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,
Forsaken Savior
Gov't Mule Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe you can recall that feeling now
Block out the memories of what happened overnight
Pretend that people aren't rioting in the streets
Pretend they didn't instill you with fear
Foresaken savior, where do we go from here
Or is it finally time to throw in the towel
Are you scared the world will never sing your praises
Do you bury your head in the sand
Do you step up and take it like a man
Foresaken savior, it's all in your hand
If you find your way back to reality
I think you'll find it really hasn't changed that much
Foresaken savior, foresaken savior
Maybe you're out of touch
Isn't the whole story that you don't stop
Never stop believing in the message
We'd all be king if it were easy
But so few can take the pressure of the truth
So few can just refuse to fade away
Foresaken savior, where do we go today
Foresaken savior, foresaken savior
Maybe it's time to pray
The song Forsaken Savior by Gov't Mule is about waking up to reality and facing the consequences of one's actions. The lyrics suggest that despite waking up in a state of glory, the reality of the situation is not so bright. The first verse suggests that the person can't remember what happened overnight and hence needs to block out those memories. The second verse hints that the person is trying to ignore the riots and fear instilled by the people. The phrase "where do we go from here" is a reminder that something needs to be done to address the situation. In other words, the person is the "forsaken savior" who must take action and lead the way.
The second part of the song suggests that the person may not be ready to take action and instead has his sights set on another journey or might be ready to give up. The lyrics ask if the person is worried that the world will never praise him or instead would bury his head in the sand. The phrase "it's all in your hand" suggests that the person has the power to make a difference, but it's up to him to decide whether or not to take action. The final lines suggest that if the person wakes up to reality, he will find that it ultimately hasn't changed that much. The song ends with the lines "maybe it's time to pray," which could be interpreted as calling for divine intervention or suggesting that it's time to reflect on one's actions.
Line by Line Meaning
How does it feel to wake up in all your glory
What emotions do you experience when you wake up to the realization of your power and status?
Maybe you can recall that feeling now
Perhaps you remember that feeling and can relate to it.
Block out the memories of what happened overnight
Erase the recollection of what happened the previous night.
Pretend that people aren't rioting in the streets
Act as if people aren't protesting and demonstrating in the streets.
Pretend they didn't instill you with fear
Disregard the fact that they caused you to feel afraid.
Foresaken savior, where do we go from here
As a leader who has been rejected, disregarded or abandoned, what direction do we take from this point forward?
Do you have your sights set on another journey
Do you have a plan in mind for a new path?
Or is it finally time to throw in the towel
Maybe it's time to give up and let go.
Are you scared the world will never sing your praises
Are you afraid that the world will never appreciate and acknowledge your successes?
Do you bury your head in the sand
Do you avoid dealing with difficult situations and instead ignore them?
Do you step up and take it like a man
Do you come forward to face challenges directly and strongly?
Foresaken savior, it's all in your hand
As a leader who has been rejected, everything is still up to your will and decision.
If you find your way back to reality
When you return to see life in its correct perspective,
I think you'll find it really hasn't changed that much
You will notice that it is not significantly different from how it was before.
Maybe you're out of touch
Perhaps, you are disconnected from the concerns of the people you lead.
Isn't the whole story that you don't stop
The core of the story is resilience and persistence.
Never stop believing in the message
Continue to express your beliefs and values that underpin your leadership.
We'd all be king if it were easy
If it was easy, anyone could do it successfully.
But so few can take the pressure of the truth
The reality is that few are capable of handling the pressure and scrutiny that comes with leadership.
So few can just refuse to fade away
Only a handful can refuse to fade away or disappear from the public eye.
Foresaken savior, where do we go today
As a leader who has been rejected or betrayed, where do we take ourselves and those around us today?
Foresaken savior, foresaken savior
A repetition of the phrase to emphasize its significance.
Maybe it's time to pray
Perhaps it is a good idea to seek guidance and help through prayer.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: WARREN HAYNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind