Save Your Face

This mix includes a version of every Beatles song the Grateful Dead played (1983-1995). All selections are unreleased, except “Hey Jude,” and all are from soundboard sources.

The Dead’s engagement with The Beatles’ catalogue was a minor part of the long strange trip: eleven songs, some played only once, most only a handful of times. 

Dead-play-Beatles has a justifiably bad reputation. The songs are often unlikely stretches for the singers, and the band didn’t master the playing of most of them. They’d only hang around for a hot minute, and/or they’d pop up, sloppily, once in a while. 

Fortunately, there’s a charming, very good, or great performance of every song – and they add up to a very enjoyable, all-Beatles Dead set. More on the selections below the track list. 

68-minute mp3 mix zipped up here

• Why Don’t We Do It In the Road? (4/13/85)
• Day Tripper (6/25/85)
• Revolution (10/17/83)
• Tomorrow Never Knows (5/21/93)
• Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds (3/17/95, slight edit)
• It’s All Too Much (3/18/95)
• Rain (3/18/95)
• I Want to Tell You (10/15/94)
• Tomorrow Never Knows (8-version jam edit, 1992-1993)
• Hey Jude (3/22/90, edit)
• Get Back (1/28/87)
• Blackbird (7/17/88, slight edit)

Performance History and Selection Notes

Why Don’t We Do It In the Road?

Played seven times, June 1984-March 1986

Day Tripper

Played five times, December 1984-August 1985

Revolution

Played eleven times, October 1983-March 1990. Four performances in October 1983, two in October 1984, three across 1985, and two in March 1990. The second performance is featured on this mix.

Tomorrow Never Knows

Played twelve times, May 1992-November 1994. This mix includes the next-to-last version, plus a long, simulated jam of the song constructed from eight other versions.

Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds

Played 19 times, March 1993-June 1995. The version on this mix is by far the longest, the only one featuring an instrumental build-up. I edited out five seconds of uncertainty.

It’s All Too Much

Played six times, March 1995-July 1995. The version here is the debut.

Rain

Played twenty times, December 1992-June 1995. The band couldn’t sing this song very well, but in 1995 they played it heavier and mixed it thicker, which helps. 

I Want to Tell You

Played seven times, July 1994-May 1995. The version included contains the worst vocal flub of the mix - one whole mumbled line. 

Hey Jude

Aside from some 1969 stabs, the Dead restricted their playing of this song to a “Hey Jude Finale,” which followed “Dear Mr. Fantasy” some 30 times, 1985-1990. Except… one night in March 1990, they preceded “Fantasy” with a sweet little sketch of the song itself. That’s the version on this mix, with “Fantasy” removed, so the song and the finale are joined. 

Get Back

Played only once, in 1987. It’s a stretch for Bobby’s voice, but on the whole, really great.

Blackbird

Played twice in the summer of 1988. I saw the first performance, which was just a spontaneous goof, I think - fun to behold, but terrible as a performance. The second version strikes me as a fairly serious attempt to play it correctly, with Bobby being a vocal bandleader at a couple of points. I edited out the most extreme gaff, which I think makes the whole thing more lovable, despite remaining bumps.

Cover art: Alan Aldridge, detail from “Tomorrow Never Knows,” published in The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics.

This tour deserves way more respect. For one thing, the band performed all of the “Some Girls” songs, except the title track and "Before They Make Me Run." That alone makes the tour’s setlist exciting and historically anomalous. The Stones were mostly a hits band, before and after this tour, and I don’t believe there’s any album that was as throughly performed live at the time of its release.

And it’s “Some Girls,” played exactly right by a gloriously fucked-up and entirely appropriate Rolling Stones. This mix pulls from all the FM broadcasts I could lay my hands on (a while back), plucking one version of nearly every song played on the tour. When it was right, it was great. 

There are a million miles between this band and the thoroughly boring one documented on the 1975 tour album, “Love You Live," released in 1977 – and between the 1978 tour all all subsequent, highly-professional ones. I’m not saying that all later live Stones is to be ignored, but rather that the 1978 tour was probably the last time anyone witnessed the unruly entity that built the Stones legend.

So, this mix tries to lock down that moment in an enduringly satisfying, album-like way. 

I messed with the typical setlist order of the tour, so that all the “Some Girls” material is grouped together. The mix leads and closes with older tunes.

80-minute mix zipped up here

• Hound Dog
• Starfucker
• All Down the Line
• Honky Tonk Women
• Miss You
• Beast of Burden
• Shattered
• When the Whip Comes Down
• Lies
• Just My Imagination
• Far Away Eyes
• Respectable
• Love In Vain
• Tumbling Dice
• Jumping Jack Flash

Important caveats:

• I compiled this in 2010 and did not tag my selections with dates/locations. Subsequently (2011), The Rolling Stones released a full 1978 show from Fort Worth, Texas. I am sorry I can’t tell you which, if any, tracks come from that show.  
• This mix was originally (and is still) posted as a Save Your Face virtual boxed set that includes two discs of curated studio outtakes from the “Some Girls” era. It’s one of several such multi-disc sets on the SYF blog. Since this live disc has more mass appeal than the half-finished outtakes, I thought it might make sense to break it out. (And I felt like making a cover image!) Choose your own adventure.

This mix presents a version of 10 of the 11 Bob Dylan songs the Grateful Dead played in 1994. The performances and soundboard mixes are excellent, with scant imperfections of any sort – except for the sloppy vocals on “Rainy Day Women,” featuring Dylan himself.

All performances are unreleased, and selections are based on a review of all the circulating 1994 soundboard recordings, as of May 2020.

Most of these songs entered the repertoire through the band’s collaboration with Bob Dylan in late 1980s. By 1994, the band’s lighter touch, more acoustic sound, and preference for detail over density gave the Dead a greater ability to interpret Dylan’s songs and give them each a distinctive musical plot.

Additionally, I have included an unreleased performance of “Visions of Johanna,” which the band revived in 1995 and played six times - three of those performances officially released (2/21, 3/18, and 7/8). My favorite of the remaining three, the second performance, only circulates as an audience recording, but in a great way. Seemed like the correct way to break the 1994 rule and bookend this mix.

75-minute mp3 mix zipped up here

• Maggie’s Farm (7/19/94 - Noblesville, IN)
• When I Paint My Masterpiece (6/25/94 - Las Vegas, NV)
• It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (10/13/94 - NYC)
• Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues (10/15/94 - NYC)
• The Mighty Quinn (10/5/94 - Philadelphia, PA)
• Queen Jane Approximately (3/27/94 - Uniondale, NY)
• All Along the Watchtower (9/27/94 - Boston, MA)
• Desolation Row (7/2/94 - Mountainview, CA)
• Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (6/19/94 - Eugene, OR)
• Rainy Day Women #12 and 35 (w/Dylan, 10/17/94 - NYC)
• Visions of Johanna (2/24/95 aud - Oakland, CA)

Eight of these songs previously appeared on Save Your Face’s chronological survey of 1994 soundboards. The missing song is "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again." The band played it once that year, and it was good, but not outstanding. You can play it on Relisten here. 

It may be time for a reencounter with “Hair” (the musical) – as a document of 1968-1970 rock, as a legit/ersatz entry into the cultural stream, and apart from it being a stage musical. “Ain’t got no” is a timely rallying cry. The songs are good.

This mix curates performances from four of the era’s released productions and tries to assemble them into an interesting 2020 alt-music album:

• Off-Broadway 1967
• Broadway 1968
• London 1968
• London 1970

The show’s music was composed by Galt MacDermot and the lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado. The show’s various arrangers and performers slanted the songs in a lot of different ways.

That created a great opportunity to curate a version that sounds less like a musical and more like a 1969 radio station playing an hour of solid, contemporary pop, rock, soul, Brill Building tunes, etc.  

68-minute mp3 mix zipped up here, as follows:

Caveats:

I’m neither a “Hair” nor musical theatre expert. I inherited “Hair” in multiple production and language recordings from my dad, who died in 2010, after DJ’ing a syndicated NPR musical theatre show for 20+ years. That same dad provided two vinyl LPs of “Hair” productions to me before I was 12 years old, so I’ve got a biased relationship to these songs. 

I have four non-English productions of the show from my dad. Another mix will happen. if you have high-quality, non-English production audio files, please contact me. 

This mix curates tracks from the jazz remix craze of the early 2000s. I was really into it, because I love jazz, and the electronica I sought out at the time already leaned in a jazzy direction – with interesting syncopations, slinky undertows, slower tempos, and minimal clatter. 

The two hours compiled here are tracks that are still in my regular rotation 15 years later. I have compiled one hour each of vocals and instrumentals from seven of the era’s remix albums. I endeavored to make the metadata as complete and systematic as possible (see below). Title tags conclude with shorthand for the source release (e.g., Verve, Savoy). 

121-minute mix zipped up here

The vocal disc: Ten songs come from “Verve Remixed, Volumes 1-3” (3-releases, various producers), and three come from “Ladies of Jazz Remixed,” remixed by James Hardway.

The instrumental disc: By far the most consistent of the instrumental jazz remix albums is “Re-Bop: The Savoy Remixes,” produced by Joshua Sherman and Stu Fine. Nine of the tracks in this mix come from that album. “Bird Up! The Charlie Parker Remix Project,” produced by Matthew Backer, provides four of the others. The additional track comes from “Impulsive!” There are vocals on some of these tracks, but no sung songs.

Here’s a 52-minute slice of 1981 “Scarlet > Fire,” comprising three unreleased performances. The mighty 3/10/81 MSG version is presented in full. Two more are presented as instrumental edits. Segues weave it all into a non-stop experience that goes like this:

Scarlet Begonias > Fire on the Mountain > Scarlet Jam > Fire Jam > Scarlet Jam > Fire Jam.

Which is to say three transitions!

I was turned on to these performances by a crowd-sourcing tweet I sent out, because I was on a S>F binge and wanted to check out some unknown (to me) versions from years I don’t know very well. Thanks to all who participated. If people enjoy this, I’ll look into samplers from more years (when I can handle listening to more of these songs again). 

52-minute mp3 mix zipped up here

• Scarlet Begonias > Fire on the Mountain (3/10/81 - MSG)
• Scarlet Jam > Fire on the Mountain (instr. edit) (5/15/81 - Rutgers)
• Scarlet Jam > Fire on the Mountain (instr. edit) (9/12/81 - Greek)

This mix is a continuous, instrumental edit of the jams from all seven May 1977 performances of “Dancin’ in the Streets.”

Every time the band finishes the synchronized riff section of one jam, they slide right into the beginning of another night’s jam. All dancing, no singing.

The segues are seamless, but I’ve presented the mix as seven tracks, so you can compare the performances. Aside from the first track, which includes the opening of the song, each version starts at the same moment. The final version fades out. All performances have been officially released, except for 5/1 and 5/4.

67-minute mp3 mix zipped up here

• Dancin’ Intro & Jam > (5/8/77)
• Dancin’ Jam > (5/19/77)
• Dancin’ Jam > (5/15/77)
• Dancin’ Jam > (5/12/77)
• Dancin’ Jam > (5/22/77)
• Dancin’ Jam > (5/1/77)
• Dancin’ Jam (5/4/77)

This mix is a companion to this May ’77 “Fire on the Mountain” jams collection.  

This collection provides instrumental edits of every Grateful Dead performance of “Fire on the Mountain” in May 1977. It was still a new song, played only six times prior to these versions.

As an improvisational vehicle, the song had three parts, all with variable lengths and approaches:

• The introduction, up to the first verse
• The middle jam, between the two verses
• The rousing final jam, which led to the “Scarlet Begonias” bookend close

In addition to eliminating the verses and choruses, I’ve also removed the return to the baseline groove that occurred between the middle jam and the second verse, so those solo-driven parts flow together without a slow-down. 

Otherwise, it’s all the music - each performance as a pure jam that reveals the essential differences among them. They range from seven to twelve minutes each. All have been officially released except 5/4/77.

72-minute mp3 mix zipped up here

• Fire Jam (5/4/77)
• Fire Jam (5/5/77)
• Fire Jam (5/8/77)
• Fire Jam (5/11/77)
• Fire Jam (5/13/77)
• Fire Jam (5/17/77)
• Fire Jam (5/21/77)
• Fire Jam (5/25/77)

You'll find a mix of May '77's "Dancin' in the Streets" jams here. 

Just 20 concerts from the end of their career, the Grateful Dead turned in a fantastic performance, featuring a setlist full of 1970s jam numbers, sung and played with enthusiasm. Garcia is lit, throughout, playing enthusiastically and thoughftully, all the time, and taking advantage of his voice being in great shape. The “Fire on the Mountain” is particularly great on all fronts, including Garcia's vocal enthusiasms. Definitely a version to bookmark.

With the exception of “Eternity > Don’t Ease,” which closed the first set, the tracks on this mix are in the order played. “Help on the Way” opened the show. If you enjoy these highlights, you should check out the whole show. It’s more consistent than plenty of shows from plenty of other years – all the more surprising at such a late date.

Many thanks to Andrew Rooney @ramblinroon for turning me on to this show.

90-minute mp3 mix zipped up here

Disc One (48 minutes):

• Help on the Way > Slipknot! >
• Franklin’s Tower
• Scarlet Begonias >
• Fire on the Mountain

Disc Two (40 minutes):

• Playin’ in the Band >
• Uncle John’s Band
• Improvisation 1
• Improvisation 2
• Improvisation 3
• Eternity Jam >
• Don’t Ease Me In

Cover art: Jack Kirby & Mike Royer

This edit superimposes two Grateful Dead-related studio experiments, so they are playing simultaneously. Robert Hunter and John Barlow on vocals. Not for the faint-hearted. Posted by request. 

1m20s mp3 here

“Shit Happens” - John Barlow vocal (1988):

It doesn't matter, doesn't matter, it's all right

Universe still works tonight

Shit happens, shit happens, it's OK

What comes to pass will pass away

Whatever hits the fan might splatter

It's all right 'cause it doesn't matter

Doesn't matter, doesn't matter

It's all right, it doesn't matter

“The Barbed Wire Whipping Party” - Robert Hunter vocal (1969):

The barbed wire whipping party in the razor blade forest

Sweet live meat, my fangs could unravel you

Back, hand, whip, lash, [eskers], sangfroid, leather picnic

Duty, cold blood, barbed wire, naked on the table, laughing

Feet stained wine and eyes smoking

No is permitted

There's more freedom than you could choke down in ten thousand years

The other day I went to Mars and talked to God

And he told me to tell you to hang tight and don't worry

The solution to everything is death

Cover art by Raymond Pettibon