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,
My Oh My
Gov't Mule Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never once paying the debts that I owed
But there's no place to hide when the day finally comes
A reckoning waits for us all
For us all
Hey, look at me I'm the prodigal son
Coming back home after years on the run
And that I've made my peace
I watched them all die as they struggled with honor
Defending their anger as if it were truth
Lusting for fame as they fell through the air
But nobody's there when you fall
Hey, look at me, I'm the prodigal son
Coming back home after years on the run
Ready to reveal to you all that I'm finally whole
And that I've made my peace
I squandered my love just to lay down in darkness
Sold my soul for wine and a song
Traded my gold for a morning of glory
Now I know my time ain't long
Listen to me, my tale is a tragic one
Come feast your eyes on the damage I've done
But it's not too late to reap what you sow
'Cause nobody's there when you fall
When you fall
When you fall
When you fall
When you fall
When you fall
When you fall
When you fall
When you fall
When you fall
When you fall
Hey, look at me I'm the prodigal son
Coming back home after years on the run
Ready to reveal to you all that I'm finally whole
And that I've made my peace
Made my peace
I've made my peace
Made my peace
The lyrics to Gov't Mule's song My Oh My explore themes of personal struggles with darkness, self-doubt, and the fear of not being able to save someone from their own demons. The singer of the song acknowledges their limitations and inability to save the person in question, but offers to be there for them regardless, to talk them down and hold them up when needed.
The opening lines of the song, "I can't save you, but I can talk you down / I can hold you, but I won't watch you drown," set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. It's a stark reminder that sometimes we can't save those we love from themselves, but we can offer support and a listening ear. The singer of the song seems to be grappling with their own personal demons and struggles, admitting that things in their life tend to grow downward and that they are unsure if they can watch themselves be a coward again.
The lines "In my life, things have a kind of ragged beauty / And I don't seem to know right from wrong / Or so they say, unless it's happening to me" further explore this theme of personal struggle and the tendency to doubt oneself. The singer has a sense of awareness about their issues but is unsure how to fix them. They acknowledge that they have ruined things in the past and seem to be waiting for something to change.
Overall, the song is a powerful exploration of the complex emotions that come with facing personal demons and trying to support those we love who are also struggling with their own internal battles.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't save you, but I can talk you down
I may not have the ability to rescue you from whatever troubles you, but I can help you out through words.
I can hold you, but I won't watch you drown
I can offer my emotional support, but I won't stand by and let you self-destruct.
In my life, things have a way of growing downward
In my experience, things often take a negative turn, and situations tend to get worse over time.
And I don't know if I can watch myself be a coward
Again
I'm uncertain of my ability to face my fears and take action instead of staying passive and allowing things to happen to me.
I don't know you like I thought I did
I don't have a complete understanding of who you are, despite what I originally assumed.
But I will show you things that I kept hid
Despite not knowing you entirely, I'm willing to reveal aspects of myself that I previously kept concealed.
In my life, I've always been the one that had to ruin things
Throughout my life, I have a habit of destroying or negatively impacting situations, and it's something that concerns me.
So I don't know, is some dark angel pulling on my heart strings
Again
I'm not sure if my destructive tendencies are a result of my own doing or if something deeper is at play and causing me to act in such a way.
In my life, things have a kind of ragged beauty
Despite the hardship and negative outcomes I've experienced in my life, there's a certain appeal, a twisted kind of beauty, within it all.
And I don't seem to know right from wrong
I have trouble distinguishing the difference between good and bad, especially when it comes to my own actions and thoughts.
Or so they say, unless it's happening to me
Others may have opinions on what's right and wrong, but it doesn't always apply to me and my situation.
People change, I don't know what for
People can transform, and sometimes, it's hard to comprehend the motives behind such a change.
Strangers walking in and out my door
Many people come and go in my life without any lasting, meaningful connection.
Something's got to change, the past just hangs here to remind me
I recognize that I need to make changes in my life, but my past mistakes and experiences continue to haunt me.
That one of these mornings, I'll reach for you
And find me
Someday in the future, when I try to reach out to someone else, I may find myself struggling with issues and emotions that I've been avoiding, ultimately discovering more about myself in the process.
I have told you, I won't watch you drown
I reassure you that I won't let you suffer alone, and I'll do what I can to support you.
I can't save you, but I will be around
I may not have all the answers or solutions, but I'll stick by your side and be a positive presence in your life.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: WARREN HAYNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dead Mule
Woke up this early a.m. w/ Warren singing this in my head before my eye's even opened so here I am. God how I love how he can pick up a song honor it yet still make it The Mule. God's speed all!
Anemic Royalty
Perfectly descriptive of these times we are in.
deadheadmays
..easily one of my favorite mule songs.
Roll Rolling
another great mule cover! I like how they re worked the song from the original
Adam R
Amazing govt mule!! Good memories at live shows...
im4out again
fantastic
Toro Stezjow
alto tema
Stuart Glynn
Keep your heart for freeze ing the Man is the Man