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,
No Need to Suffer
Gov't Mule Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heal yourself, no need to stay blind
Spiral dreams, too much to bear
Spiraling who knows where
Let me take you down
No need to suffer anymore
Wrap yourself in the warmth of my arms
Can't you see
There's no need to suffer anymore
Defenseless, trapped in a cage
Blissfulness devoured by the rage
Fate's been cruel, though the years have been kind
You've go to heal yourself, no need to stay blind
Let me take you down
No need to suffer anymore
Wrap yourself in the warmth of my arms
And we'll laugh out loud while the earth dies screaming
Can't you see
There's no need to suffer anymore
And we'll fly away
And look down at the earth below
Fly away and we'll never look back
No, we'll never look back
Woman suspended in time
Heal yourself, no need to stay blind
The lyrics of Gov't Mule's song No Need to Suffer convey a message of empathy and support for someone who is struggling to come to terms with their life's challenges. The song encourages the person to take a step back from their current situation, to let go of their suffering, and to look towards a brighter future. The lines "Woman, suspended in time / Heal yourself, no need to stay blind" evoke a sense of detachment from the present moment and a call to action to focus on self-healing. The references to "Spiral dreams, too much to bear / Spiraling who knows where" emphasize the overwhelming and unending nature of pain and suffering, and the need to break free from it.
The lyrics then transition to a more uplifting tone in the chorus, where the singer invites the person to take comfort in their surroundings ("Wrap yourself in the warmth of my arms") and to let go of their troubles. The lines "We'll laugh out loud while the earth dies screaming / Can't you see / There's no need to suffer anymore" emphasize a sense of defiance in the face of adversity and a refusal to give in to despair. The song ends on a note of hope and liberation, with the lines "And we'll fly away / And look down at the earth below / Fly away and we'll never look back / No, we'll never look back" suggesting a new beginning and a fresh start.
Line by Line Meaning
Woman, suspended in time
Addressing a woman who seems to be stuck in the past, unable to move on and heal.
Heal yourself, no need to stay blind
Encouraging the woman not to remain oblivious to her pain and to take control of her healing process.
Spiral dreams, too much to bear
The woman's dreams and thoughts are overwhelming and unbearable, leading to her sufferings.
Spiraling who knows where
Lost and spiraling in her thoughts, the woman is unaware of where she is headed.
Let me take you down
Offering to help the woman navigate through her feelings and thoughts.
No need to suffer anymore
Assuring the woman that she doesn't have to endure the pain and hurt anymore.
Wrap yourself in the warmth of my arms
Comforting the woman, providing her with a safe space to feel vulnerable and find solace.
And we'll lie awake till sleep overtakes us
Offering to stay with the woman till she is able to let go of her pain and fall asleep peacefully.
Can't you see
Making it clear that there is a life without pain awaiting the woman, and she just needs to open her eyes to the possibility.
Defenseless, trapped in a cage
The woman feels helpless and confined, unable to break free from the misery she is in.
Blissfulness devoured by the rage
Her joy and peace have been taken away by anger and sadness.
Fate's been cruel, though the years have been kind
Life has been generous, but fate has dealt her some harsh blows, leading to the woman's pain and hurt.
You've go to heal yourself, no need to stay blind
Reinforcing the message that the woman should take charge of her healing process and not remain unaware of her suffering.
And we'll laugh out loud while the earth dies screaming
The woman will find comfort and joy in spite of the chaos and pain in the world.
And we'll fly away
Providing the woman with a way out from her current situation through emotional healing and positivity.
And look down at the earth below
After healing and moving on, the woman can see the world with a new perspective.
No, we'll never look back
Once she has overcome her pain, the woman will never return to that state of misery.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: WARREN HAYES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind