[MEZ]

I am new to the Grateful Dead at 39 years old! Stones, Floyd & Neil Young were always my favorites. Wow what a surprise that hit me. I only knew the "hits" and never comprehended the musicianship & live magic My boss gave me boots & varoius live stuff to get me started. I have quite a collection in just over a month. Studio, vaults, Dicks picks, official live etc etc. Watched like 10 DVDS. I read thru a number of posts here best Morning Dews & many others popular tracks. Thought I'd get peoples opinions on these 2 tracks. I'm obsessed already as you can see. I've read 3 books. Got annotated lyrics book.

So what would you experts reccommend for these 2 songs to search or acquire /burn live.

Arne't you all jealous, as you may remember that initial "buzz" discovering the Dead. Thanks MEZ

[LazyLightnin]

YES the BUZZ! i know it well brother

every so often i'll get that feeling back, if not for a brief minute or two. that grate time of wonderment and discovery, wondering what theyll do next. enjoy yourself cause slowly but surely theyll start to take over everything in your life.

when i wake up in the morning i see all my pics and posters on my wall, when i get in my car i put on a show, when i get dressed i put on a Dead shirt, when i get on my computer i go to this site first, even before my email.

something else funny, i just started with a new company and without mentioning anything about the band or wearing a t-shirt or blasting any shows, my boss invites me into his office and straight forwardly asked me if i was a Deadhead. grinning ear to ear i told him yes. i was a little concerned with him asking that, it could be negative or positive. my new bosses reply: "Thats Awsome!" He is a Head from way back and he could just tell somehow, he said he just had to ask.

[prephippie]

It's never too late to show up to the party

OK, here's a partial list of streaming "favorite versions":
http://panicstream.net/streams/grateful ... layer.html

01. Alabamy Getaway 1979-12-28
02. All Along the Watchtower 1987-09-18
03. Althea 1991-10-27
04. Bertha 1987-12-31
05. Big Boss Man 1989-12-31
06. Big Railroad Blues 1970-09-20
07. BIODTL 1971-04-29
08. Bird Song 1990-03-29
09. Black Peter 1974-10-19
10. Box of Rain 1973-02-09
11. Brokedown Palace 1991-09-26
12. Brown Eyed Women 1977-05-08
13. Casey Jones 1992-06-20
14. Cassidy 1977-05-09
15. China Cat 1990-09-20
16. China Doll 1973-05-26
17. Comes a Time 1977-05-09
18. Cumberland Blues 1990-03-28
19. Dark Star 1990-03-29
20. Days Between 1993-08-22
21. Deal 1989-06-21
22. Dire Wolf 1995-07-02
23. Estimated Prophet 1977-05-08
24. Eyes of the world 1990-03-29
25. Feel Like a Stranger 1989-10-09
26. Fire on the Mountain 1994-10-14
27. Frankin's Tower 1977-05-09
28. Friend of the Devil 1970-05-15
29. GDTRFB 1971-04-29
30. Good Morning Little School Girl 1992-06-25
31. Here Comes Sunshine 1973-02-15
32. Hell In a Bucket 1991-06-22
33. Help on the Way 1975-08-13
34. He's Gone 1973-05-26
35. Hey Pockey Way 1989-05-06
36. High Time 1985-11-01
37. Hurt's me Too 1971-04-26
38. I Know You Rider 1990-09-20
39. I Need A Miracle 1978-11-24
40. Iko Iko 1987-12-31
41. Jack A Roe 1977-05-13
42. Jack Straw 1993-08-22
43. Loser 1971-02-18
44. Lovelight 1971-04-17
45. Masons Children 1970-01-10
46. Me and My Uncle 1971-11-07
47. Minglewood 1977-05-08
48. Morning Dew 1977-05-08
49. New Speedway Boogie 1970-09-20
50. Not Fade Away 1977-05-08
51. One More Saturday Night 1991-12-28
52. Other One 1969-03-01
53. Promised Land 1980-04-01
54. Rain 1995-06-30
55. Ramble on Rose 1993-06-06
56. Ripple 1980-10-31
57. Row Jimmy 1977-05-08
58. Samson 1985-06-30
59. Scarlet/Fire 1977-05-08
60. Shakedown Street 1985-06-30
61. Slipknot 1975-08-13
62. Smokestack Lightning 1966-11-19
63. So Many Roads 1995-07-09
64. Standing on the Moon 1991-09-10
65. Space 1982-04-18
66. St. Stephen 1969-03-01
67. Stella Blue 1991-06-14
68. Sugar Magnolia 1990-07-16
69. Sugaree 1977-05-05
70. Tennessee Jed 1977-05-09
71. Terrapin Station 1977-02-26
72. The Eleven 1969-03-01
73. The Music Never Stops 1975-08-13
74. They Love Each Other 1973-02-09
75. Throwing Stones 1990-09-20
76. To Lay Me Down 1992-06-28
77. Touch of Grey 1986-12-15
78. Truckin 1977-11-06
79. Uncle Johns Band 1989-10-16
80. US Blues 1974-06-23
81. Victim or the Crime 1991-08-16
82. Viola Lee Blues 1970-10-31
83. Weather Report 1974-06-18
84. West LA Fadeaway 1988-07-02
85. Wharf Rat 1971-02-18
86. Wheel 1977-05-07

This collection was put together in conjunction with Deadbase XI,
from the section on "Favorite versions" of each song.

In some cases, the best "rated" version was not available
or was an "official Release". In those situations, the next ranked version
was then used instead.

While the "Best Version" of a performance may be debatable.
I think all will agree that this is a great collection of "live dead".

Download here (MP3 only):
http://panicstream.net/streams/grateful_dead/gdlive/

There are plenty of selections on there I don't agree with (it seems to mainly rely on the most traded shows), but this list should get you started.

The Jack Straw from 8/22/93 on the list is a good one. Bobby's guitar was causing him problems, so he smashed it and left the stage...leaving Jerry to rip a nasty extended solo.

[MEZ]

Thanks Lazy Lightnin Great Story!!!

Prehippie that looks like quite the list. Copied & pasted for easy access!! Now the search begins

Thanks both of you MEZ

[heavynylon]

I know what you mean, MEZ. The dead songs I heard years ago (truckin, shakedown street, etc) never really grabbed me. I didn't understand the fanatacism of the deadheads. It wasn't until recently, in my forties, that I was exposed to some of the more interesting songs like China Cat Sunflower, Terrapin, and Morning Dew. And it's interesting that I had to listen to them several times to really get it, but now I don't seem to get tired of them no matter how much I listen to them. I think discovering the Grateful Dead music at the time that I'm struggling to learn to play the guitar (and music theory, in general) has lead to an appreciation of the complexity of the music.

[MEZ]

Good point Heavynylon. I'm surprised by the list of bests posted that 1985-1993 is so heavily represented. I'm not saying not warrented as I'm not that knowledgeable yet. But I expected most "best of versions from bands heydays or 69-77 type thing. Just surprised & looking foward to hearing these. I can't get enough!!!!! MEZ

[frankielee]

happy to hear about your recent dead satori! i really dig the acoustic version of cassidy on RECKONING(i think!?) i love how the dead can get really out there and so spacey UNPLUGGED...In my opinion for what it's worth this version is a masterpiece..."Let the words be yours i'm done with mine."...

[nicolasalk]

First of all, welcome, and congratullations for start being a deadhead.

second, those two song are great, and so, here is some help in you search:

Cassidy
http://community.rukind.org/viewtopic.php?t=2495

Jack Straw
http://community.rukind.org/viewtopic.php?t=2421

two old posts iniciated by me

hope it helps

[MEZ]

Thanks Frankielee & Nicolasalk. Appreciate the feedback! The MEZ

[shakedown_04092]

Ahh, I remember the first days like they were yesterday. Really, I do! Speaking of which, been meaning to ask you guys - anyone ever heard of the double-disc from the War Memorial in Buffalo '77 that was released? My brother got it up here in Portland at a local music store about 12 years back but I've never seen it anywhere since. I know it had a name, I'll check w/ him on what it was. Nonetheless, the Help > Slip > Frank on there is one of my first memories of the "hook". Also has a smokin' Bertha > Good Lovin'. Love that transition.

MEZ - You'll soon love all era's equally, and find yourself gravitating to one year one week, and the next week a new year will take over your fancy and somehow convince yourself that that year is by far the best, only to listen to a show from yet another year and wonder how it could've possibly topped the previous week. Well, at least that's what I've been doing for the past 13 years.

That's the beauty of having 30 years of brilliant musicianship, wonder, and excitement at your fingertips.

Welcome aboard mate!

[devil]

I put a few good Jackstraws and Cassidys here..

http://funkb.us/jg

also Mez may like

http://www.youtube.com/user/ThankYouJerryGarcia

[bodiddley]

Hey Lazy, maybe your boss saw some bumper stickers? Anyway cool story. Find out if he was at that killer '73 show in Cleveland.

[MEZ]

Thanks Shakedown & Devil MEZ

[heavynylon]

Ratdog seems to be playing both of these songs a good bit currently. And since they're both Bobby songs, the voice is right. When he came through Atlanta last summer they opened with Jack Straw, then went into Cassidy and later went back to Cassidy toward the end of concert. It was Kimock's second performance with them, so it probably does stack up to Jerry's leads, but it sounded pretty good to me. Maybe it was the friends, the wine, the venue, I don't know, but I remember it as a great concert. I found a recording of it, but haven't bothered to relisten to it. Like, why mess up the memories. Anyway, here's a link.

http://www.archive.org/details/rd2007-0 ... 90c.flac16

[broomhead]

Good point Heavynylon. I'm surprised by the list of bests posted that 1985-1993 is so heavily represented. I'm not saying not warrented as I'm not that knowledgeable yet. But I expected most "best of versions from bands heydays or 69-77 type thing. Just surprised & looking foward to hearing these. I can't get enough!!!!! MEZ

85-93 ahhh. Since thats my (all mine..nobody else's..lol) time of going to shows, I'll always have a warm spot for them. I do wonder how they transfer to someone who doesn't have those memories?
As most would agree the spring of 77 represents a time were the band was a single minded music machine and some of the finest recordings sonically and musically lay testament to that.

While I love that just about everything recorded is at our fingertips and I take full advantage of this technology, I do think it ended an important experience for the "new"deadhead. The experience of spending a couple hours (as u never used high speed dubbing..lol)with friends dubbing tapes is gone. As time went by building a collection and a community of friends. Shelves of tapes, years of collecting can all be done in a day or 2 online w/ a high speed connection and a big hard drive. Not a very romantic proposition.