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,
Reggae Soulshine
Gov't Mule Lyrics
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That guides you through a cloudy day
When the stars ain't shinin' bright
And you feel like you've lost you're way
When those candle lights of home
Burn so very far away
Well you got to let your soul shine
Just like my daddy used to say.
He used to say soul shine
It's better than sunshine,
It's better than moonshine,
Damn sure better than rain.
Hey now people don't mind,
We all feel this way sometimes,
Got to let your soul shine,
Shine 'till the break of day.
I grew up thinkin' that I had it made,
Gonna make it on my own.
Life can take the strongest man,
Make him feel so alone.
Now and then I feel a cold wind,
Blowin' through my achin' bones,
I think back to what my daddy said,
He said "Boy, in the darkness before the dawn"
Let your soul shine.
It's better than sunshine,
It's better than moonshine,
Damn sure better than rain.
Hey now people don't mind,
We all get this way sometimes,
Gotta let your soul shine,
Shine 'till the break of day.
Sometimes a man can feel this emptiness,
Like a woman has robbed him of his very soul.
A woman too, God knows, she can feel like this.
And when your world seems cold,
You got to let your spirit take control.
Talkin''bout soul shine,
It's better than sunshine,
It's better than moonshine,
Damn sure better than rain.
Lord now people don't mind,
We all feel this way sometimes,
Gotta let your soul shine,
Shine till the break of day.
I said it's better than sunshine,
It's better than moonshine,
Damn sure better than rain
Yeah now people don't mind,
We all get this way sometimes,
Gotta let your soul shine,
Shine 'till the break of day.
The lyrics of Gov't Mule's "Reggae Soulshine" are a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of leaning on your inner strength during difficult times. The opening lyrics create a mood of confusion and helplessness, but also introduce the idea that there is hope to be found in a person's inner soul. The singer advises the listener to "let your soul shine," using the words of his father as inspiration.
The chorus reinforces this idea, repeating that the soul's light is even more powerful than sunshine, moonshine, or rain. The repetition almost forms a mantra, encouraging the listener to believe in their own inner strength. The singer then shares his own story of struggle, describing the emptiness that can even afflict the strongest people. He uses the image of a cold wind blowing through his bones to express the depth of his loneliness. However, thanks to his father's words, he is able to find a way through the darkness.
The final verse expands the idea to include women as well, acknowledging that anyone can feel lost and alone at times. The song's overall message is that even in times of great difficulty, there is always hope to be found by turning inward and allowing yourself to shine.
Line by Line Meaning
When you can't find the light
That guides you through a cloudy day
When you're feeling lost and uncertain in the midst of life's challenges
When the stars ain't shinin' bright
And you feel like you've lost you're way
When hopelessness and despair seem to overshadow your life
When those candle lights of home
Burn so very far away
When you're far away from the people and places that bring you comfort
Well you got to let your soul shine
Just like my daddy used to say.
You need to cultivate the inner strength and resilience to shine through any darkness
He used to say soul shine
It's better than sunshine,
It's better than moonshine,
Damn sure better than rain.
The power of your soul to shine is greater than any external factors or circumstances
Hey now people don't mind,
We all feel this way sometimes,
Got to let your soul shine,
Shine 'till the break of day.
Everyone experiences tough times, but you can rise above it by shining from within
I grew up thinkin' that I had it made,
Gonna make it on my own.
I used to believe that I could conquer the world alone
Life can take the strongest man,
Make him feel so alone.
Life has a way of breaking even the toughest of people
Now and then I feel a cold wind,
Blowin' through my achin' bones,
I feel vulnerable and exposed to life's challenges
He said "Boy, in the darkness before the dawn"
My father taught me that even in the darkest moments, there is hope for a new day
Sometimes a man can feel this emptiness,
Like a woman has robbed him of his very soul.
Sometimes we feel a deep sense of loss and heartache that can be hard to shake
A woman too, God knows, she can feel like this.
Women also face their own unique struggles and challenges in life
And when your world seems cold,
You got to let your spirit take control.
In the face of adversity, we must draw on our inner strength and resilience to carry on
Talkin' 'bout soul shine,
It's better than sunshine,
It's better than moonshine,
Damn sure better than rain.
The light that shines from within us is more powerful and enduring than any external influence
Lord now people don't mind,
We all feel this way sometimes,
Gotta let your soul shine,
Shine till the break of day.
We are all in this journey of life together, and can draw strength from one another to keep shining
I said it's better than sunshine,
It's better than moonshine,
Damn sure better than rain
Yeah now people don't mind,
We all get this way sometimes,
Gotta let your soul shine,
Shine 'till the break of day.
Even when life brings its darkest moments, we can tap into our inner light and shine through it all
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: WARREN HAYNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind