Duane "Skydog" Allman is generally regarded as one of the greatest rock and roll guitarists, noted for his mastery of the slide guitar as well as intensity and soulfulness on "standard" lead and rhythm guitar in a variety of styles. He was a noted session musician, was a founding member and the leader of The Allman Brothers Band, and also had a major role on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, by Derek and the Dominos, a 1970-71 band led by Eric Clapton.
Howard Duane Allman was born in Nashville, Tennessee on November 20, 1946. Duane, as he was known, and his brother, Gregg, were raised by their mother Geraldine Allman after their father, Willis, was murdered when Duane was just 3-years-old. Geraldine, "Mama A" moved with her boys to Daytona Beach, Florida in 1957. Once Gregg heard a neighbor playing guitar, he decided that he needed to learn the instrument. Duane soon followed suit, and became an even better player than his brother. The boys were influenced by the bluesy music of artists such as B.B King, whom they saw in concert while teenagers.
Duane dropped out of high school to stay home and practice guitar and when Gregg graduated from Sea Breeze High School in 1965, the young men formed their first official band, the Allman Joys. When the Allman Joys became The Hour Glass in 1967, the group moved to Los Angeles. During this time, Duane perfected his electric slide guitar technique, using an empty Coricidin glass bottle over his ring finger as a slide
Duane simply loved to play the guitar, and was a much in-demand session musician for acts such as Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge, Boz Scaggs, and Herbie Mann. When he grew frustrated by the limits of being a session musician, Allman headed back to Florida with a few musicians. In March 1969, the Allman Brothers Band was formed, featuring Jaimoe Johanson, Dickie Betts, Berry Oakley, Reese Wynans, and Duane and Gregg Allman. Their debut self-titled album dropped in 1969 and the band began to tour.
A huge fan of Eric Clapton, Duane Allman was surprised and thrilled to be asked to play on Clapton's album "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs." Clapton was, in turn, a huge Duane Allman fan. In addition to touring with his band, Allman was known to drop in on recording sessions to jam with whomever happened to be recording. Allman often received cash payments but rarely album credit, so it is impossible to know exactly how many recordings of his work exist.
He was killed in a motorcycle accident at the age of 24. Shortly after his death Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd dedicated the song "Free Bird" to his memory. Despite his short career the Rolling Stone magazine in 2003 named Duane Allman as number two on their list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
Discography:
The Hour Glass The Hour Glass 1967 studio album
Power of Love The Hour Glass 1968 studio album
The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band 1969 studio album
Boz Scaggs Boz Scaggs 1969 studio album
Hey Jude Wilson Pickett 1969 studio album
The Dynamic Clarence Carter Clarence Carter 1969 studio album
Instant Groove King Curtis 1969 studio album
More Sweet Soul Arthur Conley 1969 studio album
Southern Fried John P. Hammond 1969 studio album
Two Jews Blues Barry Goldberg 1969 studio album
Mourning in the Morning Otis Rush 1969 studio album
Idlewild South The Allman Brothers Band 1970 studio album
New Routes Lulu 1970 studio album
Ronnie Hawkins Ronnie Hawkins 1970 studio album
Spirit in the Dark Aretha Franklin 1970 Recorded in 1969-1970 studio album
To Bonnie from Delaney Delaney & Bonnie 1970 studio album
Ton-Ton Macoute! Johnny Jenkins 1970 Recorded in 1969-1970 studio album
This Girl's in Love with You Aretha Franklin 1970 Recorded in 1969 studio album
Christmas and the Beads of Sweat Laura Nyro 1970 studio album
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs Derek and the Dominos 1970 studio album
5'll Get You Ten Cowboy 1971 studio album
Hard and Heavy Sam Samudio 1971 studio album
Motel Shot Delaney & Bonnie 1971 studio album
Push Push Herbie Mann 1971 studio album
At Fillmore East The Allman Brothers Band 1971 live album
An Anthology Duane Allman 1972 Recorded in 1968-1971 compilation album
D&B Together Delaney & Bonnie 1972 Recorded in 1969, 1971 studio album
Dialogs Duane Allman 1972 Recorded in 1970, 1972
Duane & Greg Allman Duane and Greg Allman 1972 Recorded in 1968 studio album
Eat a Peach The Allman Brothers Band 1972 Recorded in 1971 studio album
Early Allman – Featuring Duane and Gregg Allman The Allman Joys 1973 Recorded in 1966 studio album
The Hour Glass The Hour Glass 1973 Recorded in 1967-1968 compilation album
An Anthology Volume II Duane Allman 1974 Recorded in 1968-1971 compilation album
The Road Goes On Forever The Allman Brothers Band 1975 Recorded in 1969-1973 compilation album
The Best of Duane Allman Duane Allman 1979 compilation album
Dreams The Allman Brothers Band 1989 Recorded in 1966-1988 compilation album
The Layla Sessions: 20th Anniversary Edition Derek and the Dominos 1990 Recorded in 1970 studio album
Live at Ludlow Garage: 1970 The Allman Brothers Band 1991 Recorded in 1970 live album
A Decade of Hits 1969–1979 The Allman Brothers Band 1991 Recorded in 1969-1979 compilation album
The Fillmore Concerts The Allman Brothers Band 1992 Recorded in 1971 live album
Fillmore East, February 1970 The Allman Brothers Band 1996 Recorded in 1970 live album
Mycology: An Anthology The Allman Brothers Band 1998 compilation album
All Live! The Allman Brothers Band 1998 Recorded in 1971-1975 live album
20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band 2000 Recorded in 1969-1979 compilation album
American University 12/13/70 The Allman Brothers Band 2002 Recorded in 1970 live album
Live at the Atlanta International Pop Festival: July 3 & 5, 1970 The Allman Brothers Band 2003 Recorded in 1970 live album
S.U.N.Y. at Stonybrook: Stonybrook, NY 9/19/71 The Allman Brothers Band 2003 Recorded in 1971 live album
Southbound The Hour Glass 2004 Recorded in 1967-1969 compilation album
Gold The Allman Brothers Band 2005 Recorded in 1969-1979 compilation album
Boston Common, 8/17/71 The Allman Brothers Band 2007 Recorded in 1971 live album
Skydog: The Duane Allman Retrospective[5] Duane Allman 2013 Recorded in 1965-1971 7 Disc Box Set
Please Be With Me
Duane Allman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is it love or is it me
That makes me change so suddenly
From looking out to feeling free?
I sit here lying in my bed
Wondering what it was I said
That made me think I lost my head
So won't you please read my signs?
Be a gypsy
Tell me what I hope to find deep within me
And because you can find my mind
Please be with me
And of all the better things I've heard
Loving you has made the words
And all the rest seem so absurd
'Cause in the end it all comes out I'm sure
So won't you please read my signs?
Be a gypsy
Tell me what I hope to find deep within me
And because you can find my mind
Please be with me
The lyrics of Duane Allman's song Please Be With Me express the singer's confusion about their emotions and their feelings towards a specific person. The first stanza has the singer questioning what is causing their sudden change in attitude, wondering if it is love or something within themselves that is driving the change. Despite feeling free, they are left pondering the cost of this newfound freedom.
In the second stanza, the singer is regretful and questioning their loss. They lay in bed, thinking about what they said or did that made them lose their heart. They are hoping for guidance and understanding from someone who can read their signs and tell them what they need to find deep within themselves. They are asking someone to be with them as they search for their true identity and purpose.
Overall, the song's lyrics speak to the human desire for love and belonging, as well as the struggle to understand oneself and one's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Upon my word what does it mean?
I'm confused about my feelings and I don't understand what's happening.
Is it love or is it me
I'm not sure if my feelings are caused by love or something else.
That makes me change so suddenly
I feel like I've undergone a sudden transformation.
From looking out to feeling free?
I used to be cautious and reserved, but now I feel liberated.
I sit here lying in my bed
I'm alone and lost in thought.
Wondering what it was I said
I'm trying to figure out what caused my sudden change in feelings.
That made me think I lost my head
I feel like I've lost my mind.
When I knew I lost my heart instead
But in reality, I've just fallen deeply in love.
So won't you please read my signs?
I need someone to help me understand what's going on inside me.
Be a gypsy
Be intuitive and empathetic like a fortune teller.
Tell me what I hope to find deep within me
Help me discover what I truly desire and what motivates me.
And because you can find my mind
I trust you to understand me and my thoughts.
Please be with me
Stay by my side and guide me through this journey of self-discovery.
And of all the better things I've heard
Out of all the positive things people have said to me in the past,
Loving you has made the words
None compare to the depth and significance of my love for you.
And all the rest seem so absurd
Everything else seems trivial and unimportant in comparison.
'Cause in the end it all comes out I'm sure
I'm confident that in the end, my love for you is the most important thing.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLES SCOTT BOYER, CHARLES SCOTT, JR. BOYER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jess Suter
Oh my word, what does it mean?
Is it love or is it me
That makes me change so suddenly?
Looking out, feeling free.
Sit here lying in my bed,
Wondering what it was I'd said
That made me think I'd lost my head,
When I knew I lost my heart instead.
Won't you please read my signs, be a gypsy.
Tell me what I hope to find deep within me.
Because you can find my mind, please be with me.
Of all the better things I've heard,
Loving you has made the words
And all the rest seem so absurd,
Cause in the end it all comes out, I'm sure.
Won't you please read my signs, be a gypsy.
Tell me what I hope to find deep within me.
Because you can find my mind, please be with me. ♥
maclove 52
Oh my word, what does it mean?
Is it love or is it me
That makes me change so suddenly?
Looking out, to feeling free.
I sit here lying in my bed,
Wondering what it was I'd said
That made me think I'd lost my head,
When I knew I lost my heart instead.
So won't you please read my signs, be a gypsy.
Tell me what I hope to find deep within me.
Because you can find my mind, please be with me.
Of all the better things I've heard,
Loving you has made the words
And all the rest seem so absurd,
'Cause in the end it all comes out I`m sure.
So won't you please read my signs, be a gypsy.
Tell me what I hope to find deep within me.
Because you can find my mind, please be with me.
Susan Denton
I am 64 and have listened to this song since I was 17 and it still takes me back to the best place! May it never leave me.
Ken Beck
I agree!
Claire Harper
This song still squeezes my heart and takes me back to a simpler and gentler life, that seems both eons ago and just yesterday.
Don Siddell
Well said!
Craig Trexler
@Jim Crutchfield her reality is not yours, please be cool! or with us! read my signs! see beyond!
Deanna Sexton
We were young and our minds weren’t so complicated and jaded , maybe that’s what she means by a simpler and gentler life
Caleb Heney
@Devery Shepardson Still before 71
Devery Shepardson
Caleb Heney segregation was ended officially in 1964 with the Civil Rights Act. Then the Voting Rights Act in 1965, the Fair Housing Act in 1967 etc. Although school segregation was outlawed by the Warren Court In 1954 in the Case Brown vs. Board of Education, although it still exists in some areas.
SJ SMITH
I picked up the guitar after hearing Duane! Still playing 50 yrs later. There will never be another Duane Allman!
Betsy Sommer
For songs like this, there needs to be a special "I really really REALLY like this" button!