When the Allman Brothers Band reformed in 1989 in response to the popularity of the Dreams box set, Warren Haynes was added on lead guitar and Allen Woody on bass. The two shared a love for '60s power trios, like Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience, and James Gang. With no bands making similar music in the 90s (except ZZ Top), Haynes, Woody, and former Dickey Betts drummer Matt Abts came together as Gov't Mule during Allman Brothers' breaks. (It is likely that Haynes and Abts first met during the recording of the Dickey Betts Band CD "Pattern Disruptive" in 1988.) They released their debut album the selftitled Gov't Mule in 1995. It was followed by Live from Roseland Ballroom.
When it became apparent that the Allman Brothers weren't planning on recording any new material, Haynes and Woody left to concentrate full-time on Gov't Mule in 1997. Dose, the studio follow up to their first studio effort, was released in early 1998. They were joined by members of the Allman Brothers, the Black Crowes, and Parliament/Funkadelic for their 1998 New Year's Eve concert. This was released in both a two and four CD version as Live ... With A Little Help From Our Friends. The band exposed some of their roots with covers of Neil Young, Free, Traffic, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Mongo Santamaria (via John Coltrane) and Frank Zappa.
In 2000, the band released Life Before Insanity to critical praise. Many thought that this would be Gov't Mule's breakthrough CD. However, Woody was found dead in New York City in August. Haynes and Abts considered breaking up the band but did stage a concert called "One for Woody" to raise money for his daughter's education. The Allman Brothers, the Black Crowes, members of the Grateful Dead, and other friends of Woody also performed at the concert.
At both the "One for Woody" performance and other shows, Haynes began appearing with the Allman Brothers Band again. With Dickey Betts' departure from the Allmans, Warren came back full time to the band at the beginning of 2001 and has continued splitting his time between the Allmans and for a period Phil Lesh and Friends and the reformed Dead as well as Gov't Mule (performing acoustic gigs with just Haynes on guitar and Abts on percussion and as The New School of Gov't Mule with Widespread Panic's Dave Schools on bass and Chuck Leavell, formerly of the Allman Brothers and known for his current work with the Rolling Stones on keyboards).
The next year, Haynes and Abts began to record a tribute CD using Woody's favorite bass players. These sessions resulted in two CDs The Deep End, Volume 1 (2001) and The Deep End, Volume 2 (2002). A documentary of the recording sessions was also made by Phish bassist Mike Gordon called Rising Low. Bass contributions to the CDs came from Jack Bruce of Cream, John Entwisle of The Who, Mike Watt of Minutemen, Les Claypool of Primus, Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Chris Squire of Yes among others.
When it came to touring in support of the Deep End CDs, Haynes and Abts used a revolving door of keyboardists and bassists. Keyboardists included Chuck Leavell, Rob Barraco of Phil Lesh and Friends and Zen Tricksters, Phish's Page McConnell and Danny Louis. Bassists included among others, Dave Schools, Oteil Burbridge of the Allman Brothers, Les Claypool, Victor Wooten of the Flecktones, George Porter Jr. of The Meters, Greg Rzab formerly of The Black Crowes and the Buddy Guy Band and Andy Hess, also formerly of The Black Crowes. Louis and Hess were eventually added as permanent members of Gov't Mule. They continue to tour extensively and have become staple acts at many music festivals including Bonnaroo, Wakarusa, Vegoose, and their annual New Orleans Jazzfest night show (where they filmed and recorded the last show of the Deepest End tours, with 17 guest musicians in a 6 hour show) wich was released on CD/DVD as The Deepest End, Live in Concert.
The first CD with Louis and Hess Deja Voodoo was released in September 2004. Additional material from those sessions was released in 2005 as and EP entitled Mo' Voodoo.
The new lineup's second release, titled High and Mighty, was released on August 22, 2006.
A third, Mighty High, was released in 2007 it features reggae and dub versions of classic Mule covers and originals with special guest appearances by Willi Williams, Michael Franti and Toots Hibbert,
Breathe
Gov't Mule Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't be afraid to care.
Leave but don't leave me.
Look around and choose your own ground.
Long you live and high you fly
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Run, rabbit run.
Dig that hole, forget the sun,
And when at last the work is done
Don't sit down it's time to dig another one.
For long you live and high you fly
But only if you ride the tide
And balanced on the biggest wave
You race towards an early grave.
The lyrics to Gov't Mule's "Breathe" contain a sense of existentialism and invite introspection. The first verse encourages the listener to take a deep breath and not be afraid to care. The line "Leave but don't leave me" is open to interpretation, but could be seen as a plea to not leave a relationship or situation without good reason. The next line "look around and choose your own ground" is an invitation to explore and shape one's own life path.
The following verse speaks to the inevitability of life's highs and lows, joys and sorrows. It asserts that everything we touch and see shapes who we are and will shape our life experiences. The chorus "Run, Rabbit Run" and reference to digging a hole could be seen as a warning against getting stuck in a repetitive cycle of work and not taking the time to enjoy life or reflect on one's experiences.
The final verse serves as a reminder that we have choices in life and if we choose to take risks and ride the metaphorical "biggest wave" we can achieve great things, but with that comes the risk of an early demise. The overall message of the song is to take risks, live life to the fullest, and not get caught up in routine or fear of the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Breathe, breathe in the air.
Allow yourself to take a moment and deeply inhale the air around you.
Don't be afraid to care.
Do not let the fear of vulnerability hinder your ability to care for others and show empathy.
Leave but don't leave me.
Though you may physically leave, do not forget about the love and connection we share.
Look around and choose your own ground.
Take a step back and assess your surroundings, make a conscious decision about where to plant your roots and call home.
Long you live and high you fly
You have the opportunity to live a long and fulfilling life, achieving great heights in your personal and professional life.
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
Life is full of ups and downs, joyful moments and times of sadness. Embrace them all.
And all you touch and all you see
Everything you come into contact with, whether it be through human connection or simply your surroundings, becomes a part of your life experience.
Is all your life will ever be.
Your life is a culmination of all the experiences and people you encounter, shaping the person you become.
Run, rabbit run.
Life can feel like a race, with little time to waste. Keep moving forward.
Dig that hole, forget the sun,
Sometimes the work ahead feels monumental, plunging headfirst into it can block out the positive aspects of life that make it worth living.
And when at last the work is done
After working diligently, there comes a time of rest and reward.
Don't sit down it's time to dig another one.
Life is a never-ending journey full of obstacles and challenges, after completing one task, there will always be another to tackle.
But only if you ride the tide
Success in life relies on the ebbs and flows of change. Learn to adapt and thrive in each situation.
And balanced on the biggest wave
Like a skilled surfer navigating the waves, life requires balance and skill to ride the highs and lows.
You race towards an early grave.
Without taking time to enjoy the small moments and cherish the people around us, life can feel like a never-ending race towards the inevitable end.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID JON GILMOUR, RICHARD WRIGHT, ROGER WATERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind