Gov't Mule is a southern rock/jam band formed in 1994 as a side project to … Read Full Bio ↴Gov't Mule is a southern rock/jam band formed in 1994 as a side project to The Allman Brothers Band, but has taken on a life of its own. Like many jam bands, Gov't Mule does not get much radio airplay but is popular due to constant touring and intense fan loyalty.

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,

So Weak
Gov't Mule Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So weak so strong, nothing's forever in her universe
Bringing comfort, bringing pain, so weak so strong

So weak so strong, turning mountains into seas of dust
Finding courage when all hope is lost, so weak so strong

Men have died from half the pain she endures everyday
Many times I've seen her spirit fade away only to rise again

So weak so strong, there's only one of her in the universe
Bringing darkness, bringing light, so weak so strong

Men have died from half the pain she endures everyday
Many times I've seen her spirit fade away only to rise again

So weak so strong, she's never really what she seems to be
But life without her seems so bleak, so weak so strong

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gov't Mule's song "So Weak So Strong" speak to the complex and contradictory nature of a certain woman in the singer's life. She is described as simultaneously weak and strong, capable of bringing both comfort and pain, darkness and light. The lyrics suggest that this woman possesses a depth of emotion and capacity for endurance that often goes unappreciated by those around her. Despite the challenges she faces and the ways in which her spirit might fade, she always manages to rise again, showing an inner strength that belies her outward appearance of vulnerability.

The repeated refrain, "So weak so strong," serves to underscore the paradoxical nature of the woman in question. The lyrics also suggest that the singer has a deep admiration for this woman, even as he struggles to understand her. The line "she's never really what she seems to be" hints at the idea that there is much more to this woman than meets the eye, and that her true complexity and depth may remain elusive to others.

Overall, the lyrics of "So Weak So Strong" paint a powerful portrait of a woman who possesses both great strength and great vulnerability, and who is an inspiration to those around her despite her struggles.

Line by Line Meaning

So weak so strong, nothing's forever in her universe
Despite her apparent strength, nothing in her universe is truly eternal, everything is subject to change.

Bringing comfort, bringing pain, so weak so strong
As a complex individual, she has the potential to bring both comfort and pain to those around her.

So weak so strong, turning mountains into seas of dust
She is capable of overcoming obstacles and taking on immense challenges, even if they seem insurmountable.

Finding courage when all hope is lost, so weak so strong
Even in the most dire circumstances, she has the ability to summon the courage needed to persevere and overcome adversity.

Men have died from half the pain she endures everyday
Her daily struggles and emotional pain are so significant that they have been known to cause death in others who experience a fraction of what she goes through.

Many times I've seen her spirit fade away only to rise again
Despite times where her spirit seems to be broken, she finds a way to rise again and continue pushing forward.

So weak so strong, there's only one of her in the universe
Her unique abilities and strengths make her one-of-a-kind in the vastness of the universe.

Bringing darkness, bringing light, so weak so strong
Like yin and yang, she brings both darkness and light into the world, demonstrating a duality of character.

She's never really what she seems to be
Her true nature and complexity go beyond initial perceptions or first impressions.

But life without her seems so bleak, so weak so strong
Despite any challenges or unexpected aspects of her character, life without her would feel empty and uninspired.

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: WARREN HAYNES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Teresa Bonk

9y↑14

After 20 years and fighting 3 different cancers my sweet loving sister in law passed away on Dec. 21. My brother who was married to this wonderful woman for 27 years introduced me to this song. She was so strong!!!