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,
Patchwork Quilt
Gov't Mule Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But then who really did?
If you were at all like me
You managed to keep yourself hid
A patchwork quilt of a life
Memories embroidered
On your soul
For putting you in my song
But the spirit she moves me
In fact she pushes me along
It's a patchwork quilt of a life
Can't stop the river
Just let it roll
We were at Jones Beach
When we got the word
Saddest sound that I ever heard
The bluest note that nobody could play
Ravens sang with us that night on the stage
Tears of sadness, tears of rage
But nobody spoke, we all felt old
And in the way
So walk beside me
Or above me, I don't know
These days it sure seems
I'm lost where ever I go
God, how could you, I heard someone say
And what do we do with our lives now anyway?
Now that our North Star can no longer be found
But there's a banjo moon in a tie-dyed sky
Hippies dance and babies cry
Church bells ring as a silver-haired angel look down
And the blood of his music runs through the veins of our guitars
Bright lights, dark Star
I never knew you
But then who really did
If you were at all like me
You managed to keep yourself hid
In the song "Patchwork Quilt" by Gov't Mule, the singer reflects on the life of someone they never knew. This person is described as being elusive and private, with a life that is like a patchwork quilt of memories embroidered on their soul. Despite never having met this person, the singer feels moved to put them in their song, as if the "spirit" is urging them to do so. The song speaks to the idea that we are all connected, even to those we have never met or barely know.
The second half of the song takes a darker turn, as the singer reflects on the loss of someone important. They describe a moment when they received "the word" at a concert, and how everyone felt the weight of it without speaking. The lyrics express a sense of confusion and despair, wondering how to continue on in the absence of their "North Star." The banjo moon and hippies dancing provide a contrast to this darkness, as if to say that even in the face of tragedy, there is still joy and hope to be found.
Overall, "Patchwork Quilt" is a song about the interconnectedness of life, and how even those we've never met can impact us deeply. It is also an exploration of grief and how we move forward in the face of loss.
Line by Line Meaning
I never knew you
I never had a chance to meet you
But then who really did?
No one really knew you as a person
If you were at all like me
If you shared any experiences similar to mine
You managed to keep yourself hid
You kept your true self hidden
A patchwork quilt of a life
A life made up of many different experiences and memories
Memories embroidered
Memories that are embellished or significant
On your soul
Internalized within your spirit
So please forgive me
I hope you don't mind
For putting you in my song
For including you in my music
But the spirit she moves me
But the inspiration drives me
In fact she pushes me along
In fact, it propels me forward
Can't stop the river
Can't prevent natural events from happening
Just let it roll
Just let things happen as they will
We were at Jones Beach
A personal experience at a beach called Jones Beach
When we got the word
When we were informed
Saddest sound that I ever heard
The most melancholic sound I have ever heard
The bluest note that nobody could play
A sad note impossible for anyone to sing or play
Ravens sang with us that night on the stage
Metaphorical event where everything seemed ominous
Tears of sadness, tears of rage
Expressions of emotions triggered by the circumstances
But nobody spoke, we all felt old
No one said anything, but we all felt the weight of the moment
And in the way
Preventing us from moving on
So walk beside me
Be with me as we move forward
Or above me, I don't know
Or leave me behind, I am unsure
These days it sure seems
Nowadays it feels like
I'm lost where ever I go
Uncertain about where I am headed
God, how could you, I heard someone say
A common question or expression of disbelief
And what do we do with our lives now anyway?
An introspective realization of life's meaning and purpose
Now that our North Star can no longer be found
Now that our guide or inspiration is gone
But there's a banjo moon in a tie-dyed sky
Contrast between a traditional instrument and a more contemporary theme
Hippies dance and babies cry
A scene with a mix of carefree and sad moments
Church bells ring as a silver-haired angel look down
Symbolism of hope and despair in a religious context
And the blood of his music runs through the veins of our guitars
Reference to the influence of the deceased performer's music
Bright lights, dark Star
A play on words regarding the performer's stardom and tragic ending
Contributed by Gavin A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.