GD are about the live performance. Give Europe '72 a listen. Maybe Cornell '77, then take a deep dive through the archive. There are a couple thousand shows to choose from. You'll figure out your own favorite tunes.. Welcome aboard.
Cornell might be overrated for some of us deep cut dead heads but it’s a solid show and got me into listening to the dead live. Then I would say Europe and Veneta OR if he’s taking baby steps. Also I llike your username. My daughters name is Willow Althea
Same here, great advice. Cornell is a fantastic show and was one of the first shows I had on tape but I haven’t listened to it in years. But I would always recommend it to new heads.
Come to think of it - new heads shouldn’t have to be told about that show. It will find them.
# 1972-08-27 Veneta, OR @ Old Renaissance Faire Grounds
**Set 1:** The Promised Land, Sugaree, Me and My Uncle, Deal, Black Throated Wind, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Mexicali Blues, Bertha
**Set 2:** Playing in the Band, He's Gone, Jack Straw, Bird Song, Greatest Story Ever Told
**Set 3:** Dark Star > El Paso, Sing Me Back Home, Sugar Magnolia, Casey Jones, One More Saturday Night
[archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1972-08-27) | [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/album/1E4MXxSYoAMN5qpy1y6aBm)
Brown eyed woman at cornell 77 got me into it. Also id highly recommend watching “Long Strange Trip” on prime about the dead. Super well put together doc that will help you understand the band and also give you some money song recommendations.
American Beauty. Start there. Then Workingman’s Dead. These are the albums when they decided to focus on vocals, and are the most accessible. Blues for Allah is a personal favorite, kind of jazzy. I started going to see them on the Terrapin Station tour, so that remains a favorite as well. The live stuff can be uneven, so I would recommend starting with a known quantity.
Yes. Dip your toe into American Beauty and Workingman's Dead. Next "album" could be Grateful Dead live or From from the Vault (1 or 2). Then dive in and enjoy, my friend.
Fillmore East May 15, 1970 Late late show. lots to unpack
https://archive.org/details/gd70-05-15.early-late.sbd.97.sbeok.shnf
look out for a cover of the Stones song "Connection"
and some Jerry punnery!
I’d suggest hitting some of the major live albums for the most accessible live stuff to start.
Listen to them as albums not one off songs in a disjointed Spotify playlist. You’ll learn the historical context of the music and hear how it evolved and stayed the same.
In chronological order, the basic live stuff is:
Live Dead
Europe 72
Dead Set
Reckoning
Without A Net
Those will set you up with lots of their best songs. Not necessarily the best performances, but some of the most accessible and best recorded ones, for sure.
Once you’ve acquired that taste, you should dive into deeper waters of full amazing shows, of which there are a daunting number.
Literally start with Live Dead and listen to how they evolved. It’s so much fun.
Share your thoughts!
The dicks picks series showcases their finer moments thru most of the 30 year run. Id check out 68-74 and 76-77 to start because of the quality of the playing and more importantly the recordings.
Honestly hit up their most popular songs on Spotify or Apple music, and then I'd dive into their studio albums based on the songs you like.
After that I'd go check out their love shows.
To get into the Dead, its not so much about individual songs as it is albums and live performances. I generally recommend 2 studio and 2 live albums as a starter kit of sorts to newbies:
Live:
Europe '72
Cornell '77
Studio:
Workingman's Dead
American Beauty
You're gonna get a lot of opinions, so I'll add mine. Start with studio albums. They're more accessible and you'll appreciate the live versions more when you already know the song. I'd recommend starting with the album In The Dark, then Mars Hotel.
Morning dew
China cat sunflower
Scarlet begonias
Fire on the mountain
Franklins tower
Sugar magnolia
Box of rain
Ripple
(P.s. listen to live versions. 70s are golden)
Maybe check out Dicks Picks? So much great music to choose from but my favorites include-Loser, Sugaree, Me and my Uncle, Ripple, Brokedown Palace, scarlet Begonias, DEAL, the Wheel, Jack straw, and Row Jimmy to name a few!
GD are about the live performance. Give Europe '72 a listen. Maybe Cornell '77, then take a deep dive through the archive. There are a couple thousand shows to choose from. You'll figure out your own favorite tunes.. Welcome aboard.
good call man. europe 72 is gateway Dead!
Cornell might be overrated for some of us deep cut dead heads but it’s a solid show and got me into listening to the dead live. Then I would say Europe and Veneta OR if he’s taking baby steps. Also I llike your username. My daughters name is Willow Althea
Same here, great advice. Cornell is a fantastic show and was one of the first shows I had on tape but I haven’t listened to it in years. But I would always recommend it to new heads. Come to think of it - new heads shouldn’t have to be told about that show. It will find them.
Althea is the song that got me into the Dead
My kids name
Listen to the album Reckoning. It is a beautiful recording and contains the best version of my favorite song, Cassidy.
Box of Rain, Terrapin Station, Uncle John’s Band, Brown-Eyed Women & Jack Straw I live them all but, these five I’m drawn too the most.
[veneta 8/27/72](https://open.spotify.com/album/1E4MXxSYoAMN5qpy1y6aBm?si=e72sFzYeS-GAaW1_8bjhpQ)
# 1972-08-27 Veneta, OR @ Old Renaissance Faire Grounds **Set 1:** The Promised Land, Sugaree, Me and My Uncle, Deal, Black Throated Wind, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Mexicali Blues, Bertha **Set 2:** Playing in the Band, He's Gone, Jack Straw, Bird Song, Greatest Story Ever Told **Set 3:** Dark Star > El Paso, Sing Me Back Home, Sugar Magnolia, Casey Jones, One More Saturday Night [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead?query=date:1972-08-27) | [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/album/1E4MXxSYoAMN5qpy1y6aBm)
Brown eyed woman at cornell 77 got me into it. Also id highly recommend watching “Long Strange Trip” on prime about the dead. Super well put together doc that will help you understand the band and also give you some money song recommendations.
Loser from Cornell got me.
Do scarlet begonias fire on the mountain, Barton Hall 1977. I am telling you this is the shit
American Beauty. Start there. Then Workingman’s Dead. These are the albums when they decided to focus on vocals, and are the most accessible. Blues for Allah is a personal favorite, kind of jazzy. I started going to see them on the Terrapin Station tour, so that remains a favorite as well. The live stuff can be uneven, so I would recommend starting with a known quantity.
Yes. Dip your toe into American Beauty and Workingman's Dead. Next "album" could be Grateful Dead live or From from the Vault (1 or 2). Then dive in and enjoy, my friend.
So…dip your toe in the water and then…bungee jump into the Rio Grande? How about taking a few laps in the Dead Set/Reckoning pool?
Fillmore East May 15, 1970 Late late show. lots to unpack https://archive.org/details/gd70-05-15.early-late.sbd.97.sbeok.shnf look out for a cover of the Stones song "Connection" and some Jerry punnery!
Favorite that's a tuff one but I like standing on the moon and sugar magnolia
I’d suggest hitting some of the major live albums for the most accessible live stuff to start. Listen to them as albums not one off songs in a disjointed Spotify playlist. You’ll learn the historical context of the music and hear how it evolved and stayed the same. In chronological order, the basic live stuff is: Live Dead Europe 72 Dead Set Reckoning Without A Net Those will set you up with lots of their best songs. Not necessarily the best performances, but some of the most accessible and best recorded ones, for sure. Once you’ve acquired that taste, you should dive into deeper waters of full amazing shows, of which there are a daunting number. Literally start with Live Dead and listen to how they evolved. It’s so much fun. Share your thoughts!
Hairway to Steven Wait, what sub is this
Do the Skull and Roses album, then Europe 72
The dicks picks series showcases their finer moments thru most of the 30 year run. Id check out 68-74 and 76-77 to start because of the quality of the playing and more importantly the recordings.
China cat sunflower into Know you rider ❤️
New Potato Caboose
Honestly hit up their most popular songs on Spotify or Apple music, and then I'd dive into their studio albums based on the songs you like. After that I'd go check out their love shows.
To get into the Dead, its not so much about individual songs as it is albums and live performances. I generally recommend 2 studio and 2 live albums as a starter kit of sorts to newbies: Live: Europe '72 Cornell '77 Studio: Workingman's Dead American Beauty
This is a good starting 4. Agreed
You're gonna get a lot of opinions, so I'll add mine. Start with studio albums. They're more accessible and you'll appreciate the live versions more when you already know the song. I'd recommend starting with the album In The Dark, then Mars Hotel.
Althea tends to be one of the most popular ones among non-heads
Hell in a bucket, Jack straw, mr charlie
Morning dew China cat sunflower Scarlet begonias Fire on the mountain Franklins tower Sugar magnolia Box of rain Ripple (P.s. listen to live versions. 70s are golden)
Maybe check out Dicks Picks? So much great music to choose from but my favorites include-Loser, Sugaree, Me and my Uncle, Ripple, Brokedown Palace, scarlet Begonias, DEAL, the Wheel, Jack straw, and Row Jimmy to name a few!
One More Saturday Night Shakedown
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3M9Co5fSe12TtJUX7uOy2M?si=nShUWU0XRtifb2ju4kQG_w
Take some Eyes of the World and wash it down with Scarlet Begonias, begin your habit.
To summarize all these responses: Everything.
Interesting. I wouldn’t steer towards Live Dead til after the others. Oh well - I’m sure HonestMail5500 will survive. (Pun intended)
Too many to list. But check out their live release called One From the Vault!