Sugar Magnolia

Grateful Dead

Sugar Magnolia blossom's blooming
Head's all empty and I don't care
Saw my baby down by the river
Knew she'd have to come up soon for air

Sweet blossom come on under the willow
We can have high times if you'll abide
We can discover the wonders of nature
Rolling in the rushes down by the riverside

She's got everything delightful
She's got everything I need
Takes the wheel when I'm seeing double
Pays my ticket when I speed

She come skimming through rays of violet
She can wade in a drop of dew
She don't come and I don't follow
Waits backstage while I sing to you

She can dance a Cajun rhythm
Jump like a Willys in four wheel drive
She's a summer love in the spring, fall and winter
She can make happy any man alive

Sugar magnolia
Ringin' that blue bell
Caught up in sunlight
Come on out singing
I'll walk you in the sunshine
Come on honey, come along with me

She's got everything delightful
She's got everything I need
A breeze in the pines in the summer night moonlight
Crazy in the sunlight yes indeed

Sometimes when the cuckoo's crying
When the moon is halfway down
Sometimes when the night is dying
I take me out and I wander round
I wander round

Sunshine daydream
Walking through the tall trees
Going where the wind goes
Blooming like a red rose
Breathing more freely
Light out singing
I'll walk you in the morning sunshine
Sunshine daydream
Walk you in the sunshine


Lyrics submitted by itsmyownmind

Sugar Magnolia Lyrics as written by Robert Hall Weir Robert C. Hunter

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Sugar Magnolia song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

54 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +8
    General Comment
    To all of you who think the dead is just about pot and acid, go F*ck yourselves. This is a beautiful song (Check it out on Europe '72, absolutely beautiful.) I may only be 16 and have never been blessed to see em with jerry but even I know they were about more than just dope. Sure, there was pot, and alot of it, sure there was alotta acid. but not everything has to be about drugs. This (while no doubt does contain drug refrences,) song conjurs up images of carefree summer days spent with a beautiful girl, and as "Sugar_Magnolia" said, ""Its about a girl who has yet to reach self actualization but she is coming around and will soon get there, but he seess her as a beautiful person who still brings light to everyones day even though she doesnt yet realize who she is."" So thank you to all those who know that music from the 60's and 70's goes deeper than a buncha pot smokin acid droppin long haird hippies and can have a deeper more beautiful meaning
    jkstrawon June 07, 2010   Link
  • +3
    General Comment
    it's a love song about the perfect girl. it's not a love song about marijuana or any drugs. it's about the perfect girl who you can have a great time with. get high with her down by the river, under the willow.
    nightkrawleron May 30, 2005   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    This is my favorite Dead song, regardless of whether it's about dope, it always makes me feel better and at peace when I hear it, heard a kick ass version @ ventura county fairgrounds when they used some echo effect and kept repeating ' Sunshine Daydream'. miss you Jerry.
    tpsullyon January 28, 2005   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    Just because it's the Grateful Dead doesn't necessarily mean it's about drugs, folks. It's most definitely about a girl. Bob Weir's lover at the time, Frankie, was certainly of some inspiration to this song ("waits backstage while I sing to you"). I do know this song created some friction bewtween Robert Hunter (the main lsyricist of it) and Bob Weir (who penned the line "Jump like a Willys in four wheel drive", much to Hunter's dismay). It eventually became so tense between the two that when John Perry Barlow - himself a fine, fine lyricist - started writing word for Weir's music, Hunter said, "Take him, he's yours!" Great, great song, both live and in the studio. Live it was a straight-out rocker, the studio version has almost a country-ish lilt which is quite pleasing.
    DelilahJoneson August 22, 2014   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Another one i must be way off on. This always seemed to be about a Jeep.
    *Merlin*on February 11, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    It's a good song, even if it's about drugs. All the flower references can be metaphorical for the features of a woman too.
    Spartacusprimeon January 17, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    To "Ihatepooping" your an idiot and will hopefully see in time what all GD songs are about, hint (all are about the same thig in one way or another) Its about a girl who has yet to reach self actualization but she is coming around and will soon get there, but he seess her as a beautiful person who still brings light to everyones day even though she doesnt yet realize who she is.
    sugar_magnoliaon June 19, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Its a love song about a girl whose fun to be around.
    Letsjoghomeon October 22, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    To Sugar Magnolia: This song is about a woman fully herself. That's why Bobby is enamored. She has everything delightful. This song came from an area in Boulder Canyon. Sugar Loaf Rd and Magnolia Rd.
    sugmag11on April 03, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Who the heck attributed this song's authoring to people other than Bob Weir and Robert Hunter, the men who wrote the song? This information is nonsense and not applicable as well. Why include "Next Time You See Me" in here? Idiot. Lyrics submitted by itsmyownmind "Next Time You See Me" as written by Earl Forest, William G. Harvey Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group Lyrics powered by LyricFind
    MusicalManiac1on October 02, 2014   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!