Lyrics omitted. The annotations below are reproduced by permission of David Dodd; the song lyrics themselves are copyrighted and are not reproduced here. Read them at the official source: dead.net/songs.
First performance: July 31, 1971, at the Yale Bowl, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. "Sugaree" occupied the second spot in the first set, following the opener, "Truckin'", and preceding "Mr. Charlie", also performed for the first time in this show. The song remained in the repertoire thereafter.
Covered by Merl Saunders and the Rainforest Band on Save the Planet So We'll Have Someplace to Boogie.
The title is reminiscent of the Elizabeth Cotten song, "I've Got a Secret (Shake Sugaree)". Fred Neil recorded the tune in a version in which he re-worked the melody somewhat.
Versions of a "Sugaree" (not the Garcia/Hunter tune) appear on
And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.
The basic tenet of jubilee is that all debts should be forgiven. This included indenture and mortgage of person and property. Thus, the concept was readily embraced by America's slave population, and entered our folklore.
Perhaps the character in "Sugaree" is saying that both of them would need a jubilee in order to freely see each other again; othewise, they will remain on the run for whatever mysterious reason.