With this take on Dupree’s Diamond Blues we find another example where I wanted to explore how the 1978 configuration of the Grateful Dead handled the song.

The Keith and Donna iteration of the band only played the song 6 times (in 1977 and 1978) and this is the only version featuring those two that has been released. Once I considered those facts this decision became a no-brainer for me. What I expected to hear and what they actually played were somewhat divergent, but that’s the beauty of the Dead. Each configuration’s approach to a given song could be radically different. I would be intrigued in some of those Fall 1977 versions getting some play though. Perhaps I’ll have to track a couple of those down to see how they compare with this version. Ok, I just checked my collection and I have a copy of 10/2/77 and gave it a quick listen. It’s good. Really good. I may even like it better than this version. See, I wouldn’t have even looked that up if I wasn’t writing this. This project is paying dividends for me too (at least in the music listening and appreciation department).

Random side note: I really like the fractal artwork for this release too.

How is it that Bobby’s guitar sounds like Brent in the 1980s? Is it just me or this that the case here? Aaaah…. There’s Donna. One of the big reasons I wanted to listen to this more closely was to hear her doing the backing vocals and they’re phenomenal. Keith isn’t playing as much boogie woogie/barroom piano like I would expect on this tune, but then again it may have just been the era of his decline? Weir’s guitar is both jangly and percussive at the same time. How does he manage that sound? Phil does a bunch of walk ups and chromatic run that provide poignant accents at key points. Jerry crunches through the melody just once at the end. Phil says “And that’s a true story folks” afterwards. Har har har Phil.

Complete Setlist 2/4/78