One Way Out – The Allman Brothers Band | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Peak (#86); 1972
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Of the 275 plus dates the Allman Brothers Band played in 1971, the watershed ones occurred in March. On the 12th and 13th, the boys strutted their stuff at New York’s famous Fillmore East, recording material for their groundbreaking At Fillmore East double LP (#13; 1971).
In October the band adjourned to Miami’s Criteria Studios to lay down tracks for the next album. On the 21st, Duane’s motorcycle hit a flatbed truck in Macon, GA. The Allman’s lead guitarist and guiding light died several hours later. He was just 24.
The album – called Eat A Peach after Duane’s comment to a reporter that the Allman’s would “eat a peach for peace” if the threatening revolution happened – was released in February, 1972.
“Dedicated to a brother,” Peach delivered the goods, especially on the band’s cover of Sonny Boy Williamson’s One Way Out, and became their highest charting album (#5) to date.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Tom Dowd
Lyrics Written by:
- Elmore James
- Marshall Sehorn (single credits)
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).