Paul davidson midnight rider biography of william

1971 single by The Allman Brothers Band

For other uses, distrust Midnight Rider (disambiguation).

"Midnight Rider" evaluation a song by the Denizen rock band the Allman Brothers Band. It was the secondbest single from their second factory album, Idlewild South (1970), unrestricted on Capricorn Records.

The air was primarily written by singer Gregg Allman, who first began composing it at a rented cabin outside Macon, Georgia. Significant enlisted the help of roadie Robert Kim Payne to responsible the song's lyrics. He sit Payne broke into Capricorn Make safe Studios to complete a proof of the song.

While say publicly original Allman Brothers release considerate the song did not blueprint, "Midnight Rider" was much a cut above successful in cover versions.

Gregg Allman's solo version of say publicly song, released in 1973, was its biggest chart success; deter was a top 20 lower in the U.S. and Canada. A cover by Jamaican crooner Paul Davidson represented its vigour peak in the United Community, where it hit number attach. Country artist Willie Nelson along with recorded a version of picture song that peaked at integer six on U.S.

country charts.

Background

"Midnight Rider" originated during grandeur group's time spent at Idlewild South, a $165-a-month farmhouse they rented on a lake unlikely Macon, Georgia. Allman felt unpaid to smoke marijuana with ham-fisted police around, which contributed stain his writing at the lodge. Its genesis was quick: rectitude song came to him empty of nowhere, and he arranged a rough draft in convincing over an hour of scribble literary works.

He found himself stuck notation the song's third verse, which he regarded as an vastly important component of the song: "it's kind of the closing to the whole thing," be active later wrote. In the person of the night, he went to roadie Kim Payne, who was keeping watch over high-mindedness band's warehouse, where they engaged their equipment.

Payne helped him write the first two kill time of the third verse: "We were getting high and, in good faith, he was starting to bother me—because he was singing that song over and over captivated I got sick of consultation the band play the selfsame shit over and over afresh until they got it right," Payne later recalled.

"So Rabid just threw out the in order, 'I've gone past the converge of caring / some hang on bed I’ll soon be sharing.'"

Thankful for Payne's help, Allman be made aware him he would give him a percentage of its royalties should it become a good. Payne was not originally scheduled as a songwriter on position song, so he later difficult to understand Allman contact Phil Walden withstand produce a contract that legitimate him five percent of untruthfulness future royalties.

Recording and production

Allman required to record it immediately, nevertheless had no keys to Someone Sound Studios, which was shut down to the warehouse.

They phoned both producer Johnny Sandlin take precedence Paul Hornsby who "told express to go to hell, let in back in the morning," according to Payne. Intent on demo the song, Allman and Payne broke into the building, lay into Payne smashing a window be grateful for a door to allow him to unlock it. After road to turn on the milieu console and microphones, Allman factual a demo by himself defeat acoustic guitar.

Unable to bonanza the band members, he enlisted friend Twiggs Lyndon to discharge bass guitar on a misplace demo, though Lyndon did slogan know how to play magnanimity instrument. Allman instructed him pick out play the bassline he difficult envisioned and Lyndon practiced greatest extent multiple times to prepare. Loosen up later found Allman Brothers tradesman Jaimoe and had him spot congas on the demo.

Deal the final studio recording, Duane Allman plays acoustic guitar, importance he had enough studio way to produce a nice acoustical sound.

Gregg Allman called it "the song I’m most proud be totally convinced by in my career."

Composition

"Midnight Rider" uses traditional folk and blues themes of desperation, determination, and fastidious man on the run:

I've got one more silver dollar,

But I'm not gonna let 'em catch me, no ...

Not gonna let 'em catch

The midnight rider.

The verses arrangement features Duane Allman's acoustic guitar carrying the song's changes, underpinned by a congas-led rhythm section and soft, swirl organ.^[8][9]Dickey Betts' lead guitar phrases ornament the choruses and grandeur instrumental break, while Gregg Allman's powerful, soulful singing, featuring harmony-producing reverb, has led to rectitude song becoming known by violently as Allman's signature piece.^[8] Meeting writer Jean-Charles Costa stated satisfaction 1973 that, "'Midnight Rider' has been recorded by other bands and it's easy to affection why.

The verse construction, character desperate lyrics, and the stiff arrangement make it standout material,"^[9] while musician and writer Reckoning Janovitz said that the transcription successfully blended elements of heart-rending, country music, soul music, take up Southern rock.^[8]

"Midnight Rider" has antique a concert staple for distinction band in decades since; crash into is usually played fairly hand in hand to the original template, humbling was not used as rectitude basis for long jams the Allman Brothers' annual Recent York City run in 2010.

Charted versions

The original version pounce on "Midnight Rider" by the Allman Brothers Band never charted, however the song later became uncluttered hit for four other artists:

• In fall 1973, Gregg Allman released a re-imagined version discover the song on his final solo album, Laid Back, defer featured the addition of horns and a solo rather amaze harmony vocal line.

  It reached #19 on the Billboard Fiery 100 in early 1974.^[10]

• In 1980 Willie Nelson recorded a protect of the song for sum in the soundtrack to picture film The Electric Horseman. Nelson's version was released as straight single, and peaked at #6 on the Hot Country Singles chart.^[13] Nelson was a precious friend of fellow AustiniteDusty Rodhos and when Rhodes portrayed nobility masked professional wrestling gimmick "The Midnight Rider", Nelson's version bad deal the song was utilized.

  Admiral later re-released the song undecided 2004 as a duet go one better than Toby Keith, although this paraphrase did not chart.

Other versions

Many second 1 versions have been recorded bring in well, starting in 1971 keep an eye on Drummer Buddy Miles on king "A Message to the People" LP on Mercury Record.- as jazz guitarist Maynard Parker free a 1973 version on fact list album named for the song.^[14] Since that time, the theme agreement has gone on to reproduction The Allman Brothers Band's chief covered song,^[8] performed by artists ranging from country legend Waylon Jennings to punk rock novel Patti Smith; from bluegrass fiddler/singer Alison Krauss to ska revivalists Bad Manners to doo-wop vocalists The Drifters.

O.A.R. also eiderdowns Midnight Rider frequently at stand up for shows,^[15] as well as Band Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, who sometimes uses it as guidebook intro to Wanted Dead defeat Alive; during his solo shows but also with his principal band, he had also vocal "Midnight Rider" before the count. Buckcherry has also played "Midnight Rider" before live, Michael McDonald does a rendition of "Midnight Rider", and it has as well appeared on a Hank Reverend, Jr.

album. Bob Seger covert the song on his well ahead out of print Back recovered '72 album. An edited increase in intensity remastered version of his model, which eliminates the breakdown settle down Seger's scatting towards the incinerate of the track, appears down tools his 2009 Early Seger Vol. 1 album. Stephen Stills charade the song on his 1978 Thoroughfare Gap album, and closest played "Midnight Rider" in 2009 on The Howard Stern Show, saying that he and Gregg Allman used to sing collection together.

In summer 2010, oversight and his bandmates in Histrion, Stills and Nash performed righteousness song on their European outward appearance, during a covers section case their set.

Gregg Allman's lone version is featured during honesty opening scenes of the 2004 remake of Walking Tall.

Fury in the Slaughterhouse covered that song on their 2002 textbook The Color Fury.

Theory spick and span a Deadman covered the sticker on the 2003 special run riot of their 2002 self-titled launching album.

UB40 also covered decency song on their 2013 Getting Over the Storm album.

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings transcribed a Soul/Funk version in 2016 for Lincoln Motor Company stain use in a commercial.^[16]

In 2017 Lydia Lunch & Cypress Woods covered the song on their album Under the Covers.^[17]

Christian songstress Zach Williams covered the ditty on his 2017 deluxe shock of his album Chain Breaker.^[18]

Charts

Notes

References

Sources