Grateful Dead Albums Ranked #7-5

[@davecrowson448]

Europe ‘72 was a big one for elevating my Dead fandom. It was given to me by a friend who said they never listened to it. I listened to it some, I liked it, but after I went to a show it got played a whole lot more! Such an excellent record. And you gotta love that cover. I agree about the first record, too. That one was given to me, as well! A friend at my old job, after hearing I collected records, and liked the Dead, said he had a few old records, including a Dead, hadn’t listened to them since high school, so he brought them in and gave them to me. I was floored when I saw it was the first Dead record, and in really nice shape, too! He also gave me a copy of the live Traffic record, Last Exit, and a Weather Report album, I can’t remember the name. And yeah, Blues For Allah is an incredible listen. One of my top ones, for sure. I’ve read that they really didn’t have any material worked out when they went in the studio, and they created one of their greatest ever. I also point to it when people tell me the dead had no good records, which I never understood. And that cover is just gorgeous. Love the videos, man, good stuff

[@deanjonasson6776]

Like your Zappa surveys, this is turning into "Must See TV" for me. As a casual fan, I really appreciate your observations on the canon and the excellent comments that they evoke. I was lucky enough to score the Europe '72 set on disk (probably after someone upgraded) and think it might be my favourite live set. I really appreciated your views on the debut. I see it often but am never sure if I should buy or how to approach it. As a longtime NUGGETS lover, this makes total sense to me. Especially appreciate how you were able to identify the Dead's essence in the first two tracks. Powerful. BLUES FOR ALLAH I know nothing about (other than the amazing cover) so it's now on my list. Great job, Shaggy!

[@boburso5637]

Europe '72 is a great entry point as I believe it captures everything great about The Dead. One From the Vault (if it is still available) is a perfect representation of Blues for Allah live - highly recommended. It is fun to see people just discovering The Dead. In a way it makes me jealous like it is never as good as the first time. But with a band like The Dead, since it is always different, there will be many first times. Enjoy the ride.

[@theopinionatedhippie470]

Thank you, sir. Let me know your thoughts on those albums if you do check them out, please. Always interested. Happy listening.

[@hansvanbrackle2040]

Interesting series of videos. Thanks. You mentioned Greg Allman's version of "Morning Dew" in your review of the GD's first album. This version can be found on "Duane and Gregg Allman", which was recorded in 1968, right after Hourglass broke up but before the Allman Brothers launched. It is basically a demo quality record of the brothers and some friends in Florida (including Butch Trucks). This was released after Duane's death, in 1972. It is an interesting listen but the demo quality is clear. There is also an early version of "Melissa" on this album. I just discovered your channel, and enjoyed your treatments of the Dead and King Crimson...can't wait to wade into the tons of Zappa material you have posted!

[@boburso5637]

I would definitely rate Europe '72 higher than the debut and probably higher than the two masterpieces Workingman's / Beauty only because I enjoy the live versions of songs better. Cumberland is superior live energy. All of the songs are classics and the versions I started my journey on so they are near to my heart. I never get sick of this album. Sugar Mags to Truckin' thru Morning Dew must be played straight through and I always plan my listen accordingly to how much time I have available. The Debut is a GREAT studio album and I totally agree about it being more of a psych album. Derivative of ROCKY ERICKSON and THE 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS who deserves honorable mention for starting the San Francisco sound from Texas himself, right? I was actually going to mention Schoolgirl as my favorite version of that song, but now I fear I may be canceled. I am not a kindergarten teacher and definitely don't take the lyrics literally (I can empathize with you there). Rock n' Roll is teenager music and I always looked at it that way. I liked the young girls in school when I was young and in school myself. Think of it in the context of MY GENERATION (I hope I die before I get old). Anyway, I just think the groove, speed, and length are perfectly captured on this studio version. All of the songs on this album have so much energy. Have you heard the Cream Puff War off of the So Many Roads box set? Wow. And yeah Viola Lee is the definite highlight as it build to it's peak. Side note: Was at Phil Lesh & Friends with Warren Haynes in 2001 in Alpine Valley and Deer Creek. The Alpine show was framed around Viola Lee and very early Dead. Insane shows - you must seek them out. Phil has always been my favorite in the post Jerry incarnations. Finally, Blues for Allah - I had mentioned before, One and Two from the Vault were my first Dead purchases. Blues for Allah is ALMOST as good as One from the Vault, and most definitely one to THE BEST GD studio albums. "Blues for Allah" the song was always the one that was almost unlistenable to me. I listened tonight with my Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics book after watching your commentary and have to say, I really enjoyed it this time. The music and lyrics are perfect for each other. Pure poetry. I would call it a Florentine Pogen moment (I didn't appreciate it until you pointed it out - so thanks). The other songs I think are already spoken for, but I like your take on the King Solomon's Marble's / Eyes of the World comparison. That part in Eyes that you speak of is one of the best moments in The Grateful Dead Movie, which is another great entry point The Dead. For the Grateful Dead novice, I would recommend Europe '72 for audio and Grateful Dead Movie for the audio/visual experience.

[@jakeport5381]

What are some of your favorite of the Europe 72 shows? I’ve been listening to 5/26 recently and i’m really liking it. Haven’t listened to any of the others really.

[@theopinionatedhippie470]

That 26th show is excellent. I have been listening to 4/8, with a really good Caution. 4/26 with a really good Other one-> Comes a Time among the highlights. 5/11 with a Dark Star and a Caution among other treats in the second half. Almost all of the Europe shows have something great to offer, just a matter of taste. But those have been some of my more regular listens.

[@plopcoen6222]

GRATEFUL DEAD: This is an excellent and very interesting album and a superb - and perhaps peerless - archaeological artefact from the musical culture of its era. However, as good as it is, and as worthy an experience it is to listen to from time to time, there are 19 other canonical Dead releases I would grab en route to the proverbial last balloon heading for the equally-as-proverbial desert island. That may seem a bit harsh. And it doesn’t feel like “No.20” when I am listening to it. The ‘problem’, such as it is, is that - as with Frank Zappa - mid-to-late 60s psychedelic pop does not really resonate with me. It’s interesting that the Dead started out making the music they did, but The Real Things, for me, is Live/Dead ~ modified by ‘Workingman’s Beauty’~ synthesized in Europe 72 ~ it is THAT (and the songwriting) which makes the Dead compelling to me. So I don’t need to go back too often to revisit how they started out. I don’t much care for ‘early Beatles’ either for the same reason. That’s a facile juxtaposition, I realize already, seconds after typing it, 1967’s Grateful Dead was a great start to their career and foreshadowed much of what they were to become and, as you say, side 2 is fabulous. The two albums ranked lower than this - Aoxomoxoa and Shakedown Street - are much lesser entities. And the two albums above it - Terrapin Station and Steal Your Face (which I am fond of for sentimental reasons) are probably lucky to be so loftily positioned. Even now, as I type this, I have misgivings about my decisions here. I am questioning my own worth. My own ability to discern quality and significance. I am questioning my very being. Who am I? Where am I? Oh well, the Grateful Dead strikes again. I have it (and I’m very uncertain now about what I have done) at No.20 out of 22.

[@theopinionatedhippie470]

Seriously...who are you??? 😛

[@shaunmaloney5415]

Did you buy the big 72 box set 😮 🇬🇧

[@theopinionatedhippie470]

No, I did not. A friend did though and she is quite generous with sharing. But I do have decent sounding tapes of several of the shows and it is all streaming so....😀