Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten (1895-1987) - Shake Sugaree

[jessebreuer]

Check out the cover by Mary Flower

[sucklingpiglet]

so nice of a song and voice!

[ratbert77]

Great old song - loved it when I first heard it by Fred Neil - now I have 2 great versions.

[NIBIRUROCK]

one of my favorite songs:)

[Infamissus]

I love this. I also like Willy DeVille's version. Can't go wrong with a great song.

[smobstar]

Just "happened" upon this....I'm honered.

[heathbar67]

So, I'm dilly dallying through YouTube tonight and I just "happen upon" this song for the first time in my 43 years. This is is gift from God.

[ChibaFish]

everything about this is so pure. lovely.

[69Donille]

Oh yeah? Well first I heard it was on Liz Copeland's radio program on 101.9WDET Detroit a few years ago--that means she must have listened to BBC radio2 as well

[ericthecleric]

I also heard this on Brian Matthews' "Sounds of the Sixties" on Radio 2 and was amazed. Beautiful voice which, like allymarks, left me stunned!!!

[CrankCase02]

@ericthecleric Same here. I was just listening to that episode of 'Sounds of the Sixties' on BBC iPlayer when I heard this and started Googling and YouTubing. I'm glad I caught it with only 7 hours to go before it's deleted.

[allymarks]

I heard this record on radio 2 yesterday as well. I was busy at work with the radio in the background and i just froze when this started to play as i had never heard it before and i was totally shellshocked by its effect on me. This may sound strange but it reminded me of my favourite film COOL HAND LUKE and the song that was in that albeit from a different set of strings. Pure Class indeed!!!!!

[SuperJUPP1]

Fantastic ! Good old Brian Matthew played this on 'Sounds of the Sixties' yesterday, -I grabbed my guitar and played it (sort of!) straight away. What a pure , sad, voice. Brian stated that Elisabeth was indeed a cleaner at the Seeger house.

[markmustb1]

just.........fantastic

[Moisticus]

Just heard this on Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour on Sirius/XM. Loved it! So much emotion, I almost cried. Pawning everything to survive but still keeping the spirit.  Simplye awesome.

[OyaRevolutionary]

Fantastic & Full Of Grace!!!

[pedomohd]

this music should live forever, Elizabeth is immortal in the hearts of his fans young and old

[personaltip]

This song makes me weep. Oh my God what a song?

[vauxhall908]

Go watch her tell the story on rainbow quest Petes Seeger's show from the 60's

[TheBittercinema]

God, I love this song. It's perfect.

[ridgely410]

This song is on the Elizabeth Cotton album of the same name, "Shake Sugaree". I used to own it but now, lordy me, don't have Shake Sugaree. All my old albums down in pawn.

[solance66]

This is amazing. Is there more recordings like this (with Cotten's grand daughter singing)?

[synapsecracklepop]

@solance66 "Jesus Lifted Me"

[xuxumel]

pwnd

[toyama1212]

Wonderful and memorable songs

RIP　Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten

[MrShamanman]

could someone please let me know if it is true that elizabeth cotten used to clean pete seegers house? also is it true that she did her first gig at the age of 65? this is just what ive heard (could be bollox)

[synapsecracklepop]

@MrShamanman it's true, she was the Seeger Family Housekeeper. Although she wrote "Freight Train" and other wonderful songs at a very young age, she was "discovered" by Uncle Pete. One can't say "rediscovered" because she had no previous career, unlike many of the bluesmen made famous in modern times during the 60s blues revival.

[MrShamanman]

@synapsecracklepop cheers mate, ive been trying to find out! and also thanks for this posting this video!

[RayBeckerman]

@synapsecracklepop It wasn't Pete Seeger's house, it was his sister's house

[synapsecracklepop]

@RayBeckerman I stand corrected. Thanks for chiming in, Ray. ;--))

[Beezerjuice]

great song thanks for posting!

[ponchatwmac]

Absolutely beautiful! Thanks for putting this on.

[PeluMaad]

Oh...OK....I thought it was just me...but.....what a magnificent vocal!

[2spoonsmaloy]

such a simple song, such beauty from her voice

[passionpicking]

big emotion time!

ChrisPicking

[frg8888]

I just read that It's her grand daughter singing.

[frg8888]

Is that Ms. Cotten singing? if so she sounds like a little girl. Nice song

[RumbleGuts2112]

Brilliant... it's the best word i can say because no other words can come close

[boilerplate7]

That is a precious child voice. Fred Neil was great and she's ten times better. Much more complete lyrics

[mshallfl]

Wow

[bruthaphil]

@synapsecracklepop cool. cheers

[synapsecracklepop]

@Raconteurion The link is top posted, credited and placed in quotes from wikipedia.

Did you invent this screen name for the specific purpose of enlightening me?

Perhaps you should shake the dust from your proverbial, MFin' feet.

[arjhendrix]

ow ow ow Libba sis,

M John Hurt cant compete with yar 40 yr break. what a lady. (800 words)

Blues Mama - always nurtured, had a hard hard hard life but went through it calmly with dignity AND a grt sense of humour. liked to play a guitar too. etc.

wow. grt vocals and i kept putting the 'crackle' on the vocal. is there any with her singing? hey i likes Brenda's vocal...she done made me cry too.

thank you

[cmgushman]

wow i was looking for a good GDead or JGB version of Sugaree and this came up - it stopped me in my tracks, lovely

[suuzzee5]

Stunning, absolutely stunning!

[exdiva46]

The recording I own states the voice is that of her granddaughter.

[synapsecracklepop]

@exdiva46 that information is in the text description

[Buzby2008]

WOW Thats so good I have loved Freight Train for ever since Nancy Whisky sang it

I didn't know this wonderful lady wrote it Her Granddaughter has a lovely voice too

[amigodesonko]

Beautiful vocals.

[sonnyboywannabe]

thank you.

[8zivdor]

Hey this is pretty good. 

[Aeschylus]

This is magnificient - thank you! Her granddaughter's vocals are really lovely.

[sk83below]

I hate the music today

[gallinera]

Beautiful!

[danceliturgy]

Bummer! You still seem to have control of your faculties however, LOL!

[danceliturgy]

@synapsecraclepop: I think you are exactly right. The connection to where we are now from where they were then is really a spiritual concept in one respect and it really just stops my brain and causes me to pause. Speaking of brain...I like your handle as well, just did a workshop on brain development!

[synapsecracklepop]

my synapses done crackle popped

blame the sixties

[danceliturgy]

Oh Lord! I have been looking for this song since I heard Ella Jenkins sing it with a precious little 7 year old at the Old Town School of Music in Chicago. It just makes be cry every time I sing it or hear it...

[synapsecracklepop]

it has the same effect on me - I don't know why really - I just think of that generational connection, sharing a creative response to life's challenges with the younger ones - those sweet young voices - it wasn't all so long ago and we need to preserve that - my grandmother personally knew people that were alive when andrew jackson was president -

nice handle btw - you're not just head smart though - you're heart smart, and that's a good thing

[chkjns]

@synapsecracklepop - I know what you mean about generational connection, my grandmother just died in 2006 at age 112. Her parents were born 1842-4, came to USA in 1872 on their honeymoon & STAYED! She also knew people from so long ago & I just watched 'Old Hickory's' bio on PBS this AM. I've always felt so connected to 160 years of time, including our family staying in touch with family in Denmark for almost 140 years.

Thanks for the beautiful music! Year recorded?

[LeeKVegas]

@chkjns I think this was from her 1967 recordings.

[bruthaphil]

@LeeKVegas I think Fred Neil's version was on his 1966 album... i thought he wrote it but never knew about this version. does anyone know for sure who wrote this? they both rather good.

[synapsecracklepop]

@bruthaphil it's libba's - she's definitely the credited author... and not just this arrangement - now as with most traditional music, it may have origins and inspirations that precede her... but none that I'm aware of - but it don't say "genius" anywhere on my resume'

[chunksmediocrites]

I saw Elizabeth Cotton play a show in the 1970s when I was a child. It's nice to see her again now that I'm an adult and can appreciate her skill.

[jraider2]

What a touching song!

[KRGould1]

another gem!! does anyone know if this available anywhere? many,many thanks for posting this,,,

[summerdays73]

Thank you synapsecracklepop for sharing this beautiful video and adding your well said words. I heard this on Eric Thompson's show and the first thing I did when I got home was look it up on you tube. I listened to it over and over again. The sweetest voice I ever heard. I do believe Jerry is smiling down at us. Well done!!

[treemonisha2006]

BRILLIANT!!!! God bless Ms. Cotten in Heaven and her Granddaughter is singing that song perfectly!

[vauxhall908]

the more info, up top right ,say's it's her grand daughter Libby's whole story is amazing so glad we have these recording...she sounds like Libby i guess no recordings of Libby till her 40's so this is the closest to her 12 year old voice...

[newberry58]

who is singing this ??

[dutchdreams831]

funny all the heads' comments on Cotten's stuff here on youtube. :)

[synapsecracklepop]

I should say, I remember Garcia and Dawson doing the little club circuit, Jerry on slide and Dawson on 12 string, performing traditional American music... pre-New Riders. And I remember them coming out first set before "Working Man's Dead," with acoustical instruments, playing hill music. It was my reason at first, to love and respect the Dead. If now, a generation of Dead-ers, re-discover, the simple grace and beauty of Americana, from blues to bluegrass, then Jerry's legacy is complete.

[Quantanthead]

I love the fact that I never knew the story about Freight Train, and through these videos on youtube I have gotten a good education about Elizabeth Cotten. What a great story.

[meyerw4]

heard it on that same dead show the other day for the first time...brilliant

[nimmie54]

This is brilliant. I love her voice. :)

[123daydream321]

i also first heard this on the dead channel with guest dj eric thompson while i was riding in my car, then as i stopped somewhere there was an older homeless women with weathered and worn hands and face who i gave my 3 bucks to

[PurpleKittybear]

Wow. Thank you for posting this! It puts my mind at ease.

[beammegill]

I love this song! What a Great Folk Legend! She was awesome at playing the guitar, check out her other stuff too:)

[bryantudor]

Has anyone heard the version by Faith Nolan - the Canadian singer/songwriter and social activist? It's fabulous too!

[TJWhitewolf]

Just Beautiful.

[coffeescup]

ELC Forever <3...

[jbdmed]

Great tribute to an American Treasure!!!!!

[poesiepiratmichl]

o welche ehre dies hören zu dürfen

[hyp3rlitexch1ck0]

everything i got is done and pawned

[alitlmonkee]

I am so grateful for youtube where I can find songs like this.... and OF COURSE to The Dead station for letting me know it existed in the first place. Incredible music.

[synapsecracklepop]

someone is going to have to show me where this "Dead Station" is

I haven't seen Uncle Jerry since the 2nd Fest in Speyer, Germany in 1972. I was too loaded to come out of the tent though, and they were probably too loaded to play.

[alitlmonkee]

@synapsecracklepop

Its on satellite radio: SIrius channel 32. Its fantastic.

[PogueMahoneX]

LOVED THAT !!!!!

Thank you so much for uploading.

[jmlary32]

I also heard this on the GD channel a few days ago, and I was blown away. The awesome beauty of this old tune is mind blowing. And I love that members in the world of the GD, saw this also!!!! RIP EC!

[sohlm88]

Heard this song on the Grateful Dead channel and HAD to look it up. Haunting voice. R. Hunter and J. Garcia came up with their Sugeree after this song.

Libba Cotton in the 60's started working for Pete Segger as domestic help. She hadn't played guitar in 40 yrs. She wrote "Freight Train" when she was 12. Amazing American story.

[cosmiccharlie28]

we must have all been listening to channel 32

[dressagegal]

thank you for posting. I have loved this tune for a long time.

[synapsecracklepop]

I"m not sure but I think I heard you singing this before I had any music posted up. I should be thanking you. Good job!

[mmmmly808]

i luv this song, that girls voice is so sweet, bob dylan introduced me to this song with theme time radio hour, dope radio show

[JustcallmeJayrot]

This is raw music at its best. It makes this world so much better knowing there are still people who can appreciate music of this base and quality, and that those people take their time to share it with us. The clarity of the authenticity engenderes a true discourse on traditional americana. DEATHto the INFIDeLS. Sry, caps...lol

[drattswhereitsat]

good stuff

[phdseuss]

thanx 4 sharin the photos. i luv them.

[jporteg]

great emotion ! wonderful !!

[hempenasphalt]

i was looking for this one! it is the one in the film "dogfight", which introduced me to the song. i love it too!

[Nixonesque]

That's how I discovered this song too. Who sings that version?

[hempenasphalt]

you mean in dogfight? I could swear it is this exact version.

[Nixonesque]

It may be. I remember they didn't list it in the closing credits. The closest I was able to find was the Mary Lou Lord version on Got No Shadow, which is great. Thanks for the tip.

[medicaldoctor369]

LLLLLOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVEEEE it!!!

Why don;t more people know this version?!?

They're reallllly missing out