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,
Hammer and Nails
Gov't Mule Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It Takes More Than A Hammer And Nails
It takes more, more than a hammer
More than a hammer and nails
It takes more than a hammer and nails
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
It takes a firm foundation built on faith and love
With a whole lot of guidance from up above
Show your neighbor what a friend is for
With an open heart and an open door
When your first one reaches for its' mothers' breasts
He Knows up from down and he knows east from west
It takes more, more than a hammer
More than a hammer and nails
It takes more than a hammer and nails
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
It takes more, more than a hammer
More than a hammer and nails
It takes more than a hammer and nails
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
It takes a firm foundation build on truth and thrust
So your wood won't rot and your nails won't rust
So when your for first one reaches for its' mothers' breasts
He knows up from down, and he knows east from west
Show your neighbor what a friend is for
With an open heart and an open door
It takes more, more than a hammer
More than a hammer and nails
It takes more than a hammer and nails
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
It takes more, more than a hammer
More than a hammer and nails
It takes more than a hammer and nails
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
To make a house a home
The lyrics of Gov't Mule's song "Hammer and Nails" convey a powerful message about the value of building a home with more than just physical tools. The song speaks to the idea that a house becomes a true home when it is built on a firm foundation of love, faith, guidance, and trust. The lyrics highlight the importance of community and open-heartedness, demonstrating that being a good neighbor and friend is just as important as the physical act of building a structure.
The first verse emphasizes that using a hammer and nails alone will not suffice in making a house a home. The song then delves deeper into what is required, reinforcing the idea that a firm foundation built on values like faith and love is crucial. The second verse emphasizes the importance of truth and trust, so that a home can be built to last.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of raising children with these values, highlighting the importance of teaching them the difference between right and wrong from a young age. The song reaches its climax in the repeated refrain: “It takes more than a hammer, more than a hammer and nails, to make a house a home.” This emphasizes that creating a home requires more than just physical labor; it requires kindness, compassion, and an understanding of what truly makes a house a home.
Line by Line Meaning
It takes more, more than a hammer
Building a home requires more than just physical labor with a hammer
More than a hammer and nails
It requires more than just the basic tools to build a home
It takes more than a hammer and nails
Building a home is a complex process that requires various supplies and skills
To make a house a home
Creating a comfortable and loving environment requires more than just constructing a building
To make a house a home
Transforming a mere physical structure into a place of warmth and love requires certain intangibles
To make a house a home
Building a house is just the starting point, making it a home is a much bigger task
To make a house a home
Emphasizes the importance of creating a pleasant atmosphere within a physical dwelling
It takes a firm foundation built on faith and love
A strong and stable foundation for a home requires emotional components like trust, faith, and love
With a whole lot of guidance from up above
Religious faith and divine assistance are important for creating this strong foundation
Show your neighbor what a friend is for
Being a good neighbor and friend is essential to creating a sense of community and warmth in a neighborhood
With an open heart and an open door
Welcoming others and being receptive to their needs is necessary to create a hospitable environment
When your first one reaches for its' mothers' breasts
The birth of a child marks the beginning of creating a loving and nurturing environment within a home
He knows up from down and he knows east from west
The innocence and clarity of a newborn child serves as a reminder of what really matters and helps guide the family
It takes a firm foundation built on truth and thrust
The foundation of a home requires honesty, reliability, and integrity in order to maintain a stable structure
So your wood won't rot and your nails won't rust
By creating a strong foundation, the physical components of the house will also remain sturdy and last a long time
It takes more, more than a hammer
Reiterating the point that constructing a home requires more than just physical labor
More than a hammer and nails
Reiterating the point that basic supplies and tools are not enough to build a comfortable and loving home
It takes more than a hammer and nails
Reiterating the point that constructing a home is a multi-faceted process that requires more than just the basics
To make a house a home
Reiterating the importance of creating a warm and welcoming environment within a home
To make a house a home
Reiterating that just building a house is not sufficient to create a comfortable and loving living environment
To make a house a home
Reiterating the necessity of going beyond the physical aspects of creating a living space
To make a house a home
Reiterating that a home must be a place of comfort, safety, and love
Writer(s): David Hess, Aaron Schroeder
Contributed by Riley W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.