Bring on the blues jams - Official Allman Brothers Band Countdown - #1 In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (2 Viewers)

[turnjose7]

23. Rockin’ Horse (Hittin’ the Note – Gregg/Warren/Allen/Jack)

Studio Version

Live at the Beacon, 2003

The third of five songs from the band’s final studio album to make the top 50, in my opinion “Rockin’ Horse” is one of the truly great guitar songs ever written. Multiple killer riffs in this one. The studio version is great. But as is so often the case with Allman songs, this one really came alive when played live.

The Beacon 2003 version linked above is a performance that I never get tired of watching. It is the video that made me believe the Haynes/Trucks lineup could reasonably be mentioned in the same sentence as the Allman/Betts lineup. I have watched it probably hundreds of times and Derek’s solo still mesmerizes me. There is just so much cool stuff going on. For those who aren’t familiar, it starts with a nod to Warren, teasing the Gov’t Mule song “Blind Man in the Dark.” I love at the 6:44 mark when he seamlessly switches from fretting the notes to slide. And the ending to that solo is simply unreal. Oh yeah, Warren’s solo on this one is pretty amazing too.

There are a bunch more great versions out there. Unfortunately, the video on this one cuts out in the middle of the song because it sounds like a really cool jam (and unless my ears deceive me, I think they are teasing the Grateful Dead’s “The Eleven” toward the end). Regardless, I still love that version because Oteil is really feeling the groove.

 

[turnjose7]

22. Back Where It All Begins (Where It All Begins/An Evening With: Second Set – Dickey)

Studio Version

An Evening With…Second Set

Live at Woodstock ‘94

Live at Austin City Limits

“Back Where It All Begins” is from the band’s eleventh studio album, the similarly titled Where It All Begins. It was the third album with Warren Haynes and the last studio album to feature Dickey Betts. The songs were recorded live on a soundstage without headphones and with lights and monitors set up like a concert. According to Dickey and Warren, this allowed a more natural and spontaneous feel that led to better guitar work.

This is probably nowhere more apparent than on “Back Where It All Begins.” While “No One to Run With” and “Soulshine” were probably more popular songs off the album, this is my favorite. I love the simple melody, the harmonies on the chorus, and the great bass work. The guitar solos clinch it for me. When Dickey brought Warren into the band, he told them it was because he wanted someone to challenge him and make him better like Duane did. I think this is where you hear that happening. Lots of great live versions of this one. On some I would give Warren (first solo) the edge and on some I would give Dickey (second solo) the edge. Regardless, my favorite version is the one from An Evening With…Second Set. Both are on fire on that one.

If I have been keeping track correctly, this is presumably @Pip's Invitation's favorite track from this album as well. 

 

[turnjose7]

21. Dreams (The Allman Brothers Band – Gregg)

Studio Version

Live at Fillmore West, 1971

Live at the Beacon, 2003

Another legendary song from the band’s debut album, the path of “Dreams” was similar to “It’s Not My Cross to Bear.” Early versions of the song were written when Gregg was living in L.A. It was written on organ, the only song he ever wrote on that instrument. Along with “Cross,” it was one of the first songs that he brought to the band that they were excited about.

Like “Cross,” the version written by Gregg and the final version were quite different. According to Dickey, they couldn’t find the right arrangement for “Dreams” until they were improvising on “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” and things clicked. You can also hear the obvious jazz influence in this song which really separated it from the other songs on the debut album. Duane, Dickey, and Jaimoe were all very interested in jazz, with Duane in particular idolizing Miles Davis and John Coltrane. I have heard “Dreams” compared to both “All Blues” and “My Favorite Things.” While one can certainly appreciate those comparisons in terms of the musical structure, for me that is a bridge too far. I obviously love all things ABB, but even I’m not bold enough to compare the third best song on their third or fourth best album to the two greatest jazz recordings of all time.

I have previously mentioned that the band absolutely nailed the recording of the first album, getting it done in a few days. The only part they had trouble with was the guitar solo on “Dreams.” Duane just couldn’t get the perfect sound he wanted. After a day of jamming, he would try the solo as the final piece of music for the day (kind of the reverse of Paul recording “Oh Darling” if you followed @krista4's Beatles thread). One day Duane had all the lights in the studio turned out and picked up a slide, which he had not previously used for the solo. This time he nailed it. Butch: “He said that he just saw the slide sitting there, stuck it on, and played a lot of the same licks he had played, redone with the slide. Then he got to the end and started that rolling lick and built to an incredible climax. By the time he finished everybody in there was in tears. It was unbelievable. I still have a hard time listening to that solo without getting emotional.”

The Fillmore West recording of this one is great. There is also a live video recording of this one from Fillmore East, though with the same technical issues that plagued the video of “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’.” Again, it’s definitely still worth checking out. Hearing Duane switch from the fretted part of the solo to the slide part is amazing.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

24. Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’ (Idlewild South – Gregg)

Studio Version

Live at Fillmore East, 1971

Live at The Beacon, 2003

Damn, that’s the way to open a song! The opening lick is played by Duane on slide doubled by Thom Doucette on harmonica. It is that duo that really drives this song. Sure, Dickey adds some cool funky blues riffs, there is a lot of great stuff going on with bass, and Gregg’s growls sound menacing, but it is impossible for the ear not to be drawn to all those great guitar and harmonica fills that saturate this song.

“Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’” was part of the band’s second album, an album that saw expanded use of Duane’s slide guitar. Live versions frequently saw him playing out of his mind on that final solo. In later years, Derek also had some incredible solos on this song, though to me it isn’t the same without the harmonica.

Check out this live video recording of the band playing at the Fillmore East six months before they recorded their legendary album there. Unfortunately, the technical quality isn’t the best and Gregg’s microphone seems to be having issues. It’s still worthwhile, though, because live video of the original lineup is quite rare and it is awesome seeing the interplay between Duane and Doucette.

It's worth noting that the studio version of this is also really good. Idlewild South was difficult to record because the band was on the road so much that it had to be recorded in little pieces at multiple different studios. However, it was the first of many albums recorded with producer Tom Dowd, who had worked with everyone from Cream to John Coltrane, and you can clearly hear that the production quality on this album is significantly better than the first album.

They played a few old songs at my 1992 show that they hadn’t at my 1991 show, and I was really excited to hear them. This was one of them.

This would be the best song on many an album, but for the Allmans, it shared space on the same disc with Revival, Midnight Rider, Hoochie Coochie Man and Liz Reed. Crazy.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

23. Rockin’ Horse (Hittin’ the Note – Gregg/Warren/Allen/Jack)

Studio Version

Live at the Beacon, 2003

The third of five songs from the band’s final studio album to make the top 50, in my opinion “Rockin’ Horse” is one of the truly great guitar songs ever written. Multiple killer riffs in this one. The studio version is great. But as is so often the case with Allman songs, this one really came alive when played live.

The Beacon 2003 version linked above is a performance that I never get tired of watching. It is the video that made me believe the Haynes/Trucks lineup could reasonably be mentioned in the same sentence as the Allman/Betts lineup. I have watched it probably hundreds of times and Derek’s solo still mesmerizes me. There is just so much cool stuff going on. For those who aren’t familiar, it starts with a nod to Warren, teasing the Gov’t Mule song “Blind Man in the Dark.” I love at the 6:44 mark when he seamlessly switches from fretting the notes to slide. And the ending to that solo is simply unreal. Oh yeah, Warren’s solo on this one is pretty amazing too.

There are a bunch more great versions out there. Unfortunately, the video on this one cuts out in the middle of the song because it sounds like a really cool jam (and unless my ears deceive me, I think they are teasing the Grateful Dead’s “The Eleven” toward the end). Regardless, I still love that version because Oteil is really feeling the groove.

Easily their best post-Dickey song and if it had been released in the 60s or 70s, it wouldn’t seem out of place. The melody and riffage are top notch.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

22. Back Where It All Begins (Where It All Begins/An Evening With: Second Set – Dickey)

Studio Version

An Evening With…Second Set

Live at Woodstock ‘94

Live at Austin City Limits

“Back Where It All Begins” is from the band’s eleventh studio album, the similarly titled Where It All Begins. It was the third album with Warren Haynes and the last studio album to feature Dickey Betts. The songs were recorded live on a soundstage without headphones and with lights and monitors set up like a concert. According to Dickey and Warren, this allowed a more natural and spontaneous feel that led to better guitar work.

This is probably nowhere more apparent than on “Back Where It All Begins.” While “No One to Run With” and “Soulshine” were probably more popular songs off the album, this is my favorite. I love the simple melody, the harmonies on the chorus, and the great bass work. The guitar solos clinch it for me. When Dickey brought Warren into the band, he told them it was because he wanted someone to challenge him and make him better like Duane did. I think this is where you hear that happening. Lots of great live versions of this one. On some I would give Warren (first solo) the edge and on some I would give Dickey (second solo) the edge. Regardless, my favorite version is the one from An Evening With…Second Set. Both are on fire on that one.

If I have been keeping track correctly, this is presumably @Pip's Invitation's favorite track from this album as well. 

You are correct. Along with Rockin Horse and Nobody Knows, this is one of the high water marks of their reunion years. The interplay between Dickey and Warren is phenomenal and harkens back to when Duane was there. 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

21. Dreams (The Allman Brothers Band – Gregg)

Studio Version

Live at Fillmore West, 1971

Live at the Beacon, 2003

Another legendary song from the band’s debut album, the path of “Dreams” was similar to “It’s Not My Cross to Bear.” Early versions of the song were written when Gregg was living in L.A. It was written on organ, the only song he ever wrote on that instrument. Along with “Cross,” it was one of the first songs that he brought to the band that they were excited about.

Like “Cross,” the version written by Gregg and the final version were quite different. According to Dickey, they couldn’t find the right arrangement for “Dreams” until they were improvising on “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” and things clicked. You can also hear the obvious jazz influence in this song which really separated it from the other songs on the debut album. Duane, Dickey, and Jaimoe were all very interested in jazz, with Duane in particular idolizing Miles Davis and John Coltrane. I have heard “Dreams” compared to both “All Blues” and “My Favorite Things.” While one can certainly appreciate those comparisons in terms of the musical structure, for me that is a bridge too far. I obviously love all things ABB, but even I’m not bold enough to compare the third best song on their third or fourth best album to the two greatest jazz recordings of all time.

I have previously mentioned that the band absolutely nailed the recording of the first album, getting it done in a few days. The only part they had trouble with was the guitar solo on “Dreams.” Duane just couldn’t get the perfect sound he wanted. After a day of jamming, he would try the solo as the final piece of music for the day (kind of the reverse of Paul recording “Oh Darling” if you followed @krista4's Beatles thread). One day Duane had all the lights in the studio turned out and picked up a slide, which he had not previously used for the solo. This time he nailed it. Butch: “He said that he just saw the slide sitting there, stuck it on, and played a lot of the same licks he had played, redone with the slide. Then he got to the end and started that rolling lick and built to an incredible climax. By the time he finished everybody in there was in tears. It was unbelievable. I still have a hard time listening to that solo without getting emotional.”

The Fillmore West recording of this one is great. There is also a live video recording of this one from Fillmore East, though with the same technical issues that plagued the video of “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’.” Again, it’s definitely still worth checking out. Hearing Duane switch from the fretted part of the solo to the slide part is amazing.

This song is haunting and spooky in the best way. And it has one of Duane’s best solos. It was an early indicator that the band was truly special.

In 1992 I saw this performed twice in one week. I went to see the Black Crowes. When they came out for their encore. Chris Robinson said “The Allman Brothers are going to be in town in a few days. You should go see them.” And the band launched into this. A few days later I did indeed go see the Allmans (having bought my tickets before Mr. Robinson’s recommendation), and they played Dreams as well.

 

[Jackstraw]

21. Dreams (The Allman Brothers Band – Gregg)

Studio Version

Live at Fillmore West, 1971

Live at the Beacon, 2003

Another legendary song from the band’s debut album, the path of “Dreams” was similar to “It’s Not My Cross to Bear.” Early versions of the song were written when Gregg was living in L.A. It was written on organ, the only song he ever wrote on that instrument. Along with “Cross,” it was one of the first songs that he brought to the band that they were excited about.

Like “Cross,” the version written by Gregg and the final version were quite different. According to Dickey, they couldn’t find the right arrangement for “Dreams” until they were improvising on “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” and things clicked. You can also hear the obvious jazz influence in this song which really separated it from the other songs on the debut album. Duane, Dickey, and Jaimoe were all very interested in jazz, with Duane in particular idolizing Miles Davis and John Coltrane. I have heard “Dreams” compared to both “All Blues” and “My Favorite Things.” While one can certainly appreciate those comparisons in terms of the musical structure, for me that is a bridge too far. I obviously love all things ABB, but even I’m not bold enough to compare the third best song on their third or fourth best album to the two greatest jazz recordings of all time.

I have previously mentioned that the band absolutely nailed the recording of the first album, getting it done in a few days. The only part they had trouble with was the guitar solo on “Dreams.” Duane just couldn’t get the perfect sound he wanted. After a day of jamming, he would try the solo as the final piece of music for the day (kind of the reverse of Paul recording “Oh Darling” if you followed @krista4's Beatles thread). One day Duane had all the lights in the studio turned out and picked up a slide, which he had not previously used for the solo. This time he nailed it. Butch: “He said that he just saw the slide sitting there, stuck it on, and played a lot of the same licks he had played, redone with the slide. Then he got to the end and started that rolling lick and built to an incredible climax. By the time he finished everybody in there was in tears. It was unbelievable. I still have a hard time listening to that solo without getting emotional.”

The Fillmore West recording of this one is great. There is also a live video recording of this one from Fillmore East, though with the same technical issues that plagued the video of “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’.” Again, it’s definitely still worth checking out. Hearing Duane switch from the fretted part of the solo to the slide part is amazing.

Whoa this would be a top five Allman song for me at minimum if not THE best song. For me it embodies everything I love about the band. First of all the song lends itself to how absolutely TIGHT they were. Which is more difficult with six musicians. You get wonderful changes in tempo and volume. The bassline is mesmerizing. You get the classic tiptoe into the guitar solos with gradual buildup to screaming southern guitar. Slide guitar work which is a must. The percussion unit really gets to do serious work. 

Just everything I could want in a jam song. This is a song that really has crossover appeal to the deadheads for sure. In the nineties they still did the old fashioned colored liquids sloshing around on an overhead projector type set up. 

My favorite story was when I basically busted my cherry on serious rock music. Kansas City early ninteties. Blues Travelor was opening for the Allmans at Starlight amphitether. BT blew me away but at the end of their set Popper says,"And now the Allman Brothers are going to come out and crack your heads open like casaba melons!" And that's just what they did. 

Pretty much clicked for me at that show and I was on the road for the next ten years. Allmans, Dead, Phish, Panic and on and on.  

 

[turnjose7]

This song is haunting and spooky in the best way. And it has one of Duane’s best solos. It was an early indicator that the band was truly special.

In 1992 I saw this performed twice in one week. I went to see the Black Crowes. When they came out for their encore. Chris Robinson said “The Allman Brothers are going to be in town in a few days. You should go see them.” And the band launched into this. A few days later I did indeed go see the Allmans (having bought my tickets before Mr. Robinson’s recommendation), and they played Dreams as well.

Nice. I have a Crowes show where Warren sits in with them and they play "Dreams."

 

[turnjose7]

Whoa this would be a top five Allman song for me at minimum if not THE best song. For me it embodies everything I love about the band. First of all the song lends itself to how absolutely TIGHT they were. Which is more difficult with six musicians. You get wonderful changes in tempo and volume. The bassline is mesmerizing. You get the classic tiptoe into the guitar solos with gradual buildup to screaming southern guitar. Slide guitar work which is a must. The percussion unit really gets to do serious work. 

Just everything I could want in a jam song. This is a song that really has crossover appeal to the deadheads for sure. In the nineties they still did the old fashioned colored liquids sloshing around on an overhead projector type set up. 

My favorite story was when I basically busted my cherry on serious rock music. Kansas City early ninteties. Blues Travelor was opening for the Allmans at Starlight amphitether. BT blew me away but at the end of their set Popper says,"And now the Allman Brothers are going to come out and crack your heads open like casaba melons!" And that's just what they did. 

Pretty much clicked for me at that show and I was on the road for the next ten years. Allmans, Dead, Phish, Panic and on and on.  

Nice. No problem with someone ranking this one top 5. They are all great songs at this point and I love it. For me it is a little below the top tier because, following up on what I said in the commentary, I actually do think it is a little derivative of "All Blues" (Jaimoe basically admits he plays Jimmy Cobb's drum part note-for-note) and the second guitar isn't featured as much as on their other great stuff. 

 

[turnjose7]

Also for those who like Blues Traveler, check out some of the Warren Haynes Benefit Concerts and Christmas Jams. John Popper is frequently all over those. 

I'm a fan of a set he does with Edwin McCain, Oteil Burbridge, and Jimmy Herring from Benefit Concert Vol. 3:

http://www.warrenhaynes.net/discography/detail/warren_haynes_presents_the_benefit_concert_vol_3

Here they are doing "That Sign on the Door":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnA0fNn4p4E

The other song they do in that set, "Alone" may be better but I can't find a video right now. 

I saw Blues Traveler open for the Stones back in the day. Great show. 

 

[turnjose7]

20. Southbound (Brothers and Sisters – Dickey)

Studio Version

Live at Winterland, 1973

An Evening With…First Set

Another song from Brothers and Sisters, “Southbound” is a song that is associated with some of the band’s highest highs and lowest lows. The musicianship on this one is outstanding. The song has some of my favorite bass of any ABB song. Chuck’s piano on the studio version is phenomenal. When the band was on top of their game, the live version of this was up there with anything they did. The version on An Evening With…First Set features some blistering guitar exchanges between Dickey and Warren (and some cool vocal exchanges as well). 

That being said, for being such an upbeat, positive-sounding song, “Southbound” also conjures up some of the most painful memories in Allman Brothers history. In 1973 Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert show came to Macon, Georgia to do a TV special with the Allman Brothers. In one of his more volatile moments (and likely suffering the effects of some mind-altering substances), Dickey walked out on the band. While he eventually returned and they were able to record a few songs, they were nowhere near the top of their game musically that night and some see this episode as the start of the downward spiral the band went through in the 1970s and 1980s. “Southbound” was the lone song from Brothers and Sisters they were able to adequately record that day. Things went downhill from there, and it wasn’t long before the low point of the band was reached during the Arista years. Yes, that is a keytar on stage. In fairness, most of the rest of that 1982 performance including Dickey’s scorching guitar and the vocal tradeoff between Dickey and Gregg is very good. But really, a keytar? How low can you get?

Despite some mixed feelings on this one, it still ranks high on my list because at its best the music is just so incredibly good. People often call the Allman Brothers Band the founders of southern rock, though the band always eschewed that label. Which is fair, because calling them that really undersells everything they did. They were an outstanding blues band, they were a top-notch hard rock band, they were a jazz fusion band before anyone really used that term, and they were a strong country band. Nevertheless, it is hard to imagine a more southern rock song than “Southbound” which illustrates they were the best at that too. For that reason it deserves a top 25 ranking on the list.

 

[turnjose7]

19. Hot’lanta (At Fillmore East – Duane/Gregg/Dickey/Butch/Berry/Jaimoe)

Live at Fillmore East, 1971

Live at Fillmore West, 1971

Live in New Hampshire, 2004

“Hot’lanta” was written at Idlewood South and was a true group effort. Butch: “We had taken something strong and Gregg was sitting at his organ playing the opening lick and Dickey walked by behind him, sang the guitar riff, and picked up his Gibson and started playing it. Then we were all on our instruments and in a half an hour we had the whole damn thing worked out.”

Compared to their other instrumentals, “Hot’lanta” is relatively brief, but there is a lot of greatness packed into the song. The Fillmore versions feature outstanding solos by both Duane and Dickey (the Fillmore East solos are great, but I actually like Duane’s solo at Fillmore West a little bit better). The drum break is concise but very cool. And once again Gregg contributes an underrated organ solo.

I mentioned the version from Fillmore East. That is the debut version as this song was never featured on a studio album.

We have probably made it too long in the rankings without saying something about the Allman Brothers and their relationship to the Fillmore East venue. The band’s most famous performances are from March 12 and 13, 1971. Those are the performances that gave us the album, At Fillmore East, which in my opinion is not only the greatest live album, but the best album ever recorded, period. The album was not overdubbed at all. Some edits were made for conciseness, but every note played on the album was played live at those concerts.

While the March 1971 shows are the best known, the Allman Brothers played the venue many other times. Most notably, they played the final show at the venue before it closed, June 27 1971. The final night at the venue featured a number of popular artists including the J. Geils Band, Albert King, Edgar Winter, Mountain, and the Beach Boys. As they were unpacking their equipment the Beach Boys informed promotor Bill Graham they wanted to go last. Graham responded, “Well, just pack up your ####. I have my closing band.”

As the Allman Brothers band took to the stage, Graham introduced them this way: “I’ve never heard the kind of music that his group plays—the finest contemporary music. We’re going to round it off with the best of them all, The Allman Brothers Band.”

 

[turnjose7]

18. Stormy Monday (At Fillmore East – cover)         

Live at Fillmore East, 1971

“Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday’s Just as Bad)”, alternatively “Call It Stormy Monday” or simply “Stormy Monday” is certainly one of the greatest blues songs of all time. First recorded by T-Bone Walker in the 1940s, it apparently inspired no less than B.B. King to take up the guitar. Bobby Bland recorded a different arrangement of the song in 1961 and it is that version that inspired the Allmans. That’s why at the beginning of the At Fillmore East track you hear Duane announce, “While we’re doing that blues thing, we’re gonna play this old Bobby Bland song for ya – actually it’s a T-Bone Walker song.”

The song has been recorded by many other artists and there are a lot of great versions out there. The version that Cream played at Royal Albert Hall in 2005 is probably my all-time favorite Clapton solo. But in my opinion, the definitive version remains the one the Allmans recorded during the second March 13, 1971 Fillmore East show. The band is just hitting on all cylinders and it is hard to imagine slow blues sounding any better.

The Allman Brothers based their version of the song on the Bobby Bland version but introduced further chord changes. They also added an up-tempo organ solo to the middle of the song between the two guitar solos. Gregg’s bright, jazzy organ playing is in stark contrast to the rest of the song and really makes their version stand out. Everything else about this version is great. Gregg’s vocals are superb, and both guitar solos capture blues at its best.

The song also features a cool harmonica solo by Thom “Ace” Doucette. This unfortunately was edited out of the original At Fillmore East album (one of the few flaws in what I still consider to be the greatest album ever recorded) but was restored in later versions.

“Stormy Monday” was played live by the band 381 times so there are plenty of great versions out there. I particularly like one recorded at A&R studios in 1971 and one the final lineup played in Pittsburgh in 2003. You may want to track down some of those recordings. But for this song I am just going to let the Fillmore East link stand alone, because why mess with perfection.

 

[turnjose7]

Weird. I posted #17 and #16 this morning and the posts just disappeared. Oh well, guess I can add them again

17. Black Hearted Woman (The Allman Brothers Band – Gregg)

Studio Version

Live at the Beacon, 2013

At #17 the sixth song to be ranked from the debut album is likely underrated and I am regretting not ranking it higher. This song is just angry. It’s blues perfection from beginning to end. In the write-up for “Trouble No More” I discussed how the Allman Brothers Band’s great talent was remaining true to their blues roots while simultaneously taking the music in new directions and always pushing the boundaries. “Trouble No More” is an example of them doing it by interpreting a blues classic. Here they do it with an ABB original.

Everything about this song is just so damn good. Each guitar note just seems like the perfect note for its point in the song. The drum solo in the middle (which in the studio version is really just a short percussion break, but in live versions could sometimes go on for 10 or 15 minutes) is amazing. And Gregg’s vocals are just dripping with pain and anger.

Two things really make this song standout, however. The first is the lyric-less vocals following the percussion break. On the studio version this was sung by Berry. In later years a number of people took on this role depending on the lineup of the band, with Warren often being featured.

Even better than that is the incredible outro jam. The studio version of the song includes just a short snippet of the jam, hinting at what was to come. When played live, this would sometimes last for 5-10 minutes and would include incredible displays of musicianship. Just listen to the guitar solos at the end of the Beacon 2013 concert. I don’t think anything more needs to be said.

 

[turnjose7]

16. Come on in My Kitchen (Shades of Two Worlds – cover)

Studio Version

Live at the Beacon, 1992

Live at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1998

So much acoustic guitar goodness!

Obviously there have been a ton of important and amazing covers of Robert Johnson songs in the history of rock music. This is without a doubt one of my favorites.

I have written in a few of these entries that Duane and Dickey used to sit around playing acoustic country blues. This is the kind of thing they would play. In fact, Duane was featured playing Dobro on an amazing version of this with Delaney and Bonnie and Friends.

The version on Shades of Two Worlds was arranged by Dickey. It features Dickey on acoustic slide and Warren playing a National Steel resonator guitar. In various live versions Gregg would also join on acoustic guitar. There is also a really cool version from the Johnny Neel days in which Johnny plays harmonica.

There is so much to love about this song. I love the solo resonator guitar at the start, the introduction of the melody through humming before there are any lyrics, and then the tempo change in the middle of the song. Just adding little things here and there they drive up the intensity throughout the whole song. Country blues at its best.

 

[foxco]

Some great choices here and a bunch I haven't listened to in a long time. I saw your Come on in My Kitchen post this morning and put it on and it made for excellent Sunday morning listening. Finished 3 cups of coffee chilling with Allman Bros, thank you sir. 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Weird. I posted #17 and #16 this morning and the posts just disappeared. Oh well, guess I can add them again

17. Black Hearted Woman (The Allman Brothers Band – Gregg)

Studio Version

Live at the Beacon, 2013

At #17 the sixth song to be ranked from the debut album is likely underrated and I am regretting not ranking it higher. This song is just angry. It’s blues perfection from beginning to end. In the write-up for “Trouble No More” I discussed how the Allman Brothers Band’s great talent was remaining true to their blues roots while simultaneously taking the music in new directions and always pushing the boundaries. “Trouble No More” is an example of them doing it by interpreting a blues classic. Here they do it with an ABB original.

Everything about this song is just so damn good. Each guitar note just seems like the perfect note for its point in the song. The drum solo in the middle (which in the studio version is really just a short percussion break, but in live versions could sometimes go on for 10 or 15 minutes) is amazing. And Gregg’s vocals are just dripping with pain and anger.

Two things really make this song standout, however. The first is the lyric-less vocals following the percussion break. On the studio version this was sung by Berry. In later years a number of people took on this role depending on the lineup of the band, with Warren often being featured.

Even better than that is the incredible outro jam. The studio version of the song includes just a short snippet of the jam, hinting at what was to come. When played live, this would sometimes last for 5-10 minutes and would include incredible displays of musicianship. Just listen to the guitar solos at the end of the Beacon 2013 concert. I don’t think anything more needs to be said.

The first time I heard this was in college, when I bought the Beginnings CD that included both of the first two albums. When I got to this I was like  . I couldn't believe that it wasn't a radio staple. There are like three different monster, career-defining riffs IN THE INTRO OF THE SONG. 

I completely freaked out when they played it at my 1992 show. 

It might be in my top 10. 

 

[turnjose7]

15. Kind of Bird (Shades of Two Worlds – Dickey/Warren)

Studio Version

Live on The Tonight Show

Live in Germany, 1991

We have back-to-back entries from Shades of Two Worlds, the closing two songs from the album. I didn’t plan it that way, but it was kind of cool to see them fall side-by-side like this. I think this is my second favorite one-two punch to close an Allman album, trailing only the closing songs on Eat a Peach. The combination of “Dreams” and “Whipping Post” on the debut album is also in contention, but for me the stark contrast between “Kind of Bird” and “Come on in My Kitchen” even more impressively demonstrates the tremendous range of this band.

“Kind of Bird” may not move @Pip's Invitation, but it certainly moves me. I think this song is simply brilliant. The main theme is so complicated and interesting. I love all the different sections and tempo changes. The percussion is incredible throughout.

This jazzy composition is a tribute to Charlie “Bird” Parker. It is notable for being a collaborative composition between Dickey and Warren. We know from “Instrumental Illness” that Warren can write great instrumentals. The combined powers of him and Dickey really create something special here.

Warren frequently played this one with Gov’t Mule as well, including this phenomenal version with jazz guitarist John Scofield (for whom the Gov’t Mule song “Sco-Mule” is named) and this mind-blowing acoustic version. 

 

[turnjose7]

14. Melissa (Eat a Peach – Gregg)

Studio Version

Live in Hollywood, 1992

As a teenager in the mid-1960s, Gregg was trying to learn how to write original songs. He came up with a lot a good pieces, but struggled to put everything together. He estimated that he wrote 300-400 songs before coming up with something that was truly usable. Then one day in 1967 he picked up Duane’s guitar, which happened to be tuned to open-E, and started to strum some chords. The tune started pouring out of him, and it wasn’t long before he had the entire thing worked out with one exception – he couldn’t think of a name. He sat on it for awhile until he heard someone shout at a little girl named Melissa running through the aisles at a grocery store, and he knew he had it. He dropped his groceries and ran home to finish the lyrics: “But back home he’ll always run to sweet Melissa.”

I have heard people say that this was Duane’s favorite song, though his initial reaction doesn’t quite support that. Gregg: “I made a little recording and played it for my brother and he said, ‘It’s pretty good–for a love song. It ain’t rock and roll that makes me move my ###.’ He could be tough that way.”

Perhaps the song grew on Duane because the following year the brothers recorded a version of the song with Butch Truck’s group at the time, The 31st of February. This was later released under the misleading title Duane and Gregg Allman. This version is notable as the first known recording of Duane playing slide guitar.

Obviously “Melissa” is an Allman Brothers classic, but it almost wasn’t one of the band’s songs. Gregg thought it was too soft for the band and planned to release it on his solo album. However, as they were recording Eat a Peach they needed another song and because Gregg knew Duane had liked it, he brought it to the band as a tribute to his brother (it was recorded around the same time as “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More”).

I don’t think I really needed to say much about why this is a great song. If you can’t appreciate the beauty in this one, I don’t know what to tell you.

 

[Mookie Gizzy]

15. Kind of Bird (Shades of Two Worlds – Dickey/Warren)

Studio Version

Live on The Tonight Show

Live in Germany, 1991

We have back-to-back entries from Shades of Two Worlds, the closing two songs from the album. I didn’t plan it that way, but it was kind of cool to see them fall side-by-side like this. I think this is my second favorite one-two punch to close an Allman album, trailing only the closing songs on Eat a Peach. The combination of “Dreams” and “Whipping Post” on the debut album is also in contention, but for me the stark contrast between “Kind of Bird” and “Come on in My Kitchen” even more impressively demonstrates the tremendous range of this band.

“Kind of Bird” may not move @Pip's Invitation, but it certainly moves me. I think this song is simply brilliant. The main theme is so complicated and interesting. I love all the different sections and tempo changes. The percussion is incredible throughout.

This jazzy composition is a tribute to Charlie “Bird” Parker. It is notable for being a collaborative composition between Dickey and Warren. We know from “Instrumental Illness” that Warren can write great instrumentals. The combined powers of him and Dickey really create something special here.

Warren frequently played this one with Gov’t Mule as well, including this phenomenal version with jazz guitarist John Scofield (for whom the Gov’t Mule song “Sco-Mule” is named) and this mind-blowing acoustic version. 

Pumped to see Kind of Bird this high. May be my favorite tune from ‘75 on

 

[turnjose7]

13. Old Friend (Hittin’ the Note – Warren)

Studio Version

Electric Version from the Beacon, 2014

Dressing Room Jam

The final song on the band’s final studio album, “Old Friend” holds the distinction of being the only Allman Brothers song not to feature one of the six original members, with Warren and Derek being the only personnel on the song.

This song is simply stunning. Cool lyrics, outstanding vocals, and masterful guitar playing. It’s truly amazing how two slide guitars and a voice can produce such a robust sounding and amazing piece of music.

The “dressing room” version of the song, featured at the end of the 2003 Beacon DVD, might be my favorite music video I’ve ever watched. I’m sure I’ve viewed it more than 100 times. They are so in sync it’s ridiculous.

Not much more to say about this one. Just awesome.

 

[turnjose7]

12. One Way Out (Eat a Peach – cover)

Live at Fillmore East, 1971

Live at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1995

“One Way Out” is a song for which the actual authorship is unclear. Writing credits have varied over the years. It was recorded in the 1960s by both Elmore James and Sonny Boy Williamson. Though few would argue that the definitive version is by the Allman Brothers.

The recording from Eat a Peach comes from the final show at Fillmore East that was discussed in the “Hot’lanta” write-up. It’s an outstanding rendition, but there are a ton of other great versions out there. Along with another blues cover that is still to come, I think this might have been one of their most consistently great songs over the years, with outstanding performances even when the band was not at their best.

The Allman version of the song is obviously much higher tempo than previous versions. The main guitar riff is also a distinguishing feature. The song always featured sizzling guitar. This version has some insane playing by Dickey (as a bonus it also features a tease of the Don Nix song “Goin’ Down,” famously recorded by Deep Purple, as well as a killer percussion break). This may be Dickey’s most consistently great guitar song. Duane contributed some very nice slide in the early years which Warren picked up in later years.

But the best part of the song, of course, is the a cappella wailing by Gregg at the end, “Lord, just might be your man, I don’t know.” It might be my second favorite Gregg part to any song, only behind a legendary vocal that we will get to closer to the end of the list.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

only behind a legendary vocal that we will get to closer to the end of the list.

Sometimes it feels like Gregg is dying when he sings. 

 

[turnjose7]

11. Revival (Idlewild South/An Evening With…First Set – Dickey)

Studio Version

Live at Great Woods, 1991

Live at the Beacon, 1992

An Evening With…First Set

“Revival” was the first songwriting credit Dickey had for the group. It became the lead single for Idlewild South and was the first Allman Brothers song to chart.

The song was originally written as an instrumental. You can hear this as you listen to it. The guitar parts are so catchy, much like Dickey’s other instrumentals. As the band was playing, Dickey started singing along as an afterthought and it seemed to work, so they went with it (though transferred the vocal duties to Gregg as Dickey wasn’t quite ready to take on that role on an ABB album – more on that later).

There are few songs that make me feel more genuinely happy when I listen to them than “Revival.” I have heard the song described as “vibrant” and I certainly think that fits. With the bouncy rhythm and all the cool little guitar riffs, it is so much fun (it is actually my favorite Allman song to play on guitar). My favorite part is when each consecutive instrument—bass, guitar, organ, guitar—takes a short break to play a riff (about 3 minutes in on the studio version). The second guitar, the acoustic, is Duane. As previously mentioned during the “Midnight Rider” entry, Duane played all the acoustic parts when he was with the band due to his extensive studio experience.

My only problem with this song is that it might be too catchy. As I’m doing this write-up I am listening to it over and over and it just doesn’t get old. I think I might have a problem.

 

[turnjose7]

I'm going to take tomorrow off and may take another day or two after that. I'll definitely start the top 10 by the end of the week, though. 

 

[berndog]

I'm going to take tomorrow off and may take another day or two after that. I'll definitely start the top 10 by the end of the week, though. 

I’ll be waiting for your return.  Really appreciate the work you’re doing here. 

 

[Mookie Gizzy]

I’ll be waiting for your return.  Really appreciate the work you’re doing here. 

Yes, thank you for this list. I now have Kind of Bird on the brain, so I’m listening to a bunch of Gov’t Mule live stuff. I can’t believe I missed out on this before. The live Pink Floyd album is epic. Makes me want to rent an air bnb in Sedona w/ a great view of the sunset and just blast this as the sun goes down 

 

[turnjose7]

10. Les Brers in A Minor (Eat a Peach/Live at Nassau Coliseum – Dickey)

Studio Version

Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1973

One of the most epic openings to any song ever. “Les Brers in A Minor” starts off the way many Allman Brothers instrumentals end: flourish after flourish with Butch hammering the timpani and Dickey wailing on guitar. Just as you are starting to wonder if it is going anywhere, everything suddenly stops, and a moment later Berry starts in with one of the all-time great bass lines. Then in just a few more seconds we hear our first expression of the main theme.

The main theme to “Les Brers” may be my favorite melody in any Allman Brothers song. Dickey played this one a lot and not just in this song. When he first brought this song to the band, everyone kept saying they had heard it before, but they couldn’t figure out where. They later discovered listening to a bootleg tape that he had played it as part of his solo in “Whipping Post.” In fact, the dirge-like lead part that Dickey plays on the famous At Fillmore East recording of “Whipping Post,” which I’ll reference again when we get to that song, is really just a much slower version of this theme. Even more interestingly, when At Fillmore West was released a few years ago, I was surprised to hear that there is a version of “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” that also includes a lick that is pretty similar to this theme.

Regardless of when Dickey started playing this theme, nowhere is it more beautifully stated than in this song. “Les Brers” would be a surefire top 5 song if the rest of the song lived up to the intro. Not that there is anything wrong with the rest of the song. Gregg has another underrated organ solo, there is a cool percussion break, and Dickey’s solo at the end is solid. But nothing else in the song is as grand as the beginning, and when we are talking about the very top tier Allman songs, very good is not going to cut it.

Still, this song is a remarkable achievement. It was the first really epic song the band recorded without Duane and is a resounding success. The band, of course, paid tribute to Duane in the “bad French” wordplay of the title. “Brers” is obviously a portmanteau of “brother” and “frères” with “les” being the French article but also meant to be alternatively pronounced here as “less,” as in there was one less brother in the band.

For a great live version, check out another clip of the band playing with Jimmy Herring. I actually saw Jimmy play this one live with his jazz fusion band The Invisible Whip a few years ago and it was incredible.

 

[turnjose7]

9. Mountain Jam (Eat a Peach – Duane/Gregg/Dickey/Butch/Berry/Jamioe/partial cover)

Live at Fillmore East, 1971 (from Eat a Peach)

Live at Atlanta International Pop Festival, 1970

Live at The Warehouse, 1970

Live at Ludlow Garage, 1970

As the all-time quintessential jam bands, the Allman Brothers Band and the Grateful Dead had a lot in common. They both had a broad range of musical influences, they both routinely featured extended versions of their songs with significant improvisation, they both played thousands of shows in their career, they both used two drummers, and they shared an affinity for Bill Graham and his venues at Fillmore East and Fillmore West.

One other thing they had in common was this song. In the late 1960s both groups were playing around with jams based on Donovan’s tune “There is a Mountain.” Bill Graham once walked into a room at the Fillmore East where Duane, Jerry, and Peter Green were all jamming on the song together. Damn, how is that for a jam session? All three would probably be in my top 25 favorite guitarists.

While the jam came to be more closely associated with the Allman Brothers, you can hear the Dead quote it in a number of versions of their song “Alligator” including the outstanding version featured on the album Anthem of the Sun (it can most clearly be heard about nine minutes in). They also included it in their set at the famous Summer Jam at Watkins Glen and were joined by members of the ABB.

The Allmans began featuring it as an extended jam at their concerts in May 1969, largely because they didn’t have many songs of their own yet to fill their setlists. It remained a concert mainstay for 45 years, often lasting over half an hour and sometimes as long as 45 minutes. For Gregg, who was a little less into the jamming than the band’s guitarists, it sometimes got to be too much. After one particularly wild and amorphous rendition with the Haynes/Trucks lineup, he walked onto the tour bus and shouted, “OK, who’s the ****ing Phish fan? That was too much.”

Nevertheless, even Gregg usually got into this when they got rolling. The most famous version is, of course, the version that was on Eat a Peach. That version was recorded during the March 1971 Fillmore East concerts and a few notes of it could be heard following the end of “Whipping Post” on At Fillmore East. The band actually wasn’t super happy with it. According to both Dickey and Butch, this is one of the weakest renditions of the song they ever played. I think that a little harsh. I would agree it is nowhere near the best version of the song, but there are some great moments in it. Duane’s slide solo in the second half of the song is some of my favorite guitar I have ever heard, particularly what he is doing around 24:30-26:00 in (the bass around the same time is also unreal). I also love the quoting of Jimi Hendrix’s “Third Stone from the Sun” in this one.

The Hendrix reference is just one song commonly featured during these jams. “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” was commonly integrated into the tune. Many other songs made an appearance from time to time including Bo Diddley’s “Hey Bo Diddley,” Bobby Day’s “Little Bitty Pretty One,” and even licks from their own songs like “Blue Sky.”

My favorite version is probably the one from Atlanta International Pop Festival, 1970. The recording I linked is the second of two renditions they played at that festival and featured Johnny Winter as a guest guitarist. This version is such high energy and Berry’s bass solo following the drum solos is absolutely killer. I also really like what they do with the guitars at the end of the Ludlow Garage, 1970 version.

 

[turnjose7]

8. Jessica (Brothers and Sisters/An Evening With…Second Set – Dickey)

Studio Version

Live at Great Woods, 1991

An Evening With…Second Set

We’ve reached the point of the list where I am just ranking instrumentals, with this being the third one in a row. We’ve also finally made it to our highest ranked song from the legendary Brothers and Sisters album. Many would probably consider “Jessica” the greatest rock instrumental of all time. It certainly has to be one of the most frequently played. In a 2006 article the Wall Street Journal called the song "a true national heirloom."

Dickey wrote “Jessica” as a tribute to legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt (in my opinion, the greatest jazz guitarist ever). Early in his career an injury from a fire left Django only able to use two fingers on his fretting hand, and Dickey wanted to write a song that could be played with two fingers (which has always been weird to me because I use three fingers when playing it and have never really understood why this song is more amenable to fretting with two fingers than any other song, but whatever).

The song is named after Dickey’s daughter, who was playing while Dickey composed the song. Her play was the inspiration for the song’s bouncy rhythm.

Les Dudek, the same Les that some of the band members apparently wanted to kill for presuming to act like he was taking Duane’s place during the recording of “Ramblin’ Man,” helped compose Jessica. How much he helped is a matter of dispute. If you listen to Les, it sounds like he was nearly an equal co-writer with Dickey. If you listen to some of the band members, it sounds more like he was superficially involved in the arrangement. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. At the very least, he does seem to have sketched out the basic idea for the bridge. Despite that, he is relegated to playing acoustic guitar on the studio track. Dickey wouldn’t let him play harmony lead because he didn’t want people to mistakenly think he was part of the band. Ouch.

What isn’t disputed is that Chuck Leavell was tremendously important to the song. He was heavily involved in the final arrangement, and of course it’s his legendary piano solo that lifted the studio version of the song to another level.

Obviously this one was frequently played live and there are a ton of great versions out there. This is one where I think we have a clear winner on the best version, however. The rendition from An Evening With…Second Set is off the charts and won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. The little tease of “Mountain Jam” at the end is a nice touch.

Of course, I can’t talk about “Jessica” without mentioning its most important contribution to pop culture, serving as the theme song for Top Gear. It doesn’t get any better than that.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

8. Jessica (Brothers and Sisters/An Evening With…Second Set – Dickey)

Studio Version

Live at Great Woods, 1991

An Evening With…Second Set

We’ve reached the point of the list where I am just ranking instrumentals, with this being the third one in a row. We’ve also finally made it to our highest ranked song from the legendary Brothers and Sisters album. Many would probably consider “Jessica” the greatest rock instrumental of all time. It certainly has to be one of the most frequently played. In a 2006 article the Wall Street Journal called the song "a true national heirloom."

Dickey wrote “Jessica” as a tribute to legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt (in my opinion, the greatest jazz guitarist ever). Early in his career an injury from a fire left Django only able to use two fingers on his fretting hand, and Dickey wanted to write a song that could be played with two fingers (which has always been weird to me because I use three fingers when playing it and have never really understood why this song is more amenable to fretting with two fingers than any other song, but whatever).

The song is named after Dickey’s daughter, who was playing while Dickey composed the song. Her play was the inspiration for the song’s bouncy rhythm.

Les Dudek, the same Les that some of the band members apparently wanted to kill for presuming to act like he was taking Duane’s place during the recording of “Ramblin’ Man,” helped compose Jessica. How much he helped is a matter of dispute. If you listen to Les, it sounds like he was nearly an equal co-writer with Dickey. If you listen to some of the band members, it sounds more like he was superficially involved in the arrangement. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. At the very least, he does seem to have sketched out the basic idea for the bridge. Despite that, he is relegated to playing acoustic guitar on the studio track. Dickey wouldn’t let him play harmony lead because he didn’t want people to mistakenly think he was part of the band. Ouch.

What isn’t disputed is that Chuck Leavell was tremendously important to the song. He was heavily involved in the final arrangement, and of course it’s his legendary piano solo that lifted the studio version of the song to another level.

Obviously this one was frequently played live and there are a ton of great versions out there. This is one where I think we have a clear winner on the best version, however. The rendition from An Evening With…Second Set is off the charts and won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. The little tease of “Mountain Jam” at the end is a nice touch.

Of course, I can’t talk about “Jessica” without mentioning its most important contribution to pop culture, serving as the theme song for Top Gear. It doesn’t get any better than that.

It’s impossible for me not to smile when I hear this song.

 

[berndog]

It’s impossible for me not to smile when I hear this song.

I would add Blue Sky to that list

 

[foxco]

I would add Blue Sky to that list

There's quite a few Allman songs that fit this criteria fir me, didn't realize it until this thread. Go figure.

 

[turnjose7]

I would add Blue Sky to that list

Sssshhhhh. Don't spoil anything. 

 

[turnjose7]

7. Desdemona (Hittin’ the Note – Gregg/Warren)

Studio Version

Live at the Beacon, 2001

Live at the Beacon, 2003

Live at the Fox Theatre, 2004

The highest ranked song from the band’s final album, “Desdemona” may surprise some with this high ranking. To me it embodies everything that is special about the Allman Brothers Band. The verses at both ends are soulful blues singing at their best. The lyrics are awesome and I don’t know that I have ever heard a more emotional line in a song than when Gregg moans “I make my living pouring out my pain.” Gregg’s vocals at the end of the song also rank up there with the ending of “One Way Out” which I discussed earlier.

In between the vocal sections is near instrumental perfection as Derek and Warren take turns improvising on a very jazz-influenced jam. The whole middle section calls to mind Coltrane’s rendition of “My Favorite Things,” and you can hear Derek directly quoting it at around 4:18 on the Beacon 2003 version and 4:25 on the Fox version. Another solo that is brilliant in the way Derek switches from fretting to slide. His solo on this is almost enough to leave you in tears, but I think on this one Warren comes in and may actually outdo him. The Beacon 2001 version is another great one with Chuck Leavell adding beautiful piano.

Simply an amazing song worthy of being ranked among the band’s best.

 

[turnjose7]

6. Statesboro Blues (At Fillmore East – cover)

Live at Fillmore East, 1971

Live at Ludlow Garage, 1970

Live at the University of Florida, 1982

Live at the Beacon, 2003

Live in Erie, 2005

Duane Allman’s slide masterpiece, “Statesboro Blues” is the most iconic of all the Allman Brothers Band’s blues covers and the song they most frequently played in concert (1,207 performances). The instantly recognizable opening slide guitar part has been described by Rolling Stone as "the moaning and squealing opening licks [that] have given fans chills at live shows."

“Statesboro Blues” is a Piedmont blues song written by Blind Willie McTell and named after his adopted home in Georgia. In 1967 Taj Mahal recorded an arrangement featuring the extremely underrated Jesse Ed Davis on slide guitar. This arrangement is very similar to the arrangement that would become a staple of Allman Brothers shows. When The Hour Glass was living in L.A. the band went to a Taj Mahal show at The Magic Mushroom and was mesmerized. It inspired Duane to dedicate more time to his slide playing, and the rest is history.

The Allman Brothers version of “Statesboro” has been ranked as one of the “50 Greatest Guitar Tones of All Time” by Guitar Player magazine and the 9th greatest guitar song of all time by Rolling Stone. While Duane’s slide is obviously the highlight, the rest of the song is fantastic as well. Dickey’s tone is great and Gregg delivers an amazing vocal performance.

The At Fillmore East version is the definitive recording of this song, but having been played live so frequently, there are a lot of great recordings out there. This is obviously the song I was referencing in an earlier entry when I said it has been consistently great through all eras of the band. 

 

[turnjose7]

5. You Don’t Love Me (At Fillmore East – cover)

Live at Fillmore East, 1971

Live at A+R Studios, 1971

“You Don’t Love Me” edges out “Statesboro Blues” for my favorite blues cover by the Allmans. The song was originally recorded by Willie Cobbs though was based on “She’s Fine, She’s Mine” by Bo Diddley. The Allman Brothers reportedly heard a version by Junior Wells and Buddy Guy called “You Don’t Love Me, Baby” which served as their inspiration.

This is the song that most definitively lives up to the thread title of being a “blues jam.” The beginning is straight 12-bar blues with an arrangement quite similar to the Junior Wells/Buddy Guy version and some outstanding bluesy vocals by Gregg. But from their it goes off to another planet with epic jams that in some cases, like at Boston Commons 1971, would bring the song’s total length over 25 minutes.

A number of versions from the band’s Fillmore East shows were released and these are, of course, the best known. Duane and Dickey really push each other to amazing heights of virtuosity on these recordings. Each has a couple of their own solos on these versions, but there are also places where they harmonize and places where they play off of each other. There are so many great licks and so much soul and feeling throughout that it is hard to say which part is my favorite. Obviously, Duane’s solitary guitar around the seven-minute mark really stands out, but then around nine minutes Dickey comes in with a riff that is just as cool. And so it goes for the next ten minutes, one continually matching the other.

While the versions from Fillmore East are undoubtedly the most famous, none stands out as my favorite. Instead, that honor goes to a version recorded at A+R studios in August of 1971. Duane pays tribute to King Curtis by inserting part of “Soul Serenade” into his solo and it is simply beautiful (you can hear him start to tease it at about 8:40). The entire A+R concert is great, by the way. Probably the best of the Allman Brothers radio broadcasts.

In later years the band simplified the song a little bit, cutting back the jam so that the song ran closer to 8 or 9 minutes. They still did some cool stuff with it, including putting part of the jam before the vocal part, such as the Knoxville 2005 show (can’t find video of this one, but you can play a sample of the audio here).

 

[turnjose7]

4. Blue Sky (Eat a Peach/SUNY at Stonybrook, 1971 – Dickey)

Studio Version

Live at S.U.N.Y. at Stoneybrook, 1971

Live at Great Woods, 1991

Live at the Beacon, 1992

Way back when discussing “Ramblin’ Man” I made reference to a song that is somewhat similar in its country vibe but that is way superior. I assume most knew that I was referring to this, but in case not, I am now confirming.

“Blue Sky” was Dickey’s first lead vocal for the band. Apparently when he did something for the first time, he did it well (see “Revival”). Initially, Dickey was reluctant to sing the song. Butch: “Dickey wanted Gregg to sing ‘Blue Sky’ and Duane just got all over him. He said, ‘Man, this is your song and it sounds like you and you need to sing it.’”

Like “Revival” and “Jessica,” this song demonstrates Dickey’s brilliance at writing an upbeat, happy tune. How can you possibly listen to this song and not feel great? Dickey wrote the song for his then-girlfriend, a Native American woman named Sandy Blue Sky. However, he changed the lyrics, taking out the gender pronouns to make it more broadly applicable.

“Blue Sky” was one of the first songs recorded for Eat a Peach and therefore one of the last tracks Duane ever played on. Producer Johnny Sandlin: “As I mixed songs like ‘Blue Sky,’ I knew, of course, that I was listening to the last things that Duane ever played and there was just such a mix of beauty and sadness, knowing there's not going to be any more from him.”

Duane only had a few chances to play the song live, but fortunately we have one of these performances preserved from S.U.N.Y. at Stoneybrook, recorded just five weeks before his death. You can also here him playing on an early version in the Gatlinburg Tapes (see “Ramblin’ Man”). Finally, you can hear his isolated guitar part here.

After Dickey left the band there was a time when they played it less often but in later years it was a frequent part of their Beacon run. There is a good example of that here with Gregg on lead vocals. Warren would also take lead vocals on occasion as he does here. Additionally, Warren has played this tune with some of his other bands like the Ashes and Dust Band that I previously mention in the “Instrumental Illness” write-up.

That’s a lot of versions of the song, but this is a song for which you want a lot of versions. What an amazing tune.

 

[turnjose7]

For those who are just clicking on a few of the videos here and there, make sure to check out the Ashes and Dust version of "Blue Sky." The banjo solo and violin solos are well worth it.

Because the comments to the video ask questions without providing answers, Ashes and Dust was a bluegrass album recorded by Warren because apparently after mastering rock, blues, and jazz, that's what one does. It's an amazing album. His backing band for the studio recording was Railroad Earth. 

For the corresponding tour, Warren's band consisted of the bluegrass trio Chessboxer, along with drummer Jeff Sipe (who I believe I previously mentioned is one of my 10 favorite drummers), and occasionally a few other supporting musicians. It was a great tour. The show I went to in Indianapolis they played for over 3.5 hours. 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

5. You Don’t Love Me (At Fillmore East – cover)

Live at Fillmore East, 1971

Live at A+R Studios, 1971

“You Don’t Love Me” edges out “Statesboro Blues” for my favorite blues cover by the Allmans. The song was originally recorded by Willie Cobbs though was based on “She’s Fine, She’s Mine” by Bo Diddley. The Allman Brothers reportedly heard a version by Junior Wells and Buddy Guy called “You Don’t Love Me, Baby” which served as their inspiration.

This is the song that most definitively lives up to the thread title of being a “blues jam.” The beginning is straight 12-bar blues with an arrangement quite similar to the Junior Wells/Buddy Guy version and some outstanding bluesy vocals by Gregg. But from their it goes off to another planet with epic jams that in some cases, like at Boston Commons 1971, would bring the song’s total length over 25 minutes.

Most people wouldn't care, but you might:

My cousin was Junior Wells' guitarist for a few years in the 90s, up until Junior's death in January 1998. He got the gig when Junior -- who had only one rule, no junkies -- fired his guitarist for being a junkie and the keyboardist, who had played with my cousin, recommended him as the replacement. 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

After Dickey left the band there was a time when they played it less often but in later years it was a frequent part of their Beacon run.

I'm glad to hear that. Right after Dickey left, the band said they would still play his instrumental tunes but not his vocal tunes. Glad they came around on this one. I would likely have it in my top 5 as well, it's just stunning. 

 

[turnjose7]

Most people wouldn't care, but you might:

My cousin was Junior Wells' guitarist for a few years in the 90s, up until Junior's death in January 1998. He got the gig when Junior -- who had only one rule, no junkies -- fired his guitarist for being a junkie and the keyboardist, who had played with my cousin, recommended him as the replacement. 

That's amazing

 

[berndog]

@turnjose7While the versions from Fillmore East are undoubtedly the most famous, none stands out as my favorite. Instead, that honor goes to a version recorded at A+R studios in August of 1971. Duane pays tribute to King Curtis by inserting part of “Soul Serenade” into his solo and it is simply beautiful (you can hear him start to tease it at about 8:40). The entire A+R concert is great, by the way. Probably the best of the Allman Brothers radio broadcasts.

I absolutely LOVE this version and it would certainly make my top 5.  First time I heard it was on the Beginnings box set.  It had the added bonus of sending me on the hunt for King Curtis and introducing me to his brilliance 

 

[turnjose7]

@turnjose7While the versions from Fillmore East are undoubtedly the most famous, none stands out as my favorite. Instead, that honor goes to a version recorded at A+R studios in August of 1971. Duane pays tribute to King Curtis by inserting part of “Soul Serenade” into his solo and it is simply beautiful (you can hear him start to tease it at about 8:40). The entire A+R concert is great, by the way. Probably the best of the Allman Brothers radio broadcasts.

I absolutely LOVE this version and it would certainly make my top 5.  First time I heard it was on the Beginnings box set.  It had the added bonus of sending me on the hunt for King Curtis and introducing me to his brilliance 

Yep the King Curtis Live at Fillmore West album is unbelievably awesome

 

[turnjose7]

For the last three songs I am going to post them one per day because they all deserve some time in the spotlight

3. Little Martha (Eat a Peach – Duane)

Studio Version

Live at the Beacon, 2005

Live at the Peach Music Festival, 2014

Duane’s only solo writing credit for the group is an absolute masterpiece. Guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke has referred to it as “the most perfect guitar song ever written."

The title is commonly believed to refer to Martha Ellis, a young girl who was buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery at which the band commonly hung out. More likely it was named after Duane’s girlfriend Dixie whom he sometimes referred to as Martha [Washington] due to her fondness for old-fashioned clothing. Duane apparently claimed that Jimi Hendrix had showed him the melody in a dream, though Dickey says that Duane had been working on something similar for years whenever they would sit around and play acoustic guitars.

The song is in open E tuning with Dickey playing the low part and Duane the high part. Berry added bass to the tune, but in the mix that closes out Eat a Peach its volume is so low as to be nearly inaudible. It can be heard more easily in the mix included in the Dreams box set.

“Little Martha” was recorded just weeks before Duane died in the motorcycle accident. For years the band declined to play it live, though it would often play over the PA system at the end of concerts. They finally brought it back in the 1990’s, but even then they would only play it sporadically, often as part of special concerts during their Beacon run.

It’s hard not to wonder what additional music would have been created had Duane not died so young, as it sounds like he worked on this type of tune quite a bit. In a way, though, it is nice that his legacy is captured in such a flawless piece of music.

 

[turnjose7]

2. Whipping Post (The Allman Brothers Band/At Fillmore East – Gregg)

Studio Version

Live at Atlanta International Pop Festival

Live at Fillmore East, 1971

“We got a little number from our first album we gonna do for ya. Berry starts her off.

“Whipping Post!”

“You guessed it.”

I have heard that this was the origin of shouting requests like “Freebird!” at concerts. No idea if that is true or not. It might be, though, because at early 1970’s Allman concerts, shouts for the song were not rare. You can hear it here during the last concert Duane ever played (go about 7 minutes in).

How does one even start to describe maybe the greatest blues song ever written? Everything about this song is simply jaw-dropping. Berry’s thunderous bass, Duane’s screaming guitar fills, Gregg’s growling vocals. It’s all just so incredibly intense.

The song was one of the first that Gregg wrote after returning to Florida in early 1969. Imagine writing a song like this when you were 21 years old. Absolutely ridiculous. Apparently, the original arrangement was a slow blues ballad that sounded kind of like “Stormy Monday.”

Early versions seemingly had the intro in 11/8 time, though that was somewhat lost on Gregg. Gregg: “I didn't know the intro was in 11/8 time. I just saw it as three sets of three, and then two to jump on the next three sets with: it was like 1,2,3—1,2,3—1,2,3—1,2. I didn't count it as 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11. It was one beat short, but it didn't feel one short, because to get back to the triad, you had two steps to go up. You'd really hit those two hard, to accent them, so that would separate the threes…[Duane] said, ‘That's good man, I didn't know that you understood 11/8.’ Of course I said something intelligent like, ‘What's 11/8?’ Duane just said, ‘Okay, #######, I'll try to draw it up on paper for you.’”

Despite Gregg having a great foundation for the tune, it was not a complete work when he brought it to the group. Band members played around with it for awhile and then Berry took it home and worked on it overnight. He came back with much of the bass work complete and the shifts from 6/8 to 5/8 time signatures and the band knew they had something special.

The studio version is an absolute masterpiece. Nevertheless, the song was meant to be played live and it is some of the live recordings that make it legendary. Of course, it’s the version included on At Fillmore East that is the best-known. As previously mentioned, the recordings made for the At Fillmore East album came from four shows across two nights. The version of “Whipping Post” that closes out the album was from the second show on the second night (though it was not the final song played in that set, which is why you can hear the beginning of “Mountain Jam” at the end of the track).

That version is truly special. Duane and Dickey both nail their solos. The contrast between the two solos is maybe my favorite part of the song. Duane comes out firing with an energetic, passionate solo in blistering 12/8 time. Dickey plays a slow, soulful (I previously described it as almost dirge-like) melody that as I mentioned is really just a variation on the “Les Brers” theme but at much reduced speed. You can really hear this at about the 14-minute mark. I also like his use of harmonics 13 minutes in.

Of course, it all ends with the that amazing crescendo ascent up the scale, the signature riff of two bass notes followed by those wailing bends, and finally one of the greatest vocal lines in music history. “Baby, sometimes I feel…”

In my opinion the At Fillmore East version of “Whipping Post” is the greatest musical performance ever captured on tape. Which only leaves the question of how this song did not end up at number 1….

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Of all the monstrous “most classic of classic rock” songs out there, Whipping Post is one of the few I never get tired of. There is so much going on in each passage. And the experimentation in all the live performances doesn’t hurt. 

I have to agree with its ranking — the only reason Whipping Post is not the Allmans’ greatest song is that they also wrote the greatest rock instrumental of all time.

 

[berndog]

I have to agree with its ranking — the only reason Whipping Post is not the Allmans’ greatest song is that they also wrote the greatest rock instrumental of all time.

I can’t wait to reed what will be  #1 

 

[foxco]

2. Whipping Post (The Allman Brothers Band/At Fillmore East – Gregg)

Totally thought this would be #1. Such a massive song on every level, just so good.