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I came across it yesterday, too --- anybody ever had any interactions with Healy, before. I never have, but it seemed like he was pretty accessible for a chat at the board, at least for the tapers. 

 

Funny that Heineken (see the box in the article) pops up again in this thread... 

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Do any of you Dead freaks have certain popular, well-loved tunes that you'd just as soon skip when they come up in a show? I'm not talking about a Wave to the Wind or a Money Money...I'm talking something that other Heads would say, "Whaaaaaat?"

 

I've got a couple I'll share. Now, I've always been much more of a Jerry guy than a Bobby guy, so I won't even target him. Too easy. I'll start with Jerry tunes I've heard too much or just never got that into in the first place.

 

1) Tennessee Jed - This is kind of a silly song, IMHO, so it's fun, right? Well, yeah, maybe pre-hiatus. Even some of those are pretty tedious to me. In later years, I found it just about intolerable. I like the fastest earlier versions, probably because it's over sooner.

 

2) Deal - Again, the earlier versions are okay, and Jer obviously loved the song. He'd open with it. But when it gets toward the end, and the repetition of the refrain, I'm ready to check out. Especially after Jerry's decline. Some folks love those late versions - "Jerry shreds on Deal!" - but come on, man. It's a mid-tempo shuffle, it should be a mid-tempo shuffle. Not a shred-fest.

 

3) Dark Star - Most controversial one, right? Hear me out, though. First off, this was the first song Hunter sent them. So, from a lyrical standpoint, it's not exactly his strongest song. Read it and compare it to a classic story like Dire Wolf, Terrapin, or Reuben and Cherise, or just a masterful lyric like those in Uncle John's, Loser, or Ripple. I'll take any of those over a Dark Star most days of the week.

 

There are exceptions to my Dark Star block - I love some of the best versions from '69-'70 - but most of those are 11-12 minutes long. When they go way out, like 30-40 minutes, they almost never hold my attention. The Feedback-like dissonance thing aggravates my tinnitus, too, so that can make it even less enjoyable.

 

What about you guys? Any Touch of Grey or Black Peter haters?

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Do any of you Dead freaks have certain popular, well-loved tunes that you'd just as soon skip when they come up in a show? I'm not talking about a Wave to the Wind or a Money Money...I'm talking something that other Heads would say, "Whaaaaaat?"

 

I've got a couple I'll share. Now, I've always been much more of a Jerry guy than a Bobby guy, so I won't even target him. Too easy. I'll start with Jerry tunes I've heard too much or just never got that into in the first place.

 

1) Tennessee Jed - This is kind of a silly song, IMHO, so it's fun, right? Well, yeah, maybe pre-hiatus. Even some of those are pretty tedious to me. In later years, I found it just about intolerable. I like the fastest earlier versions, probably because it's over sooner.

 

2) Deal - Again, the earlier versions are okay, and Jer obviously loved the song. He'd open with it. But when it gets toward the end, and the repetition of the refrain, I'm ready to check out. Especially after Jerry's decline. Some folks love those late versions - "Jerry shreds on Deal!" - but come on, man. It's a mid-tempo shuffle, it should be a mid-tempo shuffle. Not a shred-fest.

 

3) Dark Star - Most controversial one, right? Hear me out, though. First off, this was the first song Hunter sent them. So, from a lyrical standpoint, it's not exactly his strongest song. Read it and compare it to a classic story like Dire Wolf, Terrapin, or Reuben and Cherise, or just a masterful lyric like those in Uncle John's, Loser, or Ripple. I'll take any of those over a Dark Star most days of the week.

 

There are exceptions to my Dark Star block - I love some of the best versions from '69-'70 - but most of those are 11-12 minutes long. When they go way out, like 30-40 minutes, they almost never hold my attention. The Feedback-like dissonance thing aggravates my tinnitus, too, so that can make it even less enjoyable.

 

What about you guys? Any Touch of Grey or Black Peter haters?

I'll bite!

 

I'm ambivalent about Deal - it's really hit/miss for me. The post-coma Deals are much less satisfying in general for me. I do find some from the coke-fueled early '80s to be enjoyable.  I love T. Jed. I love all periods of Dark Stars, with the MIDI-era the least. 

 

Now for my choices (Jerry):

 

#1 - Built To Last. Guess what - it didn't LOL. 18 versions in total, 16 from '89. It never took off and did anything for me. Just a boring song from Hunter/Garcia, one of the rare ones.

 

#2 - Crazy Fingers. There are some I like, A LOT(6/14/76 is my fave), but it's not anywhere near a favorite. Many people love it, more power to 'em.

 

#3 - Fire. This song is COMPLETELY  dependent on how inspired Garcia was at that moment. When he was ON it was inspiring, when he wasn't it felt repetitive - I mean there's no bridge, no key change - and God it could drag like a motherfucker. 

 

#4 - Doin' That Rag. I'll use Garcia's own words here - "A lot of the Aoxomoxoa songs are overwritten and cumbersome to perform.They're packed with lyrics or musical changes that aren't worth it for what finally happens with the song. When you write a song that's a chore to play the performances never sound anything but strained". That describes how I feel about Rag perfectly.

 

I would add something like If I Had The World To Give but that one almost doesn't count. They only played it 2 or 3 times, and I'm sure there was a good reason for that.

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Mississippi Half Step. I enjoy it, but don't understand the love. It's a nice tune, music and lyrics are ok. Never really been blown away or moved by it like other Jerry tunes. Nice build up and refrain at the end, but otherwise, many other songs I'd rather hear. 

 

Bird Song. There are great versions, and some that are not. Probably have to be in the right mood for this one. 

 

Cold Rain and Snow. Feel pretty much the same about this one as Half Step.

 

Comes a Time. The melody and lyrics are the worst of the "big" Jerry ballads. But the ripping guitar at the end, especially in the 76 - 77 versions, makes it worth it. 

 

Agree on If I Had the World to Give. May be my least favorite Jerry song. Although I think it could've been more successful of a song with the type of romantic balladeer who does those type of songs. 

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Oh man, I like this discussion but at work. In short (for now): Agree on Dark Star, completely disagree on Deal (shoot, JGB "Deal"s in particular), half-step has the back end that just rings melancholy (the basics of the first 2/3 of the tune are mundane and perhaps make the end so pleasurable?), agree on Fire. And, Crazy Fingers never really seems to go anywhere. No payoff....

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And, an add: Bird Song. Yeah, it's awesome and all. But, the 1st set noodling on it sometimes left me antsy at shows.Seeing Garcia/Khan acoustic do it was different, though.

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Sugar Magnolia is a "check what time it is" song for me. 

Favorite Dead song of Duane Allman and Bill Graham. I'd say a top 5 Bob tune, top 20 Dead tune for me. Bold take, what's not to like?

 

Agree on US Blues being a throw away. At it's peak in 73 - 74, then went downhill.

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Favorite Dead song of Duane Allman and Bill Graham. I'd say a top 5 Bob tune, top 20 Dead tune for me. Bold take, what's not to like?

 

The sunshine dream section

 

Crazy Fingers and Fire are two of my favorites haha. 

Same here

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The sunshine dream section

 

Bobby must've spit on you.

 

TN Jed haters - when was the last time you listened to the song high? That usually does the trick. I could never get sick of some of the lyrics, like "my dog turned to me, and he said..." Remember an interview with Bob in the last few years of the band, where he cited Jed as one of his top 5 tunes to play live in that era, as it has the jam section that opened up and allowed them to stretch out. 

 

Levon Helm did nice things with it: https://youtu.be/fZaU3VtMfoM

 

You can disagree with me, but if you disagree with Levon, well, good luck with that.

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Built To Last - Not sure I'd categorize this one as a beloved favorite of too many Deadheads, though I could be wrong. Almost never listen to any of the tunes on this record anymore, live or otherwise.

 

Crazy Fingers - I love this song, but there are very few good live versions. Fortunately, the studio version is actually good.

Fire - Scarlet > Fire is one of my favorite pairings, but there are plenty of crappy versions. I usually stay within the '77-78 range on those. Believe it or not, I've always liked the studio version, as I heard commercials for Shakedown Street before it came out, so had some slight familiarity with that version. Never heard the live shows that included it until much later.

Doin' That Rag - Probably a bottom 10 Dead tune for me, at least up until the post-89 era. Really bad. Never heard a good live version. And I've looked.

Bird Song - One of my top 5 Jerry tunes, I'd say, but again, only in a narrow time frame - mainly '72-'73. It's nice that they brought it back, but the most appeal for me is in the pre-hiatus versions.

Mississippi - Love this, too, but only until '77 or so. I have a serious case of "first hearing" syndrome, where the first version I hear of a song usually strikes me as the "right" way to play it. For that reason, I love the version on Steal Your Face. One of the only truly great tracks on that record.

If I Had the World - So obscure it's probably not even in the Top 100 for most people's consideration. Same category as Built to Last, only a better tune, IMO.

U.S. Blues - This is so all over the map. A few great versions - and again, I like the studio one.

Sugar Mags - Same as U.S. Blues. Great versions exist, lots of crappy ones. I love Jerry's lick on the original. Doubt if I love any versions much past '74 or even '73.

I don't hate Tennessee Jed, but it's become a yawner for me over the years. I should probably mention I haven't gotten stoned or drunk since 1989, so...

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 I could never get sick of some of the lyrics, like "my dog turned to me, and he said..." 

I love what Garcia does right after the line "kicked my dog" then he "chicken-picks" those harmonics on the guitar. That always makes me smile.

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Favorite Dead song of Duane Allman and Bill Graham. I'd say a top 5 Bob tune, top 20 Dead tune for me. Bold take, what's not to like?

 

Agree on US Blues being a throw away. At it's peak in 73 - 74, then went downhill.

I'm just really bored with it, I guess. There's no room in the song to go exploring, musically, and every version sounds the same to me, even through all the different eras. 

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