like Big River. I also like Knockin on heavens door. I agree with Dancin in the streets. not a big fan of that tune. Its not a cover but im not a big fan of Feel like a stranger either.My fav cover would have to be Me and my uncle or Iko

[amyjared]

Never a big fan of the Bobby cowboy tunes (me and my uncle, Mama tried, el paso, etc) and the Bobby Dylan tunes that were too long (Stuck inside of Memphis, Desolation Row) and finally, NFA was just overplayed and it's not my favorite Buddy Holly tune to begin with. Just my thoughts.

[hesgone95]

I think I'd have to disagree about Bobby's cowboy songs. I know alot of folks didn't dig 'em, but I've always really liked them, esp. Big River. The boys could really tear that song up, and I've always liked it as a medley with Mama Tried. What I usually dislike is Bobby covering Dylan, apart from Masterpiece or Watchtower. Stuff like Desolation Row has never really done it for me. And Knockin' always gets skipped, Dead or JGB. Although I do like JG's covers of stuff like Simple Twist or Tangled. And Baba O'reilly really irritates me. Anyway.

[tigerstrat]

GD Knockin' -yawn, let's go get a burrito (or sell some)

JGB- Knockin' - one of my favorite tunes... I love the sober/euphoric/sober/euphoric hot-cool TASTY-ass sequencing of the verse/choruses and solos. The GD version is just sober/sober/sober.

[scacioppo]

i guess not fade away. Kinda boring for me. and Maggies Farm. The one thing i do like about maggies farm is that everbody sung a verse.

[Trystine]

[quote="tigerstrat"]GD Knockin' -yawn, let's go get a burrito (or sell some)

JGB- Knockin' - one of my favorite tunes... I love the sober/euphoric/sober/euphoric hot-cool TASTY-ass sequencing of the verse/choruses and solos. The GD version is just sober/sober/sober.[/quote]

Perfectly put

Never really cared for C.C. Rider. All of the cowboy tunes mentioned and NFA, though, are some of my favorites. Without them a '72 setlist would look like a smile with some missing teeth.

[caspersvapors]

Dancin in the Streets always gets skipped
Baba ORiley

[jck_strw]

I don't think anyone can question the worst Dead cover song of all time:

3-1-69 - Hey Jude

Always good for a laugh.

[caspersvapors]

speaking of beatles covers

6-23-88

Blackbird > Brokedown Palace

its funny as hell

[Shaggy]

Some more to add:

Masterpiece (hated Bobby singing it,much prefer JGB doing it)

Agreed about Knockin on Heavens Door on all counts - Dead or Jerry solo.

El Paso - 388 times! wtf!
Not Fade Away - became boring, lost it's edge after 71.
All Over Now - terribly cheesy.
Around and Around - Bobby at his cheesy best! 418 times played live

Me and My Uncle - hated it. 616 times!!

These are just my opinions of course. I've always thought there are some surreally uneven things in the Dead's cannon, like Me and My Uncle being played over 600 times and El Paso appearing in the middle of a Dark Star or Other One jam.

[Billbbill]

Don't really have a problem with any songs although I definitely have ones I like better than others. The REAL issue for me was/is how they happen to be playing on a given night. I'd rather see a rippin' Big River than a ho hum lackluster Scarlet Begonias any day. To wrap up that perspective I'd take a hot SB over a hot BR any day.

Now truth be told some songs, while telling great stories, may not have the 'ability' to be hot to a high degree. Their ceiling just isn't very high. I would agree that the boys did become far to predictable as far as song lists went. But it's tough to criticize them for that seeing that their reportoire was so extensive.

In the end the question for me is; Did they play it well?

[shakedown_04092]

In the end the question for me is; Did they play it well?

And the answer is yes. (Most of the time)

I agree with alot of what you said, Bill. I can't say I hated any of the covers, but there were times where I would've rather heard something different, and there were times that when said cover was played, it just didn't have the energy that it was supposed to have, or it didn't have the energy that it had on that one show that you have from Cornell or Alpine or Merriweather or where ever. For me, that's where the let down is. I hear a version of a certain song on a bootleg I have, and then when they play it live when I'm there, I am expecting this kick ass version to come out, and all I get is a tired or unenthused version, which send me on a pee break or something.

But, that's the silver lining in the touch of grey. That's what keeps me coming back. It's kind of like the game of golf, I guess. You hit one good shot, and that one good shot every time you play keeps you coming back for more.