The Allmans borrowed the melody from Donovan's song "First There Is A Mountain" and jammed on it.

"Mountain Jam" is a medley of several songs and original jams, primarily Donovan's "First There Is A Mountain". It also includes Hendrix's "Third Stone From the Sun", the traditional "Will the Circle Be Unbroken", and early on, Ray Charles' "What I Say". I think Chuck even riffed on Herbie Hancock's "Fat Mama".

Here's an interview with Donovan where he discusses it.

https://bestclassicbands.com/donovan-interview-greatest-hits-9-15-16/

The main riff from another one of your songs, “There Is a Mountain,” became the basis of the Allman Brothers Band’s “Mountain Jam.”

That’s right! It seems that you could say—and maybe I’m not the one to say it—that I’m a master of the riff. There’s two riffs going on in that song. Now, I didn’t write the second riff. I wrote the first riff. [Jamaican record producer] Wayne Jobson said to me, “Don, you were the first to tap into that. You knew about calypso. You knew about bluebeat. You knew about ska.” I used to hang out with the Rastas and go down to [London’s] Portobello Road with a good friend and score a little bit of ganja. I also met the families in the Jamaican communities. So Wayne said, “By the way, that rhythm on ‘Mountain’ was picked up by your session guy,” and that session guy was [Jamaican flutis] Harold McNair. And he said, “That rhythm you’re doing is not reggae or calypso or ska; it’s called Barbados scratch.” All across the islands were different blends of African rhythms. Harold came up with the second riff. But how did we know that it would be picked up by them [Allmans] and become a highlight of their live concerts?

[Edited on 4/5/2019 by porkchopbob]

Which version has Third from the Sun teases?

DB&GS used to incorporate 3rd Stone From The Sun into IMOReed at many post-2000 shows -- not familiar w/a Mtn Jam that includes it --

would have to think the boys were familiar w/Boogaloo Joe Jones' version as well as Donovan's -- then the WTCBUnbroken part at the end .....blissful music

Which version has Third from the Sun teases?

Almost all of them I've ever heard, usually right after Berry's bass solo.

Also, on the Ludlow version, the walk-down they do at 33:00 is "Dazed & Confused" which I guess is why they briefly covered that song during the Warren & Derek era (which I never thought fit).

American Roots music is African based "Slave Music", and Appalachian "Mountain Music".
"Slave Music" gave birth to Jazz and Blues.
"Appalachian Mountain Music" gave birth to Bluegrass and Country.
The original Allman Brothers Band used these ingredients to cook up the "Perfect Gumbo".
Yes indeed.
Mighty tasty that Gumbo was and still is.

quote:
Which version has Third from the Sun teases?

Almost all of them I've ever heard, usually right after Berry's bass solo.

I think its close to 3rd SFTS but I think its possible they just came up with it. NO matter what it works and leads into my favourite portion of MJam.

I think its close to 3rd SFTS but I think its possible they just came up with it. NO matter what it works and leads into my favourite portion of MJam.

Hard to pick, but mine too.

It's the first line of Hendrix's melody that they are riffing on, but it's no secret that is what they are riffing on. As Stephen mentioned, Dickey & GS would play more of "Third Stone" in their 2000-era shows, and that's why. Kind of like how Dickey inserted "Mountain Jam" in the middle of "Jessica" from the early 1990s on.

It's even referenced in some official show descriptions:

https://www.munck-music.com/products/abb-2014-03-12

they segued back, Derek cracking open the door to "Mountain Jam" by playing some lines that crossed "Third Stone From the Sun" with the "Mountain Jam" march section;

or Guitar World
https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/allman-brothers-bands-25-all-time-greatest-songs

A furious tandem drum solo is followed by a deeply syncopated bass solo from Berry and a shift to a shuffle feel and reference to Jimi Hendrix’ “Third Stone from the Sun,” transitioning seamlessly to a 6/8 instrumental take on “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

And wikipedia says so, so you KNOW it has to be true! 😉
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Jam

... Jimi Hendrix's "Third Stone from the Sun" is also quoted musically in the piece, roughly 22 minutes in. Also heard is a section of the hymn "Will the Circle Be Unbroken"...

Praise our lucky stars they didn't decide to do a half hour jam on Donovan's "I Love My Shirt".

And like on Fillmore East, the members of ABB deserve some kudos for always giving songwriting credit. If you look at the credits on Eat A Peach, Mountain Jam is credited to D.Leitch and all six members of ABB. D. Leitch of course is Donovan Leitch. If Led Zeppelin had lifted the melody from First There Is A Mountain the listed songwriters would have been Page/Plant.

And like on Fillmore East, the members of ABB deserve some kudos for always giving songwriting credit. If you look at the credits on Eat A Peach, Mountain Jam is credited to D.Leitch and all six members of ABB. D. Leitch of course is Donovan Leitch. If Led Zeppelin had lifted the melody from First There Is A Mountain the listed songwriters would have been Page/Plant.

😛 I've never understood why Zep never acknowledged the people they "borrowed" from....I mean it's not like they weren't making boatloads of money pretty much from the start of the band given they were a huge touring and merchandise machine relatively quickly. I get that publishing even then was a big source of money, but come on.

Ironic given their manager was pretty aggressive about not allowing anyone to steal from corporation Zeppelin...

I think Dickey and Jerry Garcia and others were jamming back stage to Donovan 's "First There Is A Mountain" and that is how it got started in both bands.

When the ABB did it, Donovan's melody was used as an anchor for the beginning and end of a jam they chose to title Mountain Jam. Beyond Donavan's riff the ABB members wrote the rest of it on the stage improvising. Yes they would tease other songs and some of those became regulars but the idea was to never play Mountain Jam the same way twice. Each time would be the band members taking an unexpected turn in the music and challenge the rest of the band to jump on it. Butch called it jumping in the deep in with no concern of a train wreck. Something Butch was encouraging The Freight Train Band do because to Butch, the ABB stopped doing that years ago. Butch claimed he tried to get Warren and Derek to jump of the cliff with no results.

Butch and Dickey both said the version on Eat A Peach is the least inspiring and the most jaded version the original band did. But it was the only version that was record release quality with Duane on it they had and Eat A Peach was dedicated to Duane and they wanted it added to the album which made the album four sides. As we all know they recorded Standback, Blue Sky and Little Martha and chose to take a break and finish the album later. But Duane was killed and the 5 man band went back to Miami to finish the album but only recorded 3 songs that were in response to Duane's death. The rest of the album was fill out by two live tracks with standout slide guitar by Duane then they made it a four side, half studio/half live album.

Duane use to say " When I'm in Georgia I eat a peach for peace" Butch had that shortened to Eat A Peach. It was released in Feburary 1972 and was the band's first million seller. Tom Dowd had to leave for another project and Johnny Sandlin took over the producer's chair and finish the album but Phil Walden didn't credit Johnny. Johnny got a "special thanks" credit with Tom Dowd only credited as producer. We old fans use to hear years later that Johnny Sandlin was still pissed about that.

Note: Eat A Peach was the first ABB album to go Platinum. Fillmore East went gold (500,000 copies) before Duane was killed but didn't go Platinum until after Brothers and Sisters was released. Fillmore East, Eat A Peach, Brothers and Sisters and 1991's 1969 -1979 A Decade Of Hits are surprisingly the only ABB albums to sell over a million copies. When compared to bands such as The Rolling Stones, AC/DC and even Lynyrd Skynyrd, the ABB wasn't a band that sold a mega amount of records. Hard to believe but true after Brothers and Sisters.....Win, Lose or Draw, Enlighten Rogues and Where It All Begins were the only ones the sell more than 500,000 and go Gold. Seven Turns came close. Peakin' At The Beacon was the least selling new release by the ABB. It didn't make the Billboard Top 200 album chart. I bought it and Bud Snyder and the band produced it but it sounds more like a good soundboard recording. I think Standback is real strong on Peakin' At The Beacon. Gregg's vocals are great and Derek Trucks and Dickey are smoking

Praise our lucky stars they didn't decide to do a half hour jam on Donovan's "I Love My Shirt".

Or Intergalactic Laxative!

Intergalactic Laxative!

I could see them tearing up Hurdy Gurdy Man pretty good.

The Grateful Dead were teasing the First There Is a Mountain in 67/68 as was Jeff Beck. I think you can hear the GD on the San Jose May 1968 tape and there may be some earlier.

When I first saw the ABB and they did mountain Jam I was unfamiliar with their music at that time...but I knew that was Donovan and I thought I was the only one who got that in the crowd of hippies ....aww to be young and innocent ...LOL
I fell in love with music in a different way that night with the ABB and Ive never been the same ...

I miss the summer Allman Brothers band tours.

I'm miss 1970 to 1973 when I was young and my knees didn't hurt and the Allman Brothers Band was on tour not only in the summer but all the time. In 1970 they did 305 shows and were able to run into Capricorn Studio in Macon then later Criteria in Miami and record Idlewild South, one of their best. Revival is such a catchy feel good song and it's still fun to hear all 6 singing and clapping their hands on " people can you feel it? love is everywhere ". I like hearing Berry sing Hoochie Coochie Man and both drummers playing wide open, Duane' slide and Gregg's fantastic vocals on Dont Keep Me Wondering and Dickey's slick and totally creative and unique playing in his Liz Reed solo. Butch's drums are so good on Liz Reed while Jaimoe plays only congas.

But I sometimes forget before Eat A Peach, the ABB often played shorter, truncated shows because they were not often the headliner. But in 1970 with those 305 shows they still traveled coast to coast which takes it toll on musicians whether they play 1 hour or 4 hours. I remember a summer 1970 out door show in Love Valley, N.C. the band played a long show and they smoked. The added a lot of new fans that night. And all 6 were so skinny. Well Dickey and especially Jaimoe looked muscular ( Jaimoe was shirtless) but Duane, Gregg, Berry and Butch were crazy skinny. Looked as if they weighed 110 pounds. Probably constant traveling and eating on the run with little time to relax. Unlike many hit bands, the ABB couldn't break through with a record. They finally broke out by constant touring playing powerful music that made people get up and jump around and new fans caught the fever at a live show not a record. All that hard work on the road is why this band made it and it's a shame Duane Allman didn't get to enjoy the money. Gregg said his brother got one nice check off of the great sales of Fillmore East and when he was killed the money just started pouring in and Duane didn't get any. And a pile of new fans came on board because of a record; Ramblin' Man. But millions who bought Brothers and Sisters didn't become ABB fans like us here on this site. If they had become die hard fans then like the Rolling Stones and other hit bands, Brothers and Sisters wouldn't have been their last new Platinum album and the crowds would have dried up somewhat for the live shows in 1980 and 81.

But in 1970 with those 305 shows they still traveled coast to coast which takes it toll on musicians whether they play 1 hour or 4 hours.

Gregg alluded in his book (without actually coming out and saying it) that the stress from that grueling 1970 schedule was the reason he got so way into drugs.

Think about it..............not only are you doing 305 shows within 365 days, they were constantly on the run from town to town between shows. And then when you DO show up in a new town, you are supposed to walk out there onstage with thousands of people staring at you and perform as if it's just a normal routine.

When you REALLY think about it............just HOW does a person do that without drugs??

Not sure if this link has already been posted, it's an in-depth article on the relationship between the ABB and The Grateful Dead. There's a whole section on Mountain Jam. It's an interesting, well researched piece.

https://deadessays.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-dead-and-allmans.html

. Butch claimed he tried to get Warren and Derek to jump of the cliff with no results.

Hmmm
There was a story in Al Paul’s book that I also heard Derek tell somewhere else that Reddog convinced Derek and Herring to go out in Mtn Jam. It was great but Gregg was not happy.

My personal favorite versions are EAP and Love Valle

[Edited on 4/8/2019 by stormyrider]

When you REALLY think about it............just HOW does a person do that without drugs??

Same as anyone does what they do for a living every day. Some of the hardest touring longest lasting performers were and are straight edge - Ian Anderson, Bob Weir jump to mind.

Gregg was never much into the jams especially when they would go way out. Gregg was in the band because of his devotion and respect for his brother and Duane, Dickey, Berry and Butch really liked to get out there more and more as they did more and more shows. Gregg was a little put off by such long guitar solos in Whipping Post and Dreams. He didn't write them that way. The band made major changes in several of Gregg's songs while working out the arrangements and as they evolved live. That is why Gregg prerecorded some of his songs on his solo albums as he wanted to do a version that was closer to how he wrote them.

But he also loved the ABB. He thought it was going to flop the first couple of years. The first album didn't sell well and the second just a little better but Duane was absolutely convinced they would make it. And Duane was right.

I think Gregg said he would have left the band in 2001 if Warren had not come back. Then he was ready to leave again in 2009 but went along with going 5 more years as long as there was room to tour with his own band. I didn't know until later that Warren and Derek were ready to hang it up in 2009 too. It was Butch and some of the crew who wanted to keep going. But Gregg, Warren and Derek had an understanding that it would end in 2014. Then Butch got cold feet again but they wouldn't do it for Butch. Turns out he needed some more tours to get the tax man off his back but didn't work. I feel for Butch and his wife. Butch was the ONLY one who played EVERY ABB show from the very beginning to the last. Anyone know of a show without Butch? I dont.

When you REALLY think about it............just HOW does a person do that without drugs??

Same as anyone does what they do for a living every day. Some of the hardest touring longest lasting performers were and are straight edge - Ian Anderson, Bob Weir jump to mind.

Bob Weir straight??????

Maybe a better way to put it is Bob Weir didn't do drugs for a big part of his musical career???

[Edited on 4/11/2019 by DeadMallard]

And like on Fillmore East, the members of ABB deserve some kudos for always giving songwriting credit. If you look at the credits on Eat A Peach, Mountain Jam is credited to D.Leitch and all six members of ABB. D. Leitch of course is Donovan Leitch. If Led Zeppelin had lifted the melody from First There Is A Mountain the listed songwriters would have been Page/Plant.

😛 I've never understood why Zep never acknowledged the people they "borrowed" from....I mean it's not like they weren't making boatloads of money pretty much from the start of the band given they were a huge touring and merchandise machine relatively quickly. I get that publishing even then was a big source of money, but come on.

Ironic given their manager was pretty aggressive about not allowing anyone to steal from corporation Zeppelin...

And like on Fillmore East, the members of ABB deserve some kudos for always giving songwriting credit. If you look at the credits on Eat A Peach, Mountain Jam is credited to D.Leitch and all six members of ABB. D. Leitch of course is Donovan Leitch. If Led Zeppelin had lifted the melody from First There Is A Mountain the listed songwriters would have been Page/Plant.

😛 I've never understood why Zep never acknowledged the people they "borrowed" from....I mean it's not like they weren't making boatloads of money pretty much from the start of the band given they were a huge touring and merchandise machine relatively quickly. I get that publishing even then was a big source of money, but come on.

Ironic given their manager was pretty aggressive about not allowing anyone to steal from corporation Zeppelin...

how 'bout Page is a mercenary scumbag just like Grant and Plant too much of an ignorant wuss to do anything but what he was told?

Bob Weir straight??????

lol, yeah, touché . . . well at least not a junkie. Now I think on it, his nose looked like Rudolph Reindeer's last time I saw him perform. Still, a regular goody two shoes compared to Garcia anyway, but then who wasn't? Point was the hardworking touring rockers who lived to tell the tale did it by either being straight or mostly so, backing off dope pretty early on.

Let's just leave Keith Richards out of this . . .

Contrary to what Butch stated, I think the Mtn. Jam on Eat A Peach is the best that I have heard.