Album: At Fillmore East (1971)

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• Allman Brothers version:
  
  Wake up momma, turn your lamp down low
  Wake up momma, turn your lamp down low
  You got no nerve baby, to turn Uncle John from your door
  
  I woke up this morning, I had them Statesboro Blues
  I woke up this morning, had them Statesboro Blues
  Well, I looked over in the corner, and Grandpa seemed to have them too
  
  Well my momma died and left me
  My poppa died and left me
  I ain't good looking baby
  Want someone sweet and kind
  
  I'm goin' to the country, baby do you want to go?
  But if you can't make it baby, your sister Lucille said she wanna go
  
  I love that woman, better than any woman I've ever seen
  Well, I love that woman, better than any woman I've ever seen
  Well, now, she treat me like a king, yeah, yeah, yeah
  I treat her like a doggone queen
  
  Wake up momma, turn your lamp down low
  Wake up momma, turn your lamp down low
  You got no nerve baby, to turn Uncle John from your door
  
  
  Blind Willie McTell version
  
  Wake up mama, turn your lamp down low
  Wake up mama, turn your lamp down low
  Have you got the nerve to drive Papa McTell from your door?
  
  My mother died and left me reckless, my daddy died and left me wild, wild, wild
  Mother died and left me reckless, daddy died and left me wild, wild, wild
  No, I'm not good lookin' but I'm some sweet woman's angel child
  
  She's a mighty mean woman, to do me this way
  She's a mighty mean woman, to do me this way
  When I leave this town, pretty mama, I'm going away to stay
  
  I loved a woman, better than any I'd ever seen
  I once loved a woman, better than any I'd ever seen
  Treat me like I was a king and she was a doggone queen
  
  Sister, tell your brother, brother tell your auntie
  Now Auntie, tell your uncle, uncle tell my cousin, now cousin tell my friend
  Goin' up the country, mama, don't you want to go?
  May take me a fair brown, may take one or two more
  
  Big 80 left Savannah, Lord and did not stop
  You ought to saw that fireman when he got them boiler hot
  You can reach over in the corner, mama, and hand me my travelin' shoes
  You know by that, I've got them Statesboro blues
  
  Mama, sister got 'em, auntie got 'em
  Brother got 'em, friends got 'em, I got 'em
  Woke up this morning, we had them Statesboro blues
  I looked over in the corner, grandma and grandpa had 'em too Writer/s: Willie McTell
  Publisher: Peermusic Publishing
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 19

• Gary B. from Buffalo New YorkMaybe I missed it, but my question is, in the Allman brothers version who was uncle John?
  And just a tidbit of trivia when I was 18 in 1976 I was working at LA Harley as a mechanic, the shop manager handed me a a job ticket that said Greg Allman on it. A white sportster had cobwebs on it, had very few miles although it was a couple years old. The license plate said Alabama the peach state.
  Said to myself, sure, guy named Greg Allman just a coincidence?
  There was a screw missing out of the carburetor. It just needed an adjustment and I cleaned it up. Took it for a test ride.
  Next day tall lanky guy with a goatee between his lip and his chin come strutting in……..
• Tom from Rome, GeorgiaDon't know what you are all saying about a note from hell. I never considered it or any other "notes" by Duane a mistake. I only thought of it as a nice touch. I think it was planned, or possibly just Duane getting into position for the next part of the song. Whatever it is, it fits for me. To bring this up is just BS in my opinion.
• Dryattz from Atlanta, GaHaving listened to Statesboro Blues hundreds (and I mean HUNDREDS) of times, I'm amazed to read that the cacophony at the end of his solo (at 2:16, I assume) has been regarded by anyone as a "bad note." "Note from hell," now I can grasp that, but I've always assumed it was deliberate on Duane's part. For around twenty seconds before, he is in flight, soaring and swooping and merrily squealing, and he decides not to set down gracefully. Thus, while Greg sings "well. . ." Duane crashlands. Now, there's an obviously off-key note around 1:57, just before Duane springs up an octave (and nowhere near the end of his magnificent solo), and I've always reckoned that he was using that raucous note as a jumping-off spot as he leapt to upper sonic realms. I return to this amazing musical masterpiece often, and still shiver when I hear Duane's slide (at 3:26) echoing Greg singing "love that woman. . ." Whew!!!
• Jeff from Panama City , FlI agree, the gold standard is statesboro blues for slide guitar...and to think duane was only in his mid twenties when he crashed...truely amazing and gifted...I havent heard anyone before or since that could play slide like him...duane was the original "free bird" reference in skynyrd's mega guitar extravaganza.
• Dill from Alexandria, VaI remember more than once in the early 70's being in record stores (those were stores that sold records) and it would just turn everyone's head when they'd play Statesboro Blues. There would always be some poor person going, who IS that? Every time I think slide guitar, Statesboro Blues is the gold standard.
• Lawrence from Rimrock, United KingdomGreg Allmans death left a huge hole in the "Slide Guitar", world that can never ever be filled God took him to heaven so he could listen to him plaY!!!
• Vince from Lantana, FlDuane #1 Dickey a close 2nd,,,Then Hendrix and Clapton......Rock on allmans!!!!!!!Vinny
• Paul from Brooklyn, NyTo Clarify the comment by David from Orlando Fl.
  It was more than just not hitting the ending of the solo. I once heard an interview with Greg Allman and he talked about that incident. He said that at the end of his solo, Duane hit a "NOTE FROM HELL" (and if you listen carefully, you can hear that it is a bad note)Apparently Duane finished his solo and made a big mistake. Greg said that they wanted to edit out the note but at that time, were unable to do so. The song (aside from that note) was just so damn good they used it on the album. And as for that Note From Hell. They left it in.
• David from Orlando, FlIn the definitive version--Live at Filmore East--take a close listen when Duanes' slide solo ends and the band is supposed to abruptly terminate the music to go into the break ("Well my momma died and left me, etc.). One of the guitarists--sorry, Duane, it does sound like your slide--doesn't quite hit the ending and spills over into what is supposed to be "silencio". Ah, the beauty of live recordings.
• Vivek from Delhi, IndiaI'd like to imagine that clapton walked in at Fillmore and saw Duane playing this song.
• Vivek from Delhi, IndiaFar as I'm concerned, this is my #1 slide song. I first heard it about 10 years back and it's still as fresh.
  Mind blowing solo and tone.
  I became Parikrama's ardent fan when i heard them covering this song.
  
• Jack from Oak Ridge, NcShows off the extent to which duane allman developed slide guitar technique. The man completely revolutionized the way the instrument is played, Aad in this song his fills as well as his soloing exemplify his position as the greatest slide guitarist to ever live.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScThe original is pretty good but I like this version better! The original is growing on me though. I'm not sure wwhat to think of McTell's voice yet. It's pretty strange that I like this version better, because original versions are usually my favorites.
• Barry from New York, NyThe Allmans played a concert in Statesoro at the Georgia Southern Gym on January 7, 1971. According to the ABB official website, the "Statesboro Blues" opener lasted for 40 minutes!!
• Barry from New York, NyThey opened with Statesboro Blues at the first show I saw them at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. This was also one of the last times I saw them with Dickey Betts who was canned in 2000.
• Clark from Savannah, GaIf you're ever in Statesboro, GA, you can go see the building where Willie McTell wrote this song. It's the Hattie Holloway cabin located behind the Statesboro Inn.
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScI saw the Allman Brothers band in concert and they played this song. By the way, if you ever get an opportunity to go see the Allman Brothers in concert you should definitely go. They are incredible live performers. I went with my dad, and the show was great.
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScThe reason I like this song, is because the slide-guitar work on ti is incredible.
• Gary from Thetford, EnglandBlind Willie McTell's original version of 'Statesboro Blues' was recorded in Atlanta on October 17th 1928. With the song 'Three Women Blues' it was issued on the Victor label (cat. V38001)

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