Early in his career, he collaborated with Duane Allman, introducing melodic twin guitar harmony and counterpoint which "rewrote the rules for how two rock guitarists can work together, completely scrapping the traditional rhythm/lead roles to stand toe to toe". Following Allman's death in 1971, Betts assumed sole lead guitar duties during the peak of the group's commercial success in the mid-1970s.
Betts was the writer and singer on the Allmans' hit single "Ramblin' Man". He also gained renown for composing instrumentals, with one appearing on most of the group's albums, the most notable of these being "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Jessica" (the latter widely known as the theme to Top Gear). The band went through a hiatus in the late 1970s, during which time Betts, like many of the other band members, pursued a solo career and side projects under such names as Dickey Betts & Great Southern and The Dickey Betts Band. The Allman Brothers reformed in 1979, with Dan Toler taking the second guitar role alongside Betts. In 1982, they broke up a second time, during which time Betts formed the group Betts, Hall, Leavell and Trucks, which lasted until 1984. A third reformation occurred in 1989, with Warren Haynes now joining Betts on guitar. Betts would be ousted from the band in 2000 over a conflict regarding Betts's continued drug and alcohol use; he would never play with them again and has not since appeared with any former band members for reunions or side projects. He remains (alongside Jaimoe) one of only two living founders of the Allman Brothers Band.
He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and also won a best rock performance Grammy Award with the band for "Jessica" in 1996. Betts was ranked No. 58 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list in 2003, and No. 61 on the list published in 2011.
California Blues
Dickey Betts Lyrics
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LA goes on far as I can see
got an old time feelin'
somewhere down the line is calling me
been going' through the pages of my mind
wonder what I think I'm gonna find
it don't matter anyway
tomorrow I'll be leavin' you, LA.
California Blues, I know you well
what the hell, you're nothin' new to me
California Blues, you can never tell
could be I loved her more than she could see
Now, I walked in here grinnin'
I ain't winnin' but I'm leavin' like I came
I gambled with the love she gave
and like a fool I did not know the game
but the closest thing to winning must be losin'
and now and then it gets so damned confusin'
but it don't matter anyway
tomorrow I'll be leavin' you, LA
California Blues, I know you well
what the hell, you're nothin' new to me
California Blues, you can never tell
could be I loved her more than she could see
could be I wasn't what she wanted me to be
In Dickey Betts's song "California Blues," the singer is sitting in a big house in Los Angeles, reflecting on his life and the choices he's made. Despite being in the heart of LA, he has an "old-time feelin'" and is feeling called to something from his past. He's going through the pages of his mind and wondering what he's going to find there. Ultimately, however, he knows that it doesn't really matter - he's leaving LA tomorrow.
The song is called "California Blues," but Betts's relationship with the state and its famous city is complicated. While he knows the state well, and the "California Blues" are nothing new to him, there's a sense of bitterness and regret in the lyrics. He could have loved a woman more than she could see, but he also wasn't what she wanted him to be. He had gambled with her love and lost, but he's leaving LA just as he came in, with a smile on his face and a sense of resignation.
Line by Line Meaning
Sittin' up here in a big house
Sitting in a large house, the singer is looking out at the vast city of Los Angeles.
LA goes on far as I can see
Los Angeles stretches out as far as the singer's eyes can see.
got an old time feelin'
The singer is reminiscing about the old times, feeling nostalgic.
somewhere down the line is calling me
Something from the past is calling out to the artist.
been going' through the pages of my mind
The artist has been reflecting on his memories and experiences.
wonder what I think I'm gonna find
The singer is curious about what he might discover in his reflections.
it don't matter anyway
Regardless of what he discovers, it doesn't matter - the singer will be leaving LA tomorrow.
tomorrow I'll be leavin' you, LA.
The artist plans to leave LA the following day.
California Blues, I know you well
The artist is familiar with the sensation of feeling down or depressed while living in California.
what the hell, you're nothin' new to me
The artist is used to experiencing these blues, and feels somewhat indifferent to them.
California Blues, you can never tell
The singer acknowledges that the blues he feels may not always be predictable or easy to understand.
could be I loved her more than she could see
The artist is reflecting on a past relationship and wondering whether he loved the other person more than she realized.
Now, I walked in here grinnin'
The singer entered the situation with a positive attitude.
I ain't winnin' but I'm leavin' like I came
Despite not succeeding in the situation, the singer is leaving it in the same way that he entered it.
I gambled with the love she gave
The singer took a risk with the love the other person gave him.
and like a fool I did not know the game
The artist acknowledges that he made a mistake by not understanding the situation fully.
but the closest thing to winning must be losin'
The artist realizes that sometimes in relationships, the best thing to do is walk away, even if it feels like losing.
and now and then it gets so damned confusin'
Reflecting on the past relationship, the singer feels that things were often confusing.
could be I wasn't what she wanted me to be
The singer wonders whether he failed to meet the other person's expectations or desires.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DICKEY BETTS, FOREST RICHARD BETTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind