Sugaree
Encyclopedia
"Sugaree" is a song
written by long-time Grateful Dead
lyricist Robert Hunter
and composed by guitar
ist Jerry Garcia
. It was written for Jerry Garcia's first solo album Garcia
, which was released in January 1972. As with the songs on the rest of the album, Garcia plays every instrument himself (except drums, played by Bill Kreutzmann
), including acoustic guitar, bass guitar, and an electric guitar played through a Leslie speaker
.
The song was first performed live on July 31, 1971, at the Yale Bowl
in Yale University
, as was the song "Mr. Charlie". The track appears on numerous other recordings, including Dick's Picks Volume 3
and One From the Vault
.
Rusty York recorded a Marty Robbins-penned song in 1959 (Chess 1730) called, "Sugaree."
Fred Neil
released a song in 1966 on his eponymous album called "I've Got a Secret (Didn't We Shake Sugaree)."
Elizabeth Cotten
wrote and recorded "Shake Sugaree," also about dying, in 1967. The chorus of Cotton's song is "Oh lordie me/Didn't I shake sugaree?"
Nick Barker
covered this song on his album titled Black Water Blues released in 2009.
Covered by Graham Parker on his 2004 LP, Your Country.
Jackie Greene
recorded a cover for his 2009 release The Grateful EP.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
written by long-time Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
lyricist Robert Hunter
Robert Hunter (lyricist)
Robert C. Hunter is an American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator, and poet, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.-Biography:He was born Robert Burns in San Luis Obispo, California...
and composed by guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
. It was written for Jerry Garcia's first solo album Garcia
Garcia (album)
Garcia is Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia's first solo album, released in 1972.Warner Bros. Records offered the Grateful Dead the opportunity to cut their own solo records, and Garcia was released during the same time as Bob Weir's Ace and Mickey Hart's Rolling Thunder...
, which was released in January 1972. As with the songs on the rest of the album, Garcia plays every instrument himself (except drums, played by Bill Kreutzmann
Bill Kreutzmann
Bill Kreutzmann is an American drummer who played with the rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year career...
), including acoustic guitar, bass guitar, and an electric guitar played through a Leslie speaker
Leslie speaker
The Leslie speaker is a specially constructed amplifier/loudspeaker used to create special audio effects using the Doppler effect. Named after its inventor, Donald Leslie, it is particularly associated with the Hammond organ but is used with a variety of instruments as well as vocals. The...
.
The song was first performed live on July 31, 1971, at the Yale Bowl
Yale Bowl
The Yale Bowl is a football stadium in New Haven, Connecticut on the border of West Haven, about 1½ miles west of Yale's main campus. Completed in 1914, the stadium seats 61,446, reduced by renovations from the original capacity of 70,869...
in Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, as was the song "Mr. Charlie". The track appears on numerous other recordings, including Dick's Picks Volume 3
Dick's Picks Volume 3
Dick's Picks Volume 3 is the third live album in the Dick's Picks series by the Grateful Dead. It was recorded on May 22, 1977 at the Sportatorium in Pembroke Pines, Florida...
and One From the Vault
One From the Vault
One From the Vault is a live album by the Grateful Dead, recorded on August 13, 1975 at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, California, and released April 15, 1991 on Grateful Dead Records, the personal record label of the band...
.
Rusty York recorded a Marty Robbins-penned song in 1959 (Chess 1730) called, "Sugaree."
Fred Neil
Fred Neil
Fred Neil was an American folk singer-songwriter in the 1960s and early 1970s. He did not achieve commercial success as a performer, and is mainly known through other people's recordings of his material – particularly "Everybody's Talkin'", which became a hit for Harry Nilsson after being...
released a song in 1966 on his eponymous album called "I've Got a Secret (Didn't We Shake Sugaree)."
Elizabeth Cotten
Elizabeth Cotten
Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten was an American blues and folk musician, singer, and songwriter.A self-taught left-handed guitarist, Cotten developed her own original style. Her approach involved using a right-handed guitar , not re-strung for left-handed playing, essentially, holding a right-handed...
wrote and recorded "Shake Sugaree," also about dying, in 1967. The chorus of Cotton's song is "Oh lordie me/Didn't I shake sugaree?"
Nick Barker
Nick Barker
Nicholas "Nick" Paul Barker is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist who formed a Melbourne-based rock, power pop band Nick Barker & the Reptiles in March 1988. Their cover version of Cockney Rebel's "Make Me Smile " reached the top 30 on the Australian Recording Industry Association ...
covered this song on his album titled Black Water Blues released in 2009.
See also
- Dark StarDark Star (song)"Dark Star" is a song released as a single by the Grateful Dead. It was written by lyricist Robert Hunter and composed by lead guitarist Jerry Garcia; however, compositional credit is sometimes extended to include Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, the late Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, and Bob Weir...
- Musical improvisationMusical improvisationMusical improvisation is the creative activity of immediate musical composition, which combines performance with communication of emotions and instrumental technique as well as spontaneous response to other musicians...
Covered by Graham Parker on his 2004 LP, Your Country.
Jackie Greene
Jackie Greene
Jackie Greene is an American singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:Greene was born Chris Nelson in Salinas, California, and developed an interest in music at an early age, starting with the piano. At 14, he began to play guitar and within a short time, was able to sit in with local bar bands. As...
recorded a cover for his 2009 release The Grateful EP.
External links
- Dead.net, the official homepage of the Grateful Dead.