Added: 3 years ago
From: DoctorSapperstein
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  • All I know is Jerry and the Dead could back any great singer that lived and were happy to do it and now he and Etta are probably up there with Stevie, Jim, John and all the others just singing and having a good ol' time, laughing at all of our obstinence!

  • I was just talking to Grateful Dead personel about this show with Etta on Facebook. May be the number one Musical High for the Dead as well as Dead Heads.

    Way above playing with Dylan.

    Grateful Dead turned many people onto our American heritage musical roots then any other main stream artist. From Robert Johnson & Rev. Gary Davis to Hank Williams & Merle Haggard, etc. Artist, I know myself & 80% other Dead Heads would never had come accross otherwise! Ledgends Everyone!

  • Hard to believe it, but I was there, I actually got to shake Bill Grahams hand that night. I believe John Cipollina was around that night as well. RIP Etta, John, Jerry, Brett, Bill, and everybody else who has not made it this far.

  • The fat lady has sung. Now it's over :)

  • Oakland...I have a friend who says "that Etta show wasnt New Years Eve.. it was 12-30-82, the night before New Years. I remember because I went to every show of that run at the Oakland Auditorium EXCEPT New Years Eve. (Couldnt get tickets) On NYE I listened to the show outside the venue - Bill Graham had set up loadspeakers outside. The band had an off night anyway. The night before was the one with Etta doing this song." but i don't know, i wasn't there myself

  • It's no secret Miss James had a love affair with the H, what soul singer from the 70's didn't? Nobody will ever come close to doing what she did! So grateful I was able to see her live!

  • WHERE WAS THIS NEW YEARS EVE PERFORMANCE VENUE?

    TOTALLY PRICELESS & AWESOME!

  • I introduced Etta James at UC Santa Cruz where she was inebriated or who knows...it was strange and surreal and sad...but fascinating that she released her last album while in the throws of a dementia diagnosis. Surely want to hear that - RIP Etta...

  • @lukeshiva I was there, agree she was under the influence of something. Did you see John Lee Hooker play there a few years earlier? Great performance!

  • RIP Etta! One of the most memorable evenings of my life!

  • Hi Jerry!

  • Baddest Blues Band Ever!!!!!Love you Girl!!!!GN

  • It's hard to believe this was 30yrs. ago...just the other day! 

  • @stepdvs 29 years ago... 30 at the of this year

  • @jr31105 end of this year*

  • Oh MY GOD I can't believe this footage exists! This was my first GD show and I am so thrilled to know a professional video was shot that night. Anybody got tips on how I can find the whole thing? That was a pivotal night in my life.

    R.I.P. Etta!

  • @gbmar The best I've been able to find are the sound board recordings. Try searching google for grateful dead 1982 12 31 torrent, you might be able to turn up a video. I'm happy with the sound boards.

  • This is her best night & it was a great night. She's definitely in the upper echelon of singers.

  • I think it was Jerry that said when Pig was on, the GD were just a backup band. Love 3:00 or so when Etta looks at Jerry and he is so humble he doesn't look her in the eye...he was so genuine and charming. If your watching this because of Etta, look for an early GD Hard to Handle and enjoy

  • This tells you how great Etta James (and the TOP horns) were---that they could take a distinctly un-funky outfit like the Dead and turn them into a funk machine, for one number at least . . .

  • @EasyAce This tells you how much you know about the Dead.

  • @heroclassworker I know enough to know that the Dead were many things (good things, from 1966-69), but "funky" wasn't exactly one of them after Pigpen died . . .

  • @EasyAce oops - meant to say (1966-71)

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  • RIP ETTA

  • 3 people don't have souls

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  • @NicFitNation that's harsh!

  • RIP you Great Blue Soul! Thank you! Thank you!

  • RIP Etta, you will be dearly missed...thanks for all that Soul!

  • RIP Etta. Lappy from WPLR in New Haven sent me here.

  • R.I.P. Your influence will live on!

  • Gone but not forgotten...R.I.P. Etta - goin' up to the great gig in the sky!

  • The Great Etta James She has Left the building!

    RIP Baby We LOVE you!

  • We love you, Etta!

  • rip etta

  • RIP Etta, you will be missed.

  • RIP Etta

  • Seems as though Bobby was Etta's choice for "pretty little thing".

  • RIP Etta james...!

  • "Who the hell dislikes?" The <1%, obviously.

  • Hmm. I just don't enjoy the post-Pigpen versions of these tunes. The '76-'78 Good Lovin' performances were pretty good, but after that it sounded like the Greatful Dead were doing cover band versions of their own songs. Bobby just wasn't funky enough. If anything, Jerry should have sung the old Pig tunes. He did a lot of duets with Pig that were amazing (Hog For You especially). They should have left Hard to Handle on the shelf this night...

  • @folkhippy dude they were just having fun and pulling songs off the shelf that Etta knew and could rock out on...I think you are taking this a bit too seriously, just IMO

  • Great performance...maybe they're much improvising, no great rehearsals. Dead aren't about timing, are about feeling, and so Etta. Every fine musician should know the feelin' comes first, even if some errors occurs.

  • just watching jerry play at about 3:00 brings tears to my eyes.. and you idiots are arguing about what again? bliss out in the music man.. you're missing it.. aint no time to hate..

  • @vaperjeff is right.

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  • I really dislike the wars that go-on YouTube...fukin grow up people???!!!

  • I am a huge dead head - But she was fucked up as a black man's back yard

  • My First New Years Show, Uncle Bo Bo rode in on a Giant Mushroom !

  • The Dead are jacked because she sings better than Pigpen...

  • this isn't NYE, rather 12-30-1982 per deadlists

    on NYE she sat in for the entire 3rd set.

  • Righteous! Good Thoughts, Vibes and prayers to Etta and her battle with leukemia!

  • so sweet!!! i can see Etta taken a toke but dose? nah.. I'd have to see it to believe that one..

  • etta do not leave us!!

  • Apparently, as the story goes...backstage Bobby Weir was fawning all over Etta James, bowing down to her and professing his love and admiration....and Etta kept saying, "somebody please get this white boy away from me!"

  • @vaperjeff Then she proceeded to make an ass of herself on stage. "White boy" indeed.

  • @MrGrevy Etta made an ass out of herself onstage you say? Obviously you are completely tone-deaf. She was 100% brilliant onstage and you have a tin ear and no sense of humor. The rest of the band found it hilarious that she said that. I would have too, even if it was directed at me. Grow up acquire some taste.

  • @vaperjeff That's just a laughable statement. She wasn't in pitch and her timing was horrendous. You are so far behind you actually think you're in front. Very amusing and sad. Let me guess, you're a race obsessed idiot who thinks Etta can do no wrong. Tin ear indeed. Good lord what a disgrace.

  • @MrGrevy A) Her pitch was fine and her timing was perfect. I've been a musician for 35 years and I graduated from one of the most respected jazz conservatories in the world. You don't know what you're talking about.

    B) Race obsessed? How am I race obsessed? I related an anecdote. I'm not concerned with race AT ALL. I think YOU'RE the one that is race obsessed because OBVIOUSLY that's what set you off on your little tantrum. (btw I'm WHITE, dimwit)

  • @MrGrevy Of course this comment is coming from a moron who's profile picture is of his shirtless torso....the international symbol for "internet douchebag"

  • @vaperjeff Personal attack? Nice. And you tell me to grow up. Sad.

  • @MrGrevy It was well deserved, you race obsessed freak. Yes, grow up. And put your goddamned shirt on for god's sake, you're making an ass out of yourself.

  • True musicians--thanks for posting

  • this video was A) hilarious B) depressing. girlfriend called it an anti-drug ad. this stinks LOL. love the dead and etta but this blows.

  • @stevebeat Wait...how is this an anti-drug ad???? This is awesome. I don't know what you or your girl are talking about.

  • The Dead, at this new Years Eve concert (the signature, at the Oakland Collesium), sent a copter to pluck Etta fr. North beach to sing with them. Blessed boys!

  • The most perfect voice in all genres. Thank you and I love you, Etta!

  • Tanked or not. Etta takes the stage!

  • This is fabulous !!

  • YEAH !!! 1983 YEAH!!! GRATEFUL DEAD YEAH !!!

  • Etta Say Relax  (Yo)

  • The craziest Dead video I ever saw on you tube! Etta James, the Dead and Tower of Power! uh huh uh huh baby

  • lÕl_ï_fëÊl_sø_lÓNely_tOdÀY

  • who the hell dislikes this?

  • N!!CE

  • Were's the rest of this show ?

  • We were backstage for this show usually i do not dig it because there are way to many people on new years eve back there but it was kool this nite and yes etta james got dosed and it turned out to be a great show. I was foolish enough to get a drink from the bar and about 15 minutes later it was fairly obvious there was a whole lotta liquid going on. I miss those days

  • @coyote023 she looks it too! hahaha

  • @coyote023 are you saying then that Etta is tripping her face off during this clip?

  • @modcraft13 Bro, backstage this night was so off the hook you could count the people that didn"t drink a huge puddle on one hand.That was then and to have that much fun at just about each and every nite those was the days and boy do i miss "em

  • One of those hybrid arrangements that didn't allow anybody to shine. I love Etta James, & of course Otis wrote this baby, but Piggy & his "backup" band simply owned this baby.

  • wow amazing she is all woman and her eyes were HUGE!!!.

  • Etta be lookin' at Bobby.

  • @lunadagirl Bobby be lookinat Etta.

  • @lunadagirl Bobby be lookin' at Etta.

  • Do not diss Etta!

  • She want's Bobby really bad. Jungle love baby. she want[s hin sooo bad

  • I was at this whole run. Ghost of Pig was there this night and the 30th, when she came out for the encore.....

  • I have read about this show for years, but haven't ever seen it. Thank you!

  • 12 28 82... new years comes early

  • HOLY SHIT!!! Why have I not heard this before?!

  • @frog442

    i know ! lol....unreal....esp. considering it's a new years show....still crazy stuff i haven't heard of...

  • Anyone have "Tell Mama" from this same show? That would be a nice upload!

  • one of my 1st bootlegs. raise a glass to the old maxell XLII cassette tapes!

  • and Tower of Power!!!

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  • First YT video I've seen were was actually there. Not to be too egotistical but, unlike others on achrive.org I only review shows I attended thus; I know the facts. In this case, was also lucky due to working to get in free to have seen them rehearse w/ Horns (no E), but it was funny 'cause Garcia at first didn't want to bother thinking the tunes were too easy. Yes they are, but they hadn't done them since '71 yet he got up them eventually. They also did this the night before! Augy San Diego

  • Not the same without Pig Pen. It's good with Etta but not great.

  • FUCK YEAH TOP!!!!!!!!

  • gorgeous!!

  • The ultimate jam band more than holds their own with Etta James! I was stunned by how effortlessly Jerry improvised solo after solo in tandem with Etta's freewheeling delivery - and she was obviously impressed and enjoying it thoroughly!

  • watch the whole show on the internet archive

    Search on

    grateful dead 1982-12-30

    and

    grateful dead 1982-12-31

  • I love the way you can't understand 1/2 the words. Check out the whole show on the internet archive:

    search for

    grateful dead 1982-12-31 and

    grateful dead 1982-12-30

  • Wow. That lady just tears it up, man. 

  • When I watch this I'm reminded of how great Pigpen was.

  • @ashleygreenman

    He sure was.

    great vid :)

  • I was at this show and I'm thrilled to see this clip. Wow- what memories.

  • like every thing the dead done..shouldnt work but does

  • prefer pigpen signing it

  • first nye,great time

  • UngratefulLiving420, Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.

  • The TOP horns, funkiest tightest horn section on the planet. Etta, well she's Miss Etta.. I don't mean to insult Dead fans, the dead are a great band, the best in their genre,but listen to the groove when the horns aren't playing. The grove totally collapses. It sounds like they're trying to catch up to the song. The dead are great musicians, but funk is not their strong suit.

  • @bobrich1QEDJ5 are u kidding? type in "Grateful Dead Hard to Handle" in the search and click on first video. Back when Pigpen was in the band they played it all the time, and tore the roof off every time they did. I suppose by 82 they didnt play it as much so were somewhat rusty, but id consider this genre to be right up their alley.

  • @bobrich1QEDJ5

    well i think you should check out Shakedown Street, Dancing in the Streets , and The

    Music Never Stopped by The Grateful Dead especially 77-82 and you might change your opinion.

  • @bobrich1QEDJ5 HOGWASH.

  • Go Etta!!!

  • fantastic..........

  • check out 3:36...

  • etta singing to Bob, "pretty little thing", then jerry, "fine little thing"- jerry smiles...all very cool ...

  • @nhoj2346 i loved that too. ;)

  • singing to Jerry @3:36, jerry smiling....all cool!

  • Sorry, I was at this show and I kept waiting for something real good to happen with Etta and I just thought it was boring. Maybe I am alone in this critique but I really see nothng great about this performance at all.

  • @californiaportugee You're crazy

  • Etta James can really belt out a tune.

  • love the boys with horns. I have this audio but never saw the footage , thx!

  • Smiles!!!

  • Smiles indeed :D

  • Hey, thanks! These were GREAT shows do you have Baby what you want me to do from this one??

  • etta bad

  • holy moly.. this is some dope rhytm and soling and singing in this. for real I love the sound on this and this sounds great.. I'd love to trade vids... hit me up..

  • Weir showing off his inner black woman at 1:25 ish

  • Heard this many times but never having seen it before makes me appreciate how awesome Etta James is. I always loved the Pigpen versions but watching this gives a whole new perspective.

  • Can't believe I'd never heard Hard to Handle til Black Crowes did it in 90's!! And I'm certainly OLD enough! What CAN'T Etta sing? She's got the monopoly on rock, jazz, blues, etc, etc!!!

  • @zenbrenzz That really is sad that you heard it first by the black crows...my sympathy.

  • I love it when the Dead bust out tha Funk !

  • I love the way these guys just move the beat around.

  • tower -a- power

  • It don't get any better than Jerry and Etta!

  • Yea, ya gotta love Jerry and Etta, but for my money nothing beats Jerry (and the boys) and Pigpen's rendition of this song from the Fillmore East 4/71...check it out on the 4 CD release "Ladies and Gentlemen...The Grateful Dead"! Pigpen's rap is killer and the back-and-forth between Phil and Jerry that leads to an "x-factor intense" crescendo, capped by Pig bringing it all home (BaaaaaY-Beee, Here I am...) with the final chorus. The ultimate example of the Dead w/Pigpen blues/rock jammin'!

  • Actually tall Brian 4/71 at the fillmore was one of my first Dead shows, INCREDIBLE

  • agree, I believe it is 4-28-71, my favorite hard to handle, and you are right on with your description of that !!!!!!! Have a tape of it, and there is a guy just yelling, wooohooo the whole time during the jam, and it justs puts you right into the fillmore!!

  • I saw pig pen sing "Turn on your love light for hour and forty five minutes--but nothing beats Etta!

  • I like the double drum set-up.

  • What is herion anyway?

  • the best thing ever

  • Iprophetl you're disgusting Etta James Rocks Iwould also like to thank setboy1 for sticking it to him

  • thank you, Donyel... I love it!!! Etta trippin' with the Grateful Dead.. yeah!!!

  • Actually for those that have jokes, Etta was very clean durning this period having come out of rehab earlier in that year for the last time. Being clean of one of the most addictive drugs Herion is very much an accomplishment. Read her Book Rage To Survive,

  • I think they dosed Etta. And I think Etta could handle it!! :)

  • No thanks. You would like it too much.

  • she sounds f'd up!

  • I agree lol

  • uh...ya think... at a GD New Year's show? Got that right and so was i and everyone else there...nothin betta than Miss Etta! Here's your queen of r&b baby!

  • 3:55-4:05 Etta realizes that maybe she shouldn't have had a full glass of the backstage punch.

  • did etta james smoke weed?

  • Is it really important? Yes she did

  • Yes its important, because now I love her even more

  • iAmanidiot

  • that's a reason to love some one?

  • yes.

  • and so you know...she's probably just ate some of owsley's fire ass L

  • yeah

  • Etta James aint dead!

  • In that same show, Etta says, "I wanna tell you one thing... The Grateful Dead is the baddest American blues band in the world. Been doing it for for years." One of those awesome Dead Moments.

  • agreed. does anyone have a link to more vids of this show?

  • I feel blessed.

  • Etta is playing here, Las Vegas, at the Hilton Feb 20-21. We saw her last year at the Orleans, Hadn't seen her since New Years Eve 1982 with the Dead and only getter better.

  • LOL

  • Etta riding that Garcia Groove. With horns! So, so good.

  • Etta called the Dead the greatest band on earth during these run of shows

  • "Backstage overheard quote during Big River intro (or it may have been el paso jerry guitar intro with etta backstage anyway verbatim quote overheard by my friend standing next to ETTA she goes "DAMN - now that Muthafucka can PLAY!!" what higher praise is there?! ;-) especially coming from etta j

  • I love u etta u were and still are the only woman that can sing At last. Nobodies song can touch that i love u. RIP

  • Yo I got some good news for you. Etta James lives several miles away from me in Riverside California and she is alive and well!!! That's straight fact and I tell you no lies.