He is best known for performing in The Allman Brothers Band. He was born and spent much of his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee, before relocating to Daytona Beach, Florida. He and his brother, Duane Allman, developed an interest in music in their teens, and began performing in the Allman Joys in the mid-1960s. In 1967, they relocated to Los Angeles and were renamed the Hour Glass, releasing two albums for Liberty Records. In 1969, he and Duane regrouped to form the Allman Brothers Band, which settled in Macon, Georgia.
The Allman Brothers Band began to reach mainstream success by the early 1970s, with their live album At Fillmore East representing a commercial and artistic breakthrough. Shortly thereafter, Duane was killed in a motorcycle crash in 1971. The following year, the band's bassist, Berry Oakley was also killed in a motorcycle accident very close to the location of Duane's wreck. Their 1973 album Brothers and Sisters became their biggest hit, and Allman pursued a solo career afterward, releasing his debut album, Laid Back the same year. Internal turmoil took over the group, leading to a 1975 breakup. Allman was married to pop star Cher for the rest of the decade, while he continued his solo career with the Gregg Allman Band. After a brief Allman Brothers reunion and a decade of little activity, he reached an unexpected peak with the hit single "I'm No Angel" in 1987. After two more solo albums, the Allman Brothers reformed for a third and final time in 1989, and continued performing until 2014. He released his most recent solo album, Low Country Blues, in 2011, and his next, Southern Blood, is set to be released in 2017.
For his work in music, Allman was referred to as a Southern rock pioneer and received numerous awards, including several Grammys; he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. His distinctive voice placed him in 70th place in the Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". Allman released an autobiography, My Cross to Bear, in 2012.
Allman died in Savannah, Georgia, on May 27, 2017.
Devil Got My Woman
Gregg Allman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Than be that woman's man
Yes, I'd rather be that devil
Than be that woman's man
Oh nothin' but the devil
Changed my baby's mind
It was nothin' but the devil
Changed my baby's mind
Well, I laid down last night
Get my natural rest
Yes, I laid down last night
To get my natural rest
Well my mind got to rambling
Like a wild geese in the west
The woman that I love
Took her from my best friend
Yes, the woman that I love
Took her from my best friend
Don't you know he got lucky
Stole her back, again
Don't you know he got lucky
Stole her back, again
Well, I'd rather be that devil
Than be that woman's man
Yes, I'd rather be that devil
Than be that woman's man
The lyrics of the Gregg Allman song Devil Got My Woman speak of heartbreak, betrayal, and ultimately the singer’s desire for something other than a woman who has caused him so much pain. The repeated refrain, “Well, I'd rather be that devil than be that woman's man,” is a powerful statement of the singer’s preference for being seen as a devil than to be associated with the woman who has hurt him so deeply.
The song begins with the singer’s declaration that he would rather be a devil than the woman’s man. He repeats this line throughout the song, emphasizing his desire to distance himself from this woman. He goes on to explain that it was nothing but the devil that changed his baby’s mind, perhaps referring to the idea that the devil was the force that convinced his lover to leave him.
The second verse has the singer describing a restless night, where his mind is “rambling like wild geese in the west.” This restless mind is presumably filled with thoughts of the woman who left him. The final verse sees the singer reflecting on how he lost the woman he loved to his best friend, who ultimately “stole her back again.” The singer’s final declaration of his desire to be a devil rather than be associated with this woman emphasizes the depth of his pain and desire to be free from the hurt that she has caused him.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I'd rather be that devil
I would rather be labeled as the devil than to be with that woman.
Than be that woman's man
I do not want to be associated with the woman I am referring to.
Yes, I'd rather be that devil
I would rather take on the name of the devil than be with her.
Than be that woman's man
I am rejecting the possibility of being in any sort of relationship with the woman I am talking about.
Oh nothin' but the devil
The only explanation for my woman's change in mind is the devil.
Changed my baby's mind
The woman I was with went through a change that I cannot justify or explain.
Well, I laid down last night
I went to sleep last night with good intentions.
Get my natural rest
I simply wanted to get some sleep and wake up refreshed.
Well, my mind got to rambling
But I ended up overthinking, and my thoughts became wild and out of control.
Like a wild geese in the west
My thoughts were wandering and flying like wild geese heading westward.
The woman that I love
I loved a woman who is the source of my troubles.
Took her from my best friend
This woman left me for my best friend.
Don't you know he got lucky
My best friend managed to win her back again.
Stole her back, again
She is in a relationship with my best friend once again.
Well, I'd rather be that devil
I am emphasizing that I would do anything to avoid being with her.
Than be that woman's man
Being associated with her in any way is out of the question.
Lyrics © WYNWOOD MUSIC CO. INC.
Written by: Skip James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind