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,
Lola Leave Your Light On
Gov't Mule Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But please don't make me crawl
What you got, baby, is killing me
Making me ten feet tall
My southern pride is all in a tizzy
Weak in my knees
My head is spinning, I'm feeling kind of dizzy
Guess I'm begging please
Lola leave your light on
I said Lola leave your red light on
Lola leave your light on
I said Lola leave your red light on
Don't tease me, well maybe just a little
Don't tantalize my heart
It's hard to know where the torture ends
And where the pleasure starts
I can taste the pain, I can feel the fire
Seep into my soul
Mother Mary, I said please forgive me
I'm about to lose control
Lola leave your light on
I said Lola leave your red light on
Lola leave your light on
I said Lola leave your red light on
Smooth operator, playing a little bit rough
How'd you know I like it that way
We can come together if I call your bluff
Wash our sins away
Shadows dancing on your bedroom wall, caution to the wind
Wolves are howling outside your door
Oh you better let them in
Lola leave your light on
I said Lola leave your red light on
Lola leave your light on
I said Lola leave your red light on
Lola leave your light on
I said Lola leave your red light on
Lola leave your light on
I said Lola leave your red light on
The lyrics of "Lola Leave Your Light On" by Gov't Mule are seemingly about a man who is enamored with a woman named Lola, but is struggling to contain his desire for her. He begins by pleading with her not to make him beg or crawl, but also acknowledges that she is killing him, yet making him feel ten feet tall. The man is fully aware of the power Lola holds over him, and his southern pride is causing him to feel weak in the knees and dizzy. Despite this, he still cannot resist her and begs her to leave her light on.
The chorus of the song, which is perhaps the most repeated, refers to Lola leaving her red light on. While this may be interpreted as a reference to a brothel or similar establishment, it is likely to be metaphorical. The red light may symbolize temptation, desire, or anything that is alluring or potentially dangerous. The fact that the man is asking Lola to leave her light on may indicate that he wants her to continue teasing him and playing hard to get, as he enjoys it.
In the next verse, the man continues to express his desire for Lola, acknowledging that she is teasing him but also finding it difficult to differentiate between the pleasure and the pain. He is able to feel the fire of his longing seep into his soul, and he asks for forgiveness as he is about to lose control. The third verse appears to be a confession from the man that he likes to play rough and that Lola knows how to read him well. He suggests that they can come together if she calls his bluff, and the lyrics end with a clear indication that the sexual tension has reached its peak and cannot be contained any longer.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't make me beg, well maybe just a little
I don't want to beg, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get what I want
But please don't make me crawl
I don't want to feel humiliated or degraded in the process
What you got, baby, is killing me
Your attractiveness and allure have entranced me beyond measure
Making me ten feet tall
Your presence makes me feel powerful and confident
My southern pride is all in a tizzy
My sense of dignity and self-esteem is compromised by my attraction to you
Weak in my knees
Your beauty is overwhelming me to the point of physical weakness
My head is spinning, I'm feeling kind of dizzy
Your enchantment with me is causing me to lose my sense of balance and perspective
Guess I'm begging please
I'm so desperate for your affection that I'll plead with you if I have to
Lola leave your light on
Please don't reject me, leave the possibility of our intimacy open
I said Lola leave your red light on
Indicating a willingness to engage in illicit or forbidden activity with Lola
Don't tease me, well maybe just a little
I can't resist your teasing and flirtation, but don't take it too far
Don't tantalize my heart
I'm not sure I can handle the emotional intensity of being tantalized with the possibility of intimacy
It's hard to know where the torture ends
I'm not sure if the emotional pain is worth the possibility of pleasure and intimacy
And where the pleasure starts
I'm not sure if or when the pleasure will outweigh the pain
I can taste the pain, I can feel the fire
The emotional intensity of the situation is palpable, to the point of being painful and overwhelming
Seep into my soul
The emotional impact is so deep, it's affecting the very core of my being
Mother Mary, I said please forgive me
Asking for forgiveness for any moral or ethical transgressions that may occur between us
I'm about to lose control
The temptation to give in to our desires is becoming too strong to resist
Smooth operator, playing a little bit rough
Lola is skilled at seduction, but is willing to engage in heightened levels of sensuality
How'd you know I like it that way
Acknowledging that Lola has a sense of what turns me on
We can come together if I call your bluff
If we're both willing to cross certain lines, we can experience pleasure together
Wash our sins away
Engaging in intimate activity will absolve us of our respective moral failings
Shadows dancing on your bedroom wall, caution to the wind
The setting and conditions are ripe for us to indulge our mutual desires, despite any risks or consequences
Wolves are howling outside your door
Emphasizing the danger inherent in the situation, as we are literally under threat from wild animals
Oh you better let them in
Urging Lola to abandon her inhibitions and embrace the passion between us
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ANDY HESS, NORMAN JEFFREY ANDERS, WARREN HAYNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Adam Davidson
Great album!
D J
Sweet as fuck!
andreas hatlevik
sweet.
Manuel Garcia
L.S thought