Best Grateful Dead Songs

The Top Ten
1 St. Stephen

St Stephen performed live (not the album version) really is the Grateful Dead's greatest song of all! It's so bumpy, alive and jumping. And it's a hoot to play live with friends too. The version that's included on "Live Dead" which leads into "The Eleven" (which I'd consider perhaps another one of their greatest songs of all! That jam is so complex and fiery!) is the best version available of the amazing St. Stephen. There are some Dick's Picks that include St. Stephen into The Eleven, but for the casual fan or the curious, you just can't beat St. Stephen/The Eleven from "Live Dead". I hope that those of you who've never heard this brilliant song, choose to check it out on YouTube!

2 Friend of the Devil
3 Truckin'

"What a song man, what a song, perfect. You will never get tired of listening it."

4 Casey Jones
5 Ripple

Read the lyrics and listen to the most beautiful Dead tune ever!

6 China Cat Sunflower
7 Touch of Grey

It came into concerts around '82, and didn't make it to a record til '89, I think. Perfect song for a perfect time in the band's long strange trip

8 Terrapin Station

A powerful masterpiece that in its best versions leaves goosebumps. One of the greatest songs by one of the greatest bands ever. This song can transcend time and at times be a symbolic image of the mightiest images possibly portrayed by this genius of a band.

One of the most beautiful tunes ever written, with sounds that send chills down your spine just thinking about them. One of a kind and powerful

Progressive, complex music and lyrics. My favorite Dead material.

Indeed this is the #1 song of this Band.

9 Box of Rain
10 Scarlet Begonias

I was tripping at a show somewhere and I met the girl of my dreams while this song was playing. This was in the late eighties. I never got her name or number, but if you're reading this, lady gypsy sugar plum fairy, I hope all is well in the bubbly maroon love sauna.

The Contenders
11 Uncle John's Band

Great song about life

12 Playing In the Band
13 Eyes of the World

Always one of my favorites!

14 Sugar Magnolia

What can be said?

15 U.S. Blues
16 Althea
17 Shakedown Street
18 Standing On the Moon
19 Dark Star
20 The Golden Road
21 Morning Dew
22 Cassidy
23 Franklin's Tower

"Roll away, the dew!"

24 Fire On the Mountain
25 Mississippi Half Step

Have seen the Dead many times and Half-Step is my favorite opening number. I mean, I always love it, but like Cold Rain & Snow it's a perfect opening number.

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