Most Allman Brothers songs remained relatively unchanged over the course of 45 years. "Dreams" and "Whipping Post" varied in length, but they were always instantly recognizable. Meanwhile, songs like "Wasted Words" or "Midnight Rider" were rearranged depending on the lineup or the era. "Ain't Wasting Time" changed subtly over the years, and as one of my favorite songs I love spinning the different takes as the song evolved.
Eat A Peach, 1972
"Ain't Wasting Time No More" kicks off Eat A Peach as well as any opening tune. The funky piano hook, Dickey's slide, all without the band's fearless leader for the first time. What separates the studio version is the patented ABB driving drums, the song mellowed over the years. It could still reach epic heights but it never had the same driving drum beat that the studio version featured.
5-Man band, 1972
Not much changed when the Brothers took their new Eat A Peach material out on the road in 1972, except Gregg would add electric keys.
Wipe the Windows, 1973
The piano is back thanks to Chuck's addition to the band. As was the case with a lot of the Chuck & Lamar era, "Ain't Wasting Time No More" is a little more chill.
Dickey & Warren, 1995
I was stoked when "Ain't Wasting Time" made its way back into the set list after over 20 years. I remember seeing it on their Austin City Limits appearance. Warren hits the slide licks, and Dickey adds volume swells and a wah pedal making the song a little trippier. They also added a little melody hook at the end of the tune which I always kind of dug.
Dickey & Jack, 1998
Jack's jazzier approach and Dickey's ethereal volume swells and wah made "Ain't Wasting Time No More" a bit more dreamy, probably the biggest departure from the original studio track. Wah pedals rarely work on ABB songs, but Dickey takes it to some cool places. I couldn't find a version from this period so I uploaded one from my library.
Derek & Dickey, 2000
Not much changed to the arrangement during the short period that Derek & Dickey shared the stage, though Dickey's solo could get a little sloppy at times which is why I didn't feature the Peakin' at the Beacon version.
(I have a Jimmy and Derek show with "Ain't Wasting Time" somewhere but can't find it.)
Derek & Warren, 2003
The arrangement remained pretty much the same from 2001-2014. With two slide players, Derek opens up the first solo in more epic fashion. Warren opts for a standard slide solo, Dickey's volume swells and wah are gone, as is the end melody tag (which I kind of missed, to be honest).
Gregg solo, 2017
The Live From Macon version is a little crisper since it was professionally filmed, but Gregg admitted that this version with keyboard intro was his preferred. It's pretty funky, love the sax solo.
Cool porkchopbob. The studio version is by far my favorite. The tempo is fast and as you said the drums are fantastic. Butch is leading the two to my ears and Jaimoe is more in the background. Dickey's slide is among his best slide performances.
Another change that happened at some point was Gregg shifting "and just get high" to "we'll all get by" in the lyrics. Gregg told Alan Paul he decided he didn't want to tell people to get blasted anymore.
I was at a 2000 Beacon show and Dickey played some strong solos but others were off here and there. Plus Dickey didn't seem to be happy with his rig and guitars. After 3 years of playing his two Stratocasters, he had lots of guitars with him that night. He opened the show with his Goldie Les Paul which I thought was a different guitar until I read Dickey's interview about how Goldie turned an ugly green while it sat in Cleveland at the Hall of Fame. When they sent it back to him after about 4 years on display, Dickey stripped it down then painted it red and added a pick guard etc. Dickey seemed irritated at something about his rig and by the time they got to Ain't Waisting Time he switched to his ES-335 dot neck. I believe that is it on Peaking at The Beacon (the band's worst selling new album BTW). After another song he changed again and it was the Paul Reed Smith which I had only seen Duane Betts play in recent years at that point and after just one song with the PRS he went to his old 1956 Stratocaster hardtail for the rest of the show. Actually his first solo on the Strat on Standback smoked but he later was a little sloppy here and there so it wasn't the guitars, it must have been something else. I think for the last song High Falls Dickey was back on the ES-335. Derek was on the same SG all night and played solid like Duane and Dickey usually did in the old days. This was the last time I saw Dickey with the band. March something 2000.
I had tickets to several summer shows and it bothered me a lot that Dickey was dumped. Like the Stones dumping Keith Richards which a famous singer said recently the Stones should do. Should have fired Keith 15 years ago. Responding to tough things Keith said about Prince ( a midget in high heels etc etc)Anyway sold my tickets to the summer of 2000 shows and missed Jimmy Herring in the band. Jimmy is one of the best I've seen in recent years. It took me awhile to get use to Gregg and the drummers being the only ones left from the original.
Great post/thread! You put some work into this!
I also agree on everything that's been said already. Thanks for taking the time to post. Really enjoy spending Sunday morning listening to this tune over and over again.
Another change over the years that reflected the times -- Gregg changed the lyrics from "all the war freaks'' to "all the terrorists"
Yes that change too. Was watching the 1999 Detroit show porkchopbob provided and Gregg sang "all the terrorists die off" two years before 9/11 which not only was terrorist but the largest mass murder in U.S. history.
The Wipe The Windows version is unique because it has both the organ and piano thanks to Chuck. It also has the best Dickey slide solo I have ever heard.
Great thread! Thanks for sharing all the different versions. Of this thread the original and the last version posted are my favorites. The first one has the tempo and everything. The last version has a certain cool factor. Gregg's in top form digging it. Great bookends to a classic.
Wipe the Windows version we get "And all the POlice die off..." as another variation on the lyrics. They had their run ins...
Nice post and some really good observations. I hadn't seen the last video before and I noticed on YouTube it is referenced as recorded at "Terrapin Crossroads Bar 01-23-15", the Back to Macon version (01-14-14) is below, with a nice solo by Scott Sharrard. The arrangements are very similar.
I really like this later arrangement, I wonder if it was created from evolution or this was the original arrangement Gregg had in mind. I guessing more evolution.
@crosseyedcat the arrangement is similar, I think the opening keyboard solo became the hook. I recall Gregg stating in an interview that his band hadn't "cracked" that song until after they recorded the Macon live album so it definitely evolved after that show.
@masbama I was actually listening to this version the other night and thinking the same thing. It sounds so full, a lot of songs got the double keyboard treatment during this period and Dickey would just glide right on top.
well done, PCB! Love the Jack Pearson slide. It's a shame it's not longer. Derek's solo on Hittin the Note is perfect.
Yes and Derek's playing on Peaking At The Beacon is very good. He and Dickey have some hot moments together. Standback has great slide from Derek and Dickey delievers a hot solo. I'm almost sure that is from the show I saw at the Beacon and Dickey is playing his old 56 Stratocaster hardtail on that. Dickey opened the show with his now red 1957 Les Paul and I thought it sounded fantastic but he kept switching guitars and seemed to be unhappy with his rig and that gig. Rig at the gig. Now that goes together:)
I'm careful with my copy of Peeking at the Beacon. It didn't sell much and is now 20 years old. Probably long out of print.
Seven Turns is nice on it with Marc Quinones singing harmony and good slide from Derek.
The Eat A Peach version is the best I believe, at least my own favorite....was surprised that version was not on the "Dreams" Box Set and then later "Trouble No More" Box.
