Music Blog

A Decade Of Hits 1969-1979

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for Song Lyric Sunday –
“Most Popular Songs”.
This is my response to the challenge.

© Mississippi Music Arts.com: The Allman Brothers Band

Over at Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday this week, the theme is “Most Popular Songs” and our challenge is to write about a song released on an album titled Greatest Hits or Best Of.

The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969. The eponymous brothers Duane (slide guitar, lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards) founded the group with Dickey Betts (lead guitar, vocals), Berry Oakley (bass), Butch Trucks(drums), and Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johanson (drums). They pioneered Southern rock by blending elements of rock, blues, jazz and country music. The group was known for its dual lead guitars, two drummers, extensive improvisation, and powerful live performances.

Brother Duane was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1971, however, the band continued, releasing Eat A Peach in 1972 …. a dual studio/live album that cemented the band’s popularity and featured Gregg’s “Melissa”. Internal turmoil overtook them in the following years; the group dissolved in 1976, reforming briefly in 1978 with personnel changes and breaking up again in 1982. The band re-formed once more in 1989, releasing a string of new albums and touring heavily. They became renowned for their month-long concert residencies at New York City’s Beacon Theatre each spring …. a much-anticipated event in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The band retired in October 2014 after their final show at the Beacon Theatre.

The Allman Brothers Band was awarded seven Gold and four Platinum albums by the Recording Industry Association of America, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. In 2010, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the band 52nd on its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”. Brother Gregg died of liver cancer in 2017.

This week I’m featuring a couple of songs from A Decade of Hits 1969–1979, an Allman Brothers Band compilation album released in 1991. It is the band’s best-selling album in the US, being certified double platinum by the RIAA in 1997. 

“Whipping Post” was written by Gregg Allman in 1969; he famously wrote the lyrics on an ironing board in the dark, using burnt matches because he couldn’t find paper. The song first appeared on the band’s 1969 debut album but is most famous for its 22-minute live version on the 1971 album At Fillmore East, which became a hallmark of the band’s live shows. Gregg was inspired by painful memories of a bad relationship and poured his feelings into the lyrics, which use the metaphor of being tied to a whipping post to represent suffering and abuse. “Whipping Post” is considered one of the band’s most iconic songs and helped cement their legacy as pioneers of Southern rock. It is on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll”. 

This is “Whipping Post” by the Allman Brothers 


LYRICS

I’ve been run down
I’ve been lied to
And I don’t know why
I let that mean woman make me a fool
She took all my money
Wrecked my new car
Now she’s with one of my good time buddies
They’re drinkin’ in some crosstown bar

Sometimes I feel
Sometimes I feel
Like I’ve been tied
To the whipping post
Tied to the whipping post
Tied to the whipping post
Good Lord, I feel like I’m dyin’

My friends tell me
That I’ve been such a fool
And I have to stand down and take it, babe
All for lovin’ you
I drown myself in sorrow
As I look at what you’ve done
But nothin’ seems to change
The bad times stay the same
And I can’t run

Sometimes I feel
Sometimes I feel
Like I’ve been tied
To the whipping post
Tied to the whipping post
Tied to the whipping post
Good Lord, I feel like I’m dyin’

Sometimes I feel
Sometimes I feel
Like I’ve been tied
To the whipping post
Tied to the whipping post
Tied to the whipping post
Good Lord, I feel like I’m dyin’

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Gregg L. Allman
Whipping Post lyrics © Unichappell Music Inc., Elijah Blue Music, Elijah Blue Music/d-dem Music/allbro Mus

“Ramblin’ Man” was a 1973 hit song by the Allman Brothers Band for their album Brothers and Sisters, written by guitarist Dickey Betts. Betts was inspired by a 1951 Hank Williams song of the same name and wrote the lyrics as an autobiography about his own restless life. The song was reportedly written in just five minutes, although the idea had been developing for some time. Betts initially planned to offer it to Johnny Cash. The song was initially considered too country for the band, and some members were hesitant to record it, though it ultimately became their biggest hit. 

This is “Ramblin’ Man” by the Allman Brothers

LYRICS

Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best I can
And when it’s time for leavin’
I hope you’ll understand
That I was born a ramblin’ man

Well, my father was a gambler down in Georgia
And he wound up on the wrong end of a gun
And I was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus
Rollin’ down highway 41

Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best I can
And when it’s time for leavin’
I hope you’ll understand
That I was born a ramblin’ man
Alright

I’m on my way to New Orleans this mornin’
Leaving out of Nashville, Tennessee
They’re always having a good time down on the bayou
Lord, and Delta women think the world of me

Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best I can
And when it’s time for leavin’
I hope you’ll understand
That I was born a ramblin’ man

Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man
Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Forrest Richard Betts
Ramblin’ Man lyrics © Unichappell Music Inc., Forrest Richard Betts Music

Most Popular Songs

Big thanks to Jim Adams for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday this week and every week. Be sure to follow the link and check out Jim’s site.

Thanks for stopping by for a look and a listen.

That’s all she wrote, kids. See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2025

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy Richy and are not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.

46 thoughts on “A Decade Of Hits 1969-1979”

    1. 😂 That gave me a good laugh …. jam sessions have a mind of their own. That’s a definite! My mister and I were at the Fillmore the night of the 22-minute ultimate jam session; of course back then we didn’t know the Allman Brothers were making history. What a trip!

      Thanks for your comments, Mangus. Always a pleasure.

      Like

      Reply

  4. I’m only familiar with the second song you posted, but I enjoyed both. I’m wondering why they did not “arrive” overseas back in the 70s like many others: I only heard of them when I got here to the USA.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Marina. I’m glad you enjoyed the Allman Brothers today. I can’t say for sure why the band didn’t have a following overseas but I would imagine two reasons might be they didn’t tour outside the US early on and they probably didn’t get radio air play. I’d say that would be the case for any group that doesn’t make it outside their own country. Thanks for stopping by and leaving an interesting comment.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. Good songs, especially Ramblin Man. I’ve liked quite a few of their songs over the years. I didn’t know much about the band, sad that the one passed away like he did. They had such a unique sound, and I liked it. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. They have a huge catalogue of songs. I picked two of the best which are also two of my favorite. It’s always very sad when someone so young dies, in this case in an awful way. It seems plane crashes and motor vehicle accidents have taken so many young talented people from us, but not as many as drugs. Thanks for stopping by today, Barbara, and sharing your thoughts.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  6. Nancy, ABB one of the great bands of their time (and any other time.) Had no idea they were still together as late as 2014. Since listening to the Tedeschi Trucks Band I have learned that Derek Truck’s dad was in the ABB. No wonder why the boy is so damned good! Good choice of band and two of their best songs.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. The Allmans were a late discovery for me, luckily just in time to catch them during their final tour, and I’ve since come to love them. While I wasn’t aware of “A Decade of Hits 1969-1979”, I recognize all of the tracks and agree it’s a great intro to the group.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. Two great songs today, Nancy that I always love listening to. ‘Whipping Post’ has gone down in music history as one of the greatest jams of all time because of its shrieking lead guitars, its lyrics that touch on existential sorrow, and its impossibly tight rhythm section which provide a perfect storm of raw emotions. ‘Ramblin’ Man’ always leaves me with a hopeful outlook despite the hardships of a life traveling on the road all the time.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Talk about jams, one bit of information I did not mention in my write up is that Bill and I were in the audience for the live 22 minute recording of “Whipping Post” for the Allman Brothers debut album. That is just one of the many reasons we loved going to the Fillmore East. Thanks for a great comment and another terrific challenge, Jim. I’m looking forward to reading all the other posts.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. That’s right, Ernie. They started out in Jacksonville and then settled in Macon. Duane’s death was a huge tragedy, one that impacted not only his family and fans, but also altered the sound and continuity of the band. Another great artist gone much too soon.
      Sounds like you had a great time at the Big House! Thanks for sharing that memory with us, Dawg. Thanks very much for a great comment. I really appreciate it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  14. Great choice for the theme, Nancy. They made some great records but never really achieved their rewards here – best known for Jessica, used as the title music for the Top Gear tv motoring show!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks very much, Clive. I’m delighted to know you enjoyed my selections today. Jessica, written by Dickey Betts for his daughter, is a fabulous song; I would have loved featuring it here today but, as you know, it doesn’t quite meet the specs for SLS! 🤣

      Thanks for a great comment, my friend.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. The Allman Brothers are an institution here in the US; I’m so glad you enjoyed my write up today and the music. Thanks for sharing the Tom Odell video with me. It’s a new song and I loved it. As always, I appreciate you and your comments, dear Ivor. 🥰 🎶

      Like

      Reply

    2. There’s no way I would have infringed on my readers’ time and busy lives with the 22 minute live version of “Whipping Post” 🤣 even though it is a masterpiece of jamming 🎸. Thanks for stopping by, Brian, and sharing your thoughts. I greatly appreciate it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Tell me what you're thinking. 🖊️