"One Way Out" | |
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Single by Sonny Boy Williamson II | |
Released | January 1962 |
Recorded | Chicago, September 8, 1961 |
Genre | Blues |
Length | 2:00 |
Label | Checker |
Songwriter(s) | Willie Dixon, Sonny Boy Williamson II (single credits) |
Producer(s) | Leonard Chess, Phil Chess, Willie Dixon |
"One Way Out" is a blues song that was recorded in the early 1960s by both Sonny Boy Williamson II and Elmore James. A reworking of the song by G. L. Crockett, titled "It's a Man Down Here", appeared on the Billboard record charts in 1965. In 1971, the Allman Brothers Band recorded an updated live version of the song, which was included on their popular Eat a Peach album (1972).
Bluesman Elmore James recorded "One Way Out" during his last sessions for record producer Bobby Robinson. [1] Unlike James' earlier recordings, Robinson used a full-band arrangement with a four-piece horn section, instead of James' usual backing band, the Broom Dusters. [1] The recording took place at his second session for Beltone Studios in New York City in late 1960. [2] Unlike many of his recordings, James did not use slide guitar:
Elmore James' cover of the tune is a good example of his standard-tuning, non-slide, lead playing. He soloes in the first and second moveable pentatonic scale patterns, and played swingy backup chord chops. [2]
James' version was not released until 1965, two years after his death. The song was paired with "My Bleeding Heart", which was recorded during the same sessions, for release as a single by Sphere Sound Records. [3] The song is included on several compilations of James' recordings for Robinson, such as the King of the Slide Guitar box set (1992). [4]
On September 8, 1961, Sonny Boy Williamson II recorded the song for the Chess brothers in Chicago. [5] Williamson, on vocal and harmonica, was backed by Otis Spann on piano, Robert Lockwood and Luther Tucker on guitars, Willie Dixon on bass, and Fred Below on drums. [5] In January 1962, Chess affiliate Checker Records released it on a single with "Nine Below Zero". [5] A contemporary review of new single releases by Billboard magazine staff indicated its "strong sales potential": "A vigorous performance from Williams[ sic ] here on a traditional blues theme. Side moves along at a brisk pace with Latin beat and strong harmonica and group work." [6] In a retrospective review by Bill Dahl for the All Music Guide to the Blues (1996) included "Sly son-of-a-gun he was, old Sonny Boy Williamson found a way to weld the twist [ popular dance music style ] to the blues with his rousing 1961 [recording]." [7]
Williamson recorded a second version with Buddy Guy on guitar, [8] that Chess included on Williamson's first compilation for the label, The Real Folk Blues (1965). [7] At 2:45, [9] the album version is 45 seconds longer than the single version [10] and uses a rhythmic figure that shares some elements with Ray Charles' popular 1959 song "What'd I Say". [11] The Allman Brothers Band later based their version on Williamson's second recording of the song. [8]
In 1965, blues artist G. L. Crockett, from Carrollton, Mississippi, recorded a reworking of the song, titled "It's a Man Down There", for 4 Brothers Records. [12] His rendition is based on Williamson's song, although it has been described as a "Jimmy Reed sound-alike". [12] Acknowledging the similarity, Reed recorded an answer song the same year titled "I'm the Man Down There". [13] Of the three early singles, "It's a Man Down There" was the only one to appear on the charts. [14] It reached number 10 on the Billboard Top Selling Rhythm & Blues Singles chart, and number 67 on its broader Hot 100. [15]
Dixon biographer Mitsutoshi Inaba notes that "One Way Out" was a spontaneous composition by Williamson. [16] Marshall Chess described Williamson's approach to songwriting:
What's interesting about him, Sonny Boy, I don't think he ever wrote down songs in his life. He just was a spontaneous artist. He'd come in totally unprepared to do a recording, make up the songs, write them in his head, and they would just come out. [16]
However, commentary on James' version indicates that he and Williamson were co-writers; [2] early in their careers, the two regularly performed together, with Williamson backing James on his first recording session in 1951. [17]
Writing credits for "One Way Out" have varied over the years. On the early singles, they are given as "Dixon, Williamson" (Williamson), [10] "Sehorn, James" (James), [18] and "Crockett, Daniels" (Crockett). [19] Willie Dixon, Marshall Sehorn, and Jack Daniels handled production, management, or technical aspects for the record companies; [lower-alpha 1] in order to share the income generated by sales, it was a common practice to add credits for some who were not involved in the actual songwriting. [21]
The copyright registrations generally follow the single credits. Although his was the first to be released, Williamson's registration was the last to be submitted. All were all filed in 1965:
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"One Way Out" | ||||
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Single by the Allman Brothers Band | ||||
from the album Eat a Peach | ||||
B-side | "Stand Back" | |||
Released | September 1972 | |||
Recorded | June 27, 1971 | |||
Venue | Fillmore East, New York City | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | Capricorn | |||
Songwriter(s) | Elmore James, Marshall Sehorn (single credits) | |||
Producer(s) | Tom Dowd | |||
The Allman Brothers Band singles chronology | ||||
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Returning to the original title, The Allman Brothers Band is known to have been playing "One Way Out" in concert from at least February 1971. A live recording was included on their 1972 album Eat a Peach . This was indeed recorded at the Fillmore East, but unlike the March 1971 live material used on the rest of Eat a Peach and At Fillmore East , "One Way Out" was recorded at the venue's final show on June 27, 1971, as producer Tom Dowd thought that to be their definitive effort on the song.
In this punchy, dynamic performance, [25] [26] the Allmans demonstrated their abilities in the blues-rock roadhouse style. [25] Guitarist Dickey Betts sets up the Sonny Boy Williamson boogie vamp, while Duane Allman comes in over the top with bottleneck slide guitar part, after which vocalist Gregg Allman narrates the drama of the song. Betts takes a solo, Gregg instructs the audience "Ahh, put your hands together," and Duane Allman and Betts trade guitar licks. Duane Allman then takes the solo. Bassist Berry Oakley actually comes in a beat early after the guitar trade, but the band recovers quickly, and then drops out as Gregg carries the vocal a cappella, after which the band returns for the "Big Ending".
The recording of the song from Eat a Peach became popular on progressive rock and album-oriented rock radio formats, especially as it was under five minutes in length and more convenient to play than some of the band's lengthier jams; it remains quite popular on classic rock radio. "One Way Out" has become a staple of Allmans concerts in the decades since, often used as an encore and stretched in length.
The Eat a Peach "One Way Out" is included in Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: A Musical Journey , a box set accompanying his 2003 documentary The Blues . It is also on the soundtrack of Scorsese's 2006 film The Departed and the 2017 movie American Made (in heavily edited form); it was previously used in the soundtracks of Almost Famous (2000), Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001), and Lords of Dogtown (2005). It is included in the Allmans compilations Dreams (1989), A Decade of Hits 1969-1979 (1991), and Gold (2005). Other concert performances of it are included on various retrospective live albums, such as Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY: 5/1/73 , which illustrates a rendition from the band's Chuck Leavell era.
Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos that reflect characteristics of the human singing voice. It typically involves playing the guitar in the traditional position with the use of a slide fitted on one of the guitarist's fingers. The slide may be a metal or glass tube, such as the neck of a bottle, giving rise to the term bottleneck guitar to describe this type of playing. The strings are typically plucked while the slide is moved over the strings to change the pitch. The guitar may be placed on the player's lap and played with a hand-held bar.
Elmore James was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and bandleader. Noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice, James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. His slide guitar technique earned him the nickname "King of the Slide Guitar".
Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago, Illinois. It is based on earlier blues idioms, such as Delta blues, but is performed in an urban style. It developed alongside the Great Migration of African Americans of the first half of the twentieth century. Key features that distinguish Chicago blues from the earlier traditions, such as Delta blues, is the prominent use of electrified instruments, especially the electric guitar, and especially the use of electronic effects such as distortion and overdrive.
Alex or Aleck Miller, known later in his career as Sonny Boy Williamson, was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter. He was an early and influential blues harp stylist who recorded successfully in the 1950s and 1960s. Miller used various names, including Rice Miller and Little Boy Blue, before calling himself Sonny Boy Williamson, which was also the name of a popular Chicago blues singer and harmonica player. To distinguish the two, Miller has been referred to as Sonny Boy Williamson II.
"You Shook Me" is a 1962 blues song recorded by Chicago blues artist Muddy Waters. Willie Dixon wrote the lyrics and Earl Hooker provided the instrumental backing; the song features Waters' vocal in unison with Hooker's slide-guitar melody. "You Shook Me" became one of Muddy Waters' most successful early-1960s singles and has been interpreted by several blues and rock artists.
"Bring It On Home" is a blues song written by American music arranger and songwriter Willie Dixon. Sonny Boy Williamson II recorded it in 1963, but the song was not released until 1966. Led Zeppelin adapted it in part as a homage to Williamson in 1969 and subsequently, the song has been recorded by several artists.
"Eyesight to the Blind" is a 12-bar blues song written and recorded in 1951 by Sonny Boy Williamson II. He also recorded the related songs "Born Blind", "Unseeing Eye", "Don't Lose Your Eye", and "Unseen Eye" during his career. The Larks, an American rhythm and blues group, recorded the song, which reached number five on the R&B charts in 1951. Several musicians subsequently recorded it in a variety of styles. The Who adapted Williamson's song for their rock opera Tommy.
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Macon City Auditorium: Macon, GA 2/11/72 is a two-CD live album by the Allman Brothers Band. It was recorded at the Macon City Auditorium in Macon, Georgia on February 11, 1972. The third archival concert album from the Allman Brothers Band Recording Company, it was released in 2004.
Nassau Coliseum: Uniondale, NY: 5/1/73 is a two-CD live album by the Allman Brothers Band. It was recorded at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York on May 1, 1973. The fourth archival concert release from the Allman Brothers Band Recording Company, it features the 1972 to 1976 lineup of the band – Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Chuck Leavell (piano), Lamar Williams (bass), Jaimoe (drums), and Butch Trucks (drums). It was released in 2005.
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"Little Red Rooster" is a blues standard credited to arranger and songwriter Willie Dixon. The song was first recorded in 1961 by American blues musician Howlin' Wolf in the Chicago blues style. His vocal and slide guitar playing are key elements of the song. It is rooted in the Delta blues tradition and the theme is derived from folklore. Musical antecedents to "Little Red Rooster" appear in earlier songs by blues artists Charlie Patton and Memphis Minnie.
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"Don't Start Me Talkin'" is a blues song written and performed by Sonny Boy Williamson II. It was Williamson's first single recorded for Checker Records, and reached number three in the US Billboard R&B chart in 1955.
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"I Can't Hold Out", also known as "Talk to Me Baby", is a blues song written by Willie Dixon and recorded by Elmore James in 1960 for the Chess label. Called a classic and a "popular James standard", it has been interpreted and recorded by several artists.
Elmore James was an American blues slide guitarist and singer who recorded from 1951 until 1963. His most famous song, "Dust My Broom", an electrified adaptation of a Robert Johnson tune, was his first hit and features one of the most identifiable slide guitar figures in blues. James' composition "The Sky Is Crying" and his rendition of Tampa Red's "It Hurts Me Too" were among his most successful singles on the record charts. Other popular James songs, such as "I Can't Hold Out", ""Madison Blues", "Shake Your Moneymaker", "Bleeding Heart", and "One Way Out", have been recorded by several other artists, including Fleetwood Mac, Jimi Hendrix, and the Allman Brothers Band.
"Bye Bye Bird" is a harmonica-driven blues song written by Willie Dixon and Sonny Boy Williamson II. In 1963, Checker Records issued it as the B-side of Williamson's single "Help Me", which was his last single to reach the record charts.
Cream of the Crop 2003 is a four-CD live album by the Allman Brothers Band. It was recorded from July 25 to August 10, 2003 at six different concert venues. It was released on June 15, 2018.
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