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,
Pressure Under Fire
Gov't Mule Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too many have been written
By now you′d think we know better
Maybe just one lonely voice
Is never gonna be enough
We all got to sing it together
Oh, we're all fighting the same thing
There's only so much you can do
By yourself
People, we got to share the love
Yeah, we′ve got to share the love
The next time you hear
Pressure under fire
Living in fear
Of what we don′t understand
It all seems so clear
Pressure under fire
And no way to live in this land
We all know how this ends
So many times, so many places
By now you'd think we′d have learned
From any one of those times
That it blew up in our faces
How many times can we be burned?
We keep on moving in the wrong direction
Oh, we keep on heading down the same old track
There's only so much you can take
Only so many times we can turn our backs
People, we can′t keep turning our backs
The next time you hear
Pressure under fire
Living in fear
Of what we don't understand
It all seems so clear
Pressure under fire
And no way to live in this land
And the wise man said
Human race is the only race
Oh, you can′t dispel darkness with darkness
It's been said so many times
We got to learn to work together
If we're gonna get out of this mess
Just another song about the same thing
So many have been sung
By now you′d think we know better
But next time you hear
Pressure under fire
Living in fear
Of what we don′t understand
It all seems so clear
Pressure under fire
And no way to live in this land
Pressure under fire
Living in fear
Of what we don't understand
It all seems so clear
Pressure under fire
And no way to live in this land
No way to live
Oh
No way to live in this land
"Pressure Under Fire" by Gov't Mule is a song that reflects on the repetitive nature of human behavior and the importance of unity in challenging times. The lyrics express a sense of frustration that despite the multitude of songs written about similar themes, humanity seems to be slow in learning from the mistakes of the past. The singer acknowledges that one voice alone may not be enough to bring about change, emphasizing the need for collective action and shared responsibility.
The song touches upon the universal struggles faced by everyone as they navigate through life. It suggests that there is a limit to what one individual can achieve on their own and highlights the significance of coming together as a community to support and help one another. The lyrics convey a plea for love and solidarity, emphasizing the importance of sharing and caring for each other rather than turning our backs or living in fear.
The chorus serves as a reminder that pressure under fire, the feeling of being overwhelmed and threatened, is something that impacts us all. It urges the listener to confront their fears and question the things they don't understand, rather than letting those fears control and divide them. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the sense of urgency and draws attention to the detrimental effects of living in a state of fear and ignorance.
Overall, "Pressure Under Fire" is a call to action, urging individuals to break the cycle of repetition, unify, and work together to overcome the challenges faced by society.
Line by Line Meaning
Just another song about the same thing
Another song addressing the ongoing issue is being presented
Too many have been written
Numerous songs have previously tackled this subject
By now you'd think we know better
Considering the amount of songs, we should have gained more wisdom
Maybe just one lonely voice
Perhaps the voice of a single individual
Is never gonna be enough
Will not be sufficient on its own
We all got to sing it together
Collectively, we need to express our thoughts on this matter
Oh, we're all fighting the same thing
We are all engaged in the battle against a common problem
We're all traveling down life's road
As individuals, we are journeying through life
There's only so much you can do
There is a limit to what one person can accomplish
By yourself
Without assistance or collaboration
People, we got to share the love
We must spread compassion and kindness among one another
Yeah, we've got to share the love
Indeed, it is imperative to distribute love and understanding
The next time you hear
When you encounter another instance
Pressure under fire
Facing intense stress and adversity
Living in fear
Existing in a state of anxiety and apprehension
Of what we don't understand
Due to a lack of comprehension
It all seems so clear
Suddenly, everything becomes evident
And no way to live in this land
Resulting in an unsustainable existence in this society
We all know how this ends
We are aware of the eventual outcome
So many times, so many places
Numerous occurrences in various locations
By now you'd think we'd have learned
At this point, it would be expected for us to have acquired knowledge
From any one of those times
From any of those instances
That it blew up in our faces
When the situation escalated unfavorably
How many times can we be burned?
How many times can we endure pain and disappointment?
We keep on moving in the wrong direction
Persisting in choosing the incorrect path
Oh, we keep on heading down the same old track
Continuously following the familiar, unproductive route
There's only so much you can take
There is a limit to what one can endure
Only so many times we can turn our backs
A finite number of instances where we ignore the issue
People, we can't keep turning our backs
We must cease neglecting the problem
And the wise man said
Referring to a statement by a knowledgeable individual
Human race is the only race
The human species is the single category of race
Oh, you can't dispel darkness with darkness
Efforts to eliminate negativity cannot be achieved through more negativity
It's been said so many times
This idea has been expressed repeatedly
We got to learn to work together
We need to acquire the ability to cooperate
If we're gonna get out of this mess
To escape this complicated situation
So many have been sung
Countless songs have been performed
But next time you hear
However, if on another occasion you encounter
No way to live
An existence without hope or purpose
Oh
Expressing emotions such as surprise or realization
No way to live in this land
An unsustainable life within this society
Writer(s): Warren Haynes
Contributed by Lincoln H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TheSecondNature
absolutely great song! thanks god we still have artists like them
@jeffjackson5190
here for a reason
@insomniaradio2479
My favorite artist of all time is Warren Haynes. My favorite band is gov't fuckin mule. Ive seen mule 17 goin on 18 times on august 22nd in Columbus Ohio. Ive seen Warren Haynes live 56 times with 5 different bands in 5 different states. Hardest working man in rock 🎸
@gavinpaterson1853
I was fortunate enough to see Warren in Milwaukee 90 min set with Mule then 2+ hour set with Allman Brothers then 3+ hour set with Phill and Friends all in the same day.
@jesuspacquiao3633
The best current band. Period.
@epipd5712
Great lyrics and great song. Awesome band!
@franklempka6686
Great lyrics, great music!
@thunderdrumass
Thank You for real music always, loved seeing Mule stuff at the Big House Rock On !!
@relandmcclure1038
You guys so ROCK! I love your style & appreciate your talent! Been a fan since I heard you on iTunes & bought "captured"! Oh, I am so very "captured"! You're my first love affair, lol!
@patrickdoran180
My favorite song from the new album. Classic Mule.