^^^Jaw mentioned Half Step Mississippi Uptown Todeloo… Heooloo babay I’m gone GOoDDBYE! Half a cup of rock and rye, farewell to you ole southern skys I’m on my way… ON MY WAY!!
I have to admit that eyes is my favorite… any and all eyes… what beautiful song.
Am I the only dude who just doesn’t get Dark Star? It’s just some sloppy intro with short, poorly-sung lyrics followed by meandering jamming that rarely goes anywhere. Perhaps I need to hear some better versions. Heck, I’ve even heard covers of Dark Star and I didn’t get those either…
Anyway, favorites:
Scarlet Begonias - By far my fav. Amazingly my favorite version was done by Bruce Hornsby with Kimock and Phil
Franklin’s Tower - Can’t beat it
Jack Straw - probably my favorite Bobby tune
Stevo
In my eyes, Dark Star is the essential jam song.
Listen to any EARLY performance, and it is the centerpiece of the entire concert (well, on the psychedelic side, Pig Pens rapping is the centerpiece for the blues).
Dark Star had the possibility of going anywhere, any time, any how. Maybe you see it as “some sloppy intro with short, poorly-sung lyrics”… I take it you do not like Run Like An Antelope either. That is basically Dark Star in reverse.
For me, The Grateful Dead sound gets no better than a nice pre-70s Dark Star. Listen to the Fillmore shows from 02/27(today!) through 03/02 1969. Each one of those dates had incredibly similar setlists, but you can’t tell one from the other while listening.
That’s what I mean about maybe I’ve never heard a good version. Everyone says this about Dark Star but I have yet to see it. I know it’s a jam-engine tune like Bowie, Antelope and such but basically every jam I’ve heard from it tends to go nowhere and isn’t really enjoyable or worthwhile. Normally I love any jam-engine tune (yes, I love Antelope) but Dark Star has never done it for me.
Well, I should clear my post above, and state Antelope and Dark Star are really different, they jam in completely different ways.
But Dark Star goes: Intro>Lyrics>Jam
Antelope: Intro>Jam>Lyrics
So I think you can see where I was saying they are “reversed”.
And I can see where you say you don’t get Dark Star, because a lot of them go WAY out, to a point I get lost and confused. But just the idea that music can do that makes my mind tingle.
For a really stunning version, check out 1989-10-09. First Dark Star in seven or eight years, and the crowd lets the band know their thoughts right away. I am still yet to hear a bigger eruption on a recording.
And now my thought… I am not a fan of Playing In The Band. The song is OK… But I usually tend to steer clear of the long ones. Those I just don’t get at times. They turn into ‘Space’ basically before coming back around.
There is one really exceptional version that was released as a Dicks Picks. 1973-03-23.
Playing>Uncle Johns>MORNING DEW>Uncle Johns>Playing in the Band
That whole segue just smokes in a very Dark Star-ish type of way. If I have the time, I will upload that… But time is tight.
I have a feeling the Fillmore Run is one of Will’s favorite trades. 
I do have to agree with Will on this point. Dark Star is an effing great jam. So many possibilities, plus you could argue that is the song that was the impetus for the jam band.
Plus, anything with Pigpen is effing great. Especially Turn On Your Lovelight.
And Leave It On!
somebody said “Candyman” on the last page.
i can’t BELIEVE i forgot that one
i love it when the dead covers sublime’s scarlet begonias.
Dire wolf (dicks picks vol 16)
It must have been the roses
ramble on rose ( Closing of winterland…so good)
Brokedown palace
Here comes Sunshine (Dicks picks vol 1)
Unbroken Chain
Alice D. Millionaire!
Mason’s Children is grand.
agreed.
really digging the big river and tmns from 5.9.77
west L.A. Fadeaway is one of my faves lately.
so sick.
Was talkin’ about this with a girl yesterday and I told her Wharf Rat and Bertha amongst many others. Tennessee Jed.
Mission in the Rain is my favorite Jerry song
Foolish Heart
Terrapin
Victim or the Crime
Looks Like Rain
Loser
love the old Dark Stars, Cold Rain and Snows, Dancin in the Streets, Midnight Hours, etc
Pretty much every Dylan cover I dig.
Estimated
Throwing Stones
Eyes
Looks Like Rain
Bird Song
Sugaree
Damn there’s too many to name
There was actually a pretty sweet thread around here that compared GD tunes to Phish tunes in terms of the crowd favorites and heavy hitters. I actually thought it was an interesting thread.
My quest is to dig it up. It is buried somewhere deep within the bowels of the OKP.
I’m digging Scarlet, Tennesse Jed and Jack Straw. Love Light never hurts either. Good stuff…
GD played Mission! They also played Reuben and Cherise!
06-04-76 Paramount Theater, Portland, Or. (Fri)
1: Promised, FOTD, Mama Tried, Sugaree, Cassidy, Candyman, Big River, B. E. Women, Lazy Lightning> Supplication, Mission, L. L. Rain, Help> Slipknot> Franklin’s
2: Playin, Might As Well, Samson, Cosmic Charlie> Let It Grow> Drums> Let It Grow> Stella Blue, Dancin, U. S. Blues E: Johnny B. Goode
04-07-91 Orlando Arena, 0rlando, Fl. (Sun)
1: Jack Straw> Sugaree, Wang Dang Doodle, Row Jimmy, B. T. Wind, Reuben & Cherise> Promised
2: Crazy Fingers> Playin> Uncle John> Playin> Drumz> Box Of Rain> GDTRFB> Lovelight E: Baby Blue
Back on Topic. I can’t believe i failed to mention Must have been the Roses. What a great tune!
Mississippi Half Step is a current favorite. As is Wharf Rat.