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.
Floating Bridge
Gregg Allman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, I never will forget that floatin' bridge
Well, I never will forget that ol' floatin' bridge
Tell me, five minutes underwater when I was hid
When I was goin' down I throwed up my hands
Yeah, when I was goin' down I throwed up my hands
Now, when I was goin' down I throwed up my hands
Now, they carried me out the water an' they laid me on the bank
Now, they carried me out the water an' they laid me on the bank
They carried me out the water, they laid me on the bank
About a gallon of muddy water I had drank
Now, they dried me off an' they laid me on the bed
Now, they dried me off an' they laid me on the bed
Now, they dried me off, they laid me on the bed
Don't like muddy water runnin' through my head
Now, my mother often taught me, don't you be no bum
But my mother often taught me, don't you be no bum
But my mother often taught me, son, don't you be no bum
Go somewhere settle down find you someone
Now, the people standin' on the bridge was screamin' an' cryin'
Well, the people on the bridge was screamin' an' cryin'
Now, the people on the bridge was standin' screamin' an' cryin'
Lord, I thought sure that I was dyin'
Well, I never will forget that floatin' bridge
Well, I never will forget that floatin' bridge
I never will forget that ol' floatin' bridge
Tell me, five minutes underwater when I was hid
Tell me, five minutes underwater when I was hid
The lyrics to Gregg Allman's song "Floating Bridge" tell a story of survival and desperation. The singer recounts the harrowing experience of being trapped underwater for five minutes while crossing a "floatin' bridge." The image of a floating bridge brings to mind a rickety, unstable structure that barely holds together, a metaphor for the singer's world and state of mind. The repetition of the line "Well, I never will forget that floatin' bridge" emphasizes the traumatic impact of the experience on the singer. The plea to the Lord to "take me on dry land" expresses the singer's desperation to survive.
The lyric "Now, my mother often taught me, don't you be no bum" suggests that the singer has not heeded this advice and has found himself in a dangerous situation. The memory of his mother's words serves as a reminder of the potential consequences of his choices. The final lines of the song repeat the opening lines, reinforcing the lasting impact of the experience on the singer.
Overall, "Floating Bridge" is a powerful song that conveys a sense of danger and desperation, as well as the resilience and survival instinct of the human spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I never will forget that floatin' bridge
The singer will always remember the floating bridge that he once crossed.
Well, I never will forget that floatin' bridge
The singer reiterates that he will always remember the floating bridge.
Well, I never will forget that ol' floatin' bridge
The floating bridge that the singer once crossed has been etched in his memory forever.
Tell me, five minutes underwater when I was hid
The singer relives a harrowing event where he was under water for five minutes.
Yeah, when I was goin' down I throwed up my hands
When the singer was drowning, he gave up and lifted his hands in an act of surrender.
Now, when I was goin' down I throwed up my hands
The singer repeats that he surrendered when he was drowning.
Lord, please, please take me on dry land
The singer pleads with God to help him reach dry land and save him from drowning.
Now, they carried me out the water an' they laid me on the bank
People rescued the singer from the water and laid him on the bank of the river.
Now, they carried me out the water an' they laid me on the bank
The singer recounts how people helped him when he was rescued from the water.
They carried me out the water, they laid me on the bank
The singer repeats that people rescued him from the water and placed him on the bank.
About a gallon of muddy water I had drank
The singer drank around a gallon of muddy water when he was underwater.
Now, they dried me off an' they laid me on the bed
People dried off the singer and put him on a bed after he was rescued.
Now, they dried me off an' they laid me on the bed
The singer recounts how people helped him when he was rescued and how he was taken to a bed.
Now, they dried me off, they laid me on the bed
The singer repeats that people dried him off and put him on a bed after he was rescued.
Don't like muddy water runnin' through my head
The singer doesn't want the memory of the muddy water he drank to haunt him.
But my mother often taught me, son, don't you be no bum
The singer's mother had told him not to be lazy and idle.
Go somewhere settle down find you someone
The singer's mother wanted him to settle down and find someone to form a family with.
Well, the people on the bridge was screamin' an' cryin'
The people standing on the bridge were shouting and crying when the singer was drowning.
Now, the people on the bridge was standin' screamin' an' cryin'
The singer repeats that people were crying and shouting when he was in trouble.
Lord, I thought sure that I was dyin'
The singer believed that he was going to die when he was drowning.
Tell me, five minutes underwater when I was hid
The singer repeats that he was under water for five minutes.
Tell me, five minutes underwater when I was hid
The singer once again reminisces about the time when he was underwater for five minutes.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN ADAM ESTES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mark Gonshor
I've been a big Allman fan since I was a kid, soul blues rock, he could do it all masterfully.
Roseanne Salyer
I listen to this every day. I am a writer and Gregg's amazing vocals and playing get me through the day. Great background music for writing. Great music, period!
nllleonard
I never tire of this one.
Steely_Fran
I always liked his voice especially when I heard the demos for The 31st of February. "God Rest His Soul" has some of my favorite Gregg vocals. The version of "Morning Dew" on there is amazing as well. This album is awesome; Gregg is a legend!
melissa heard
I miss his voice soo much! I have seen him in concert and he sounds amazing
Mike Morgan
True soul performer. Testified for sure. Said some real truth. He kept the faith and made a lot of good music.
Ronnie Hunt
I LOVE this song; it has that ol' rhythm & blues vibe, like Ray Charles or something! Gregg Allman is the man! Pure Talent!
stealyourface73
I love the original, but this is amazing! Great album!
m st
Not many people know that Sleepy Estes is the original. Anyway Greg Allman version is great.Happy New Year to all the blues listeners! I should say Happy New Year to everybody!
A1ien Out1aw
Killer guitar. I was surprised to find Gregg didn't write it