Grateful Dead: “Sugar Magnolia”
ALBUM: American Beauty
YEAR: 1970
WRITERS: Robert Hunter, Bob Weir
The studio version wasn’t released as a single. A live version from Europe ’72 was in 1973 and peaked at number-91 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Bob Weir co-wrote “Sugar Magnolia” with the Grateful Dead’s go-to lyricist, Robert Hunter. Weir says it was inspired by what was going on in his life at the time. “It’s sort of a puppy love song. It was right after we’d done a tour with Delaney & Bonnie, and I was having a little affair, so I thought I’d write a little love tune for my little sweetheart. That was pretty much the name of that tune.”
Bob Weir celebrates his 70th birthday today (October 16th).
