One Way Out by The Allman Brothers Band

Album: Eat A Peach (1972)

Charted: 86

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Songfacts®:

The Allmans recorded this at the Fillmore East in March 1971. It's a live cut that follows three studio tracks on Eat A Peach.

The song is about a guy who is having an illicit affair with a woman whose husband has apparently come home. He's starting to wonder if she's worth the hassle, and one thing is for sure: he's not going out the front door, since he doesn't want to meet up with her man.
This is a cover of a blues song by Sonny Boy Williamson. It is heavily reworked in the Allman's style.
This was one of Duane Allman's last performances. He died in a motorcycle accident on October 29, 1971.
Duane Allman played his trademark bottleneck slide guitar on this song. It was released after his death on Eat A Peach, which was dedicated to him.
Berry Oakley comes in too early on the bass after the drum solo and messes up Duane's slide solo. The drummers turn the beat around and cover it smoothly. >>>
Suggestion credit:
bob - Cincinnati, OH

Comments: 10

Aspiring Bluesman from Hartford, CtNever saw Duane, but only his narc brother half a dozen times. Would have given half years pay to have heard him with Slowhand. I was just coming home from Nam when he ate a peach. A Papasan started me on slide them next day.
Gavito Solis from Evansville In"One Way Out" is in the Departed- Scorsese used the breaks duane and dickie trade off then the one that duane takes that last lead to a screaming finely honed optical nerve frying riff that grabs that killer rhythm and steadies everyone-
Steve from Cape Cod MaOne Way Out was a Sonny Boy Williamson tune he wrote while playing with Elmore James. Elmore recorded it. It does not have the signature staccato slide part in it. After Sonny Boy signed with Chess, the tune reappeared, this time with that slide part, and now showing Willie Dixon as co-writer. And to my ear, the Allmans version is a near dead on cover. Just amped up. Same with Stormy Monday (listen to Bobby Bland's version) and Statesboro Blues (Taj Mahal). Nothing against any of that. Their versions stand on their own.
Gershon from ChicagoThank you Bob for writing: Berry Oakley comes in too early on the bass after the drum solo and messes up Duane's slide solo. The drummers turn the beat around and cover it smoothly:

As a kid, I always struggled when playing drums along with the song to know exactly when the song gets back into the groove. I always thought there was something deep going on there with poly-rhythms.

Very recently I listened to the song at around 3 minutes many times again and again, trying to understand the complexity of what's going on there. I finally concluded that there's a mistake as you have confirmed.
Kane-o! from Rochester, Ny"One Way Out" was recorded June 27th, 1971 @ the closing of The Fillmore East in NYC. The entire set from that night is included in the "Deluxe version of "Eat A Peach." It was also included on "The Fillmore Concerts" CD, but was not from the March 1971 performances...
Wayne from Salem, VaA great rework of a good song. They rock it from start to finish! So sad that this was one of Duane Allman's last performances. Why can't any of our current rock acts jam like these guys did?
James from Westchester, EnglandIs there an error / hiccup at the 33 second mark? Always wondered that...
Dana from Biloxi, MsGreat rework!Greg Allman nailed the vocals at the end with the repeated accapella.(?)
Mark from Barry's Bay, Ontario, CanadaElmore James, the "King of Slide Guitat", also did a version of this. The main lick is a little different though, still good slide work in my opinion.
Ragnar from Ojai, CaI'm not sure it really is all that reworked from Sonny Boy Willamson's version. The only difference seems to be that they added Duane Allman's slide lead over the same rhythm that Williamson used. That's not a bad thing though, cause it's a great song either way.

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