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,

Wish You Were Here
Gov't Mule Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skys from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

And did they get you to trade
Your heros for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?

The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song “Wish You Were Here” by Gov't Mule are haunting and evocative, touching on themes of isolation, disillusionment, and yearning. The opening lines of the song, “So, so you think you can tell / Heaven from Hell, / Blue skies from pain” sets an introspective tone, questioning whether we can truly distinguish between positive and negative experiences. The subsequent lines “Can you tell a green field / From a cold steel rail? / A smile from a veil?” further emphasize the sense of confusion and blurred lines between opposing forces. The song seems to suggest that life is not so simple as black and white, and that we may struggle to make sense of our experiences, especially when overwhelmed by emotions.

The second verse of the song delves deeper into the idea of disillusionment, asking whether we have traded our dreams and aspirations for something less fulfilling. The lines “And did they get you to trade / Your heroes for ghosts? / Hot ashes for trees? / Hot air for a cool breeze? / Cold comfort for change?” ask us to reflect on whether we have given up on what we truly value in life, and settled for something that is comfortable but ultimately unsatisfying. The final lines of the verse, “And did you exchange / A walk on part in the war / For a lead role in a cage?” suggest that we may have surrendered our agency and freedom for the safety and security of a “cage”.

The chorus of the song offers a wistful lament for what has been lost or missed. The lines “How I wish, how I wish you were here. / We're just two lost souls / Swimming in a fish bowl, / Year after year, / Running over the same old ground” express a deep sense of longing for someone who is not present, and a feeling of being stagnated or stuck in a cycle of repetition. The final lines “What have we found? / The same old fears. / Wish you were here.” suggests that despite our best efforts, we may still be dogged by our own fears and anxieties, and that what we really need is the comfort and support of someone we miss.

Line by Line Meaning

So, so you think you can tell
Do you believe you can distinguish

Heaven from Hell,
Paradise from Inferno

Blue skys from pain.
Cheerful skies from grief

Can you tell a green field
Can you distinguish a grassland

From a cold steel rail?
From a frozen steel track?

A smile from a veil?
Can you recognize a false smile?

Do you think you can tell?
Do you believe you have the capacity?

And did they get you to trade
And did they pressure you to swap

Your heros for ghosts?
Your champions for apparitions?

Hot ashes for trees?
Burning charcoals for trees?

Hot air for a cool breeze?
Inflated emotions for refreshing winds?