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Poster: ganges Date: Sep 8, 2009 11:00am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Beatles covers

The Hey Jude post the other day made me think about all the Beatles covers, which of those were really good? Not too many for me I have to admit. I just tried a 94 version of Rain, a song I always liked, but...

Including JGB my favourite is Dear Prudence, which almost always was very well played and some versions are really great, a good example IMO is 2-29-80, officially released on the bonus CD with Kean College/After Midnight (2-28-80), a good one also on 8-11-84.

Any other thoughts?

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Poster: elbow1126 Date: Sep 9, 2009 3:37am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

I tend to agree with the consensus that none of the covers were that great. However I do enjoy listening to this version of Day Tripper. Not because the band plays it so well, they didn't. However the audience response to the song is a blast. Stay away from the soundboard and check out the Oade aud (best of 3 that I listened to). http://www.archive.org/details/gd85-03-31.oade-schoeps.sacks.23592.sbeok.flacf oops, i see that vapors mentioned this one already, sorry.
This post was modified by elbow1126 on 2009-09-09 10:37:09

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Poster: Dudley Dead Date: Sep 9, 2009 7:49am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

Most of these Beatle covers, I could never play to non Deadhead Beatles fans, they are often embarrassing .Ok, maybe in 69, they could have covered "Tomorrow Never Knows", but in the late period they just don't have that "psychedelic" feel ( for example their own late period Dark Stars ). And, look here, "Rain", "TNK", are among the greatest records ever made, It take a little hubris and blindness to how the band sounded , to attempt these .
"Do it in the Road" was fun, and it is a throw away, song in the first place, and the Dead made a fun jam out of it . "Lucy in the Sky", was a nce tip of the hat , encore, and "Revolution" , I thought worked well as it was like the White Album version, which has sort of a roots, "Deal" feel , which is of course, right up Jerry's street .

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Poster: headgdhead Date: Sep 9, 2009 12:32pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

Maybe it's me but I don't see the Beatles doing a better version of Rain than this!

http://www.archive.org/download/gd1993-09-26.schoeps.wklitz.94670.flac16/gd1993-09-26d2t09_vbr.mp3

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Poster: fenario80 Date: Sep 8, 2009 12:31pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

ganges - check out some of the Reconstruction Dear Prudence's, if you haven't heard them. The girls are missed, but the horns add a lot to this song. There is one on an official release somewhere, but I can't place it at the moment.

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Poster: ganges Date: Sep 8, 2009 1:30pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

Thanks - I have 7-8-79 and just listened to it, I never really got into the Reconstruction but this is a good version.

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Poster: fenario80 Date: Sep 8, 2009 12:29pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

I love Jerry's instrumental "Eleanor Rigby" from the Spring 1980 tour. There is a lovely version on the Keane College official release. Always wished he'd done more stuff like this.

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Poster: lobster12 Date: Sep 8, 2009 1:43pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

while not a beatles tune I thought "that Would Be Something" was ok as a transition tune.

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Poster: barongsong Date: Sep 8, 2009 3:01pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

I agree that fit perfectly in a Nobodies fault, Smokestack kind of way. Sure as hell beat I Will Take You Home for the hundredth time.

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Poster: Finster! Date: Sep 8, 2009 5:40pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

I love the Beatles and to be quite honest, I love when the Dead did covers of Beatles stuff. In hindsight, most of them were not performed well, but at the show, in the moment, it was absolutely fabulous to me when they would break one out. I didn't see a whole lot of them, but I did see a few. My all time favorite was Revolution to open the 2nd set in Philly '85. My only time being on the rail for a show, and I was right there between Jerry and Brent in all my glory when I heard the opening notes. A couple other faves were Do it in the Road at Merriweather in '84 and Day Tripper at Blossom in '85. Again, in hindsight, they butchered both pretty badly, but in the moment...oh so sweet!!! The crowd went bonkers for both, and I was right there freakin with em.!! Fun Times!!

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Poster: vapors Date: Sep 8, 2009 6:45pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

Yeah, at the show, in the moment - that helps with the perspective. No point trying to persuade anyone, the versions usually weren’t great and I’ll resist saying one just had to be there, because maybe one was, or maybe one would just say “who would want to be?! At the end of the day the recordings are there for us to enjoy / suffer through.

Actually, maybe it was just something I ate.

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Poster: BVD Date: Sep 8, 2009 7:28pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

Liked Gatcia Band's take on Dear Prudence, Other than that The Dead should have left Beatle tunes out. Can't think od one that I even remotely enjoy. Brent singing Hey Jude refrain would probably be useful to the military or the CIA to use as a method of torture.

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Poster: veblen Date: Sep 8, 2009 7:44pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

"Brent singing Hey Jude refrain would probably be useful to the military or the CIA to use as a method of torture."

I have it on good authority that they currently use one of Linda McCartney's wings versions for that purpose.

Also, I have a version with just her vocals that I made in college and I swear I heard it during the waco siege in between mating rabbits and other "fun" sounds.

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Poster: veblen Date: Sep 8, 2009 1:29pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

more than I thought:

(track-# of times played)

Blackbird-2
Day Tripper-5
Dear Prudence Jam-1
Get Back-1
Good Day Sunshine-1
Hey Jude-3
I Want To Tell You-7
I've Just Seen A Face-1
It's All Too Much-6
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds-19
Paperback Writer-1 (soundcheck)
Rain-12
Revolution-11
Tomorrow Never Knows-12
Twist And Shout-1 (guest joey covington)
Why Don't We Do It In The Road-7

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Poster: snori Date: Sep 8, 2009 2:01pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

Dear Prudence is the only one I enjoy. I actually think that The Tubes (with Vince) did a better job on TNK. Most Beatles numbers have very short instrumental breaks, not really suited to the Dead.

Mind you, this old fellah thinks it's worth having a go - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLWhD1_rAM8

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Poster: edgehead 2 Date: Sep 8, 2009 1:39pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

Well, that's more than i thought too. Good Day Sunshine!?!? That's news to me.

I like the Beatles but the Dead's versions really didn't do much for me. However, the TNK from Atlanta '93 had the Omni about to burst. e

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Poster: veblen Date: Sep 8, 2009 3:06pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

regarding good day sunshine: it doesn't show on any setlists but according to rod scully it was played at an early acid test...

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Poster: SkyDawg Date: Sep 8, 2009 1:28pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

Though it's not a Beatles song, I really loved Jerry's instrumental of Lennon's "Imagine".

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Poster: vapors Date: Sep 8, 2009 7:08pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

I know I've heard it at one time, but please tell us where to find it!

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Poster: ganges Date: Sep 8, 2009 10:07pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

vapors - here are the Imagine shows:

http://www.thejerrysite.com/songs/show/561

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Poster: vapors Date: Sep 9, 2009 5:06pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

Thanks. I don't know why I haven't found that site before but I'm glad to know it. I only have DeadBaseX which doesn't have set list for Jerry shows.

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Poster: ganges Date: Sep 8, 2009 1:32pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

I'll second that emotion!

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Poster: direwolf0701 Date: Sep 8, 2009 9:14pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

the couple of versions of Rain i have heard by the GD have sounded like a group of basset hounds who have just been castrated and having salt & iodine rubbed into their genital wounds.

in other words, i agree - most of the beatles covered SUCKED! (imho of course)

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Poster: jglynn1.2 Date: Sep 8, 2009 12:18pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

I'll Second that Emotion

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Poster: vapors Date: Sep 8, 2009 6:17pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

I guess I'd be correct to assume your seconding a nod to "Dear Prudence", since "I Second That Emotion" was a Smokey Robinson song ? The "After Midnight>Eleanor Rigby>After Midnight" combo was quite a thing of beauty. It seems to me that the boys loved the psychedelic groove of some of the Beatles songs. I recall them playing a Revolution encore in Worchester 10/9/84; think it was a tribute to John Lennon. As a big Beatle fan myself, it was great fun to hear and dance to them playing those songs, even if the versions were a little rough sometimes. Remember them playing Day Tripper in Portland ME 3/31/85– when Phil played that bass riff the building really shook! Why Don’t We Do It In The Road, maybe not such a great tune, but to me it showed the boys having fun. Blackbird – (pretty shabby on the version I’m thinking of.) Covers done nearer to the end: (Rain) Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Tomorrow Never Knows, It’s All Too Much
This post was modified by vapors on 2009-09-09 01:17:44

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Poster: jglynn1.2 Date: Sep 8, 2009 1:18pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

Correct

I was never a big fan of the Dead doing Beatles covers, it always struck me as a novelty item.

My favorite JGB cover is Don't Let Go - how Jerry just jammed it. Saw a rip roaring Don't Let Go at Roseland in '83 that just kills.

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Poster: vapors Date: Sep 8, 2009 1:31pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

jglynn1.2 , I trust you took no offense to my reply. Communication is not my strong point and I do try to tread lightly.

Novelty is the perfect word for it - I guess they just felt like trying something new.

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Poster: jglynn1.2 Date: Sep 8, 2009 1:38pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Beatles covers

No offense taken none intended. I saw GD shows from 79 through about 89. I tapered way off after 85-86 and when I did go in late 80's was disappointed when they played lots of 'new' covers - it just didn't feel right if they did more than 1 or 2. Only my opinion / experience. I must admit I had lots of fun at shows from 80 - 84.