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,
Slow Happy Boys
Gov't Mule Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Different than everybody else
Slow happy boys deal with their frustration
Different than everybody else
Well I tried and I tried
To get you off my mind
Yeah you better believe it's true
But it all comes back down to you
And now I try to lose myself
Without your help
Oh but it just don't seem to do no good
Cause I cannot help myself, cannot help myself
Slow happy boys deal with their frustration
Different than everybody else
Slow happy boys deal with their frustration
Different than everybody else
I'm gonna keep on trying
To make it through the day
As if I had my right mind
Try not to think about doing without you
Anyway, ain't no use in crying
Yeah but here I am drowning in a hurricane
Oh, but I can't help but wonder
What the world would be like
Without you in my life
Slow happy boys deal with their frustration
Different than everybody else
Slow happy boys deal with their frustration
Different than everybody else
For thirty three years I've been on this earth
I plan on being here thirty three more
After all this time
Still, my only crime is to be riding in style with an illegal smile
Slow happy boys deal with their frustration
Different than everybody else
Slow happy boys deal with their frustration
Different than everybody else
Slow happy boys deal with their frustration
Different than everybody else
Slow happy boys deal with their frustration
Different than everybody else
The song "Slow Happy Boys" by Gov't Mule is a introspective piece about the struggles of the singer with a past relationship. The chorus repeats "Slow happy boys deal with their frustration, different than everybody else", suggesting that the singer feels different from others and perhaps even outcasted. The slow and melancholic melody of the song adds to the theme of frustration and sadness.
The first verse establishes the singer's attempts to move on from their previous relationship, where they tried everything but it all came back to their ex-lover. The line "And now I try to lose myself without your help" highlights the desire for independence and not relying on their past partner. However, the singer cannot help but feel consumed by thoughts of their ex. The second verse shows the singer trying to push through their sadness and live their life normally, despite feeling like they are drowning in a hurricane. The final verse is a reflection on life, with the singer stating that they have been alive for 33 years and plan to be for 33 more. The line "Still, my only crime is to be riding in style with an illegal smile" suggests that the singer enjoys the present moment despite their struggles and perhaps even finds solace in "illegal" activities.
Overall, "Slow Happy Boys" portrays the pain of heartbreak and the complexities of moving on, all while feeling different from everyone else. The slow melody emphasizes the melancholic theme and highlights the weight of the singer's struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Slow happy boys deal with their frustration
People who are content with their lives despite obstacles find unique ways to cope with their setbacks
Different than everybody else
The methods used by slow happy boys to deal with obstacles and frustrations are unconventional
Well I tried and I tried
I attempted relentlessly to remove you from my thoughts
To get you off my mind
To stop thinking about you and moving on with my life
Yeah you better believe it's true
This is not about exaggeration. It is a real struggle that I am going through
Tried everything to stop the pain
I exhausted all the strategies suggested to me to prevent the emotional distress I am feeling
But it all comes back down to you
Regardless of what I do, you are still the root cause of my pain
And now I try to lose myself
I aim to divert my attention from my worries
Without your help
Your support is not required in my efforts to overcome my troubles
Oh but it just don't seem to do no good
My attempts to distract myself aren't proving successful
Cause I cannot help myself, cannot help myself
I want to move on, but I can't seem to stop thinking of you
I'm gonna keep on trying
I refuse to give up despite my struggles
To make it through the day
I attempt to survive each day without being hindered by my current emotional distress
As if I had my right mind
I attempt to act as if I am not affected by your absence as a way to move on
Try not to think about doing without you
I am working hard to avoid imagining my life without you
Anyway, ain't no use in crying
Crying will merely intensify my emotional distress and achieve nothing positive
Yeah but here I am drowning in a hurricane
Despite all these efforts, I still cannot shake off the torment that your absence brings me
Oh but I can't help but wonder
I am reflective and questioning if I am better off without you
What the world would be like
How the world would seem different without your impact in my life
Without you in my life
If you were not part of my life
For thirty three years I've been on this earth
I have been alive for thirty-three years
I plan on being here thirty three more
I look forward to living for another thirty-three years
After all this time
Despite the time that has passed
Still, my only crime is to be riding in style with an illegal smile
My only offense is being content while hiding my pain behind a smile
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: WARREN HAYNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind