Shake Sugaree -
The song was recorded in the mid-1960s and serves as the title track for her 1967 album on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings .
: It may refer to the practice of throwing sugar on a floor and dancing on it to create a percussive "shuffling" sound.
: Some scholars believe the word is a corruption of "shegureh," a West African percussion instrument made of a gourd enclosed in a bead net. Shake Sugaree
: The verses were largely contributed by the children, each adding words or phrases to the song.
"" is a classic folk-blues song written and popularized by the legendary Elizabeth Cotten . Origins and Composition The song was recorded in the mid-1960s and
: Cotten composed the guitar part first and played it for her great-grandchildren.
: The original recording features Cotten’s 12-year-old great-granddaughter, Brenda Evans , on lead vocals. Meaning of "Sugaree" : The verses were largely contributed by the
The term "Sugaree" and the refrain "shake sugaree" have several interpretations: