Video Classics: ‘Southbound’ – The Allman Brothers

The Allmans, Still Selling Out (Cory Schwartz, Getty Images)

The Archivist (a native child of the South) was recently having lunch with a Harvard graduate, when she declared that she found nothing redeemable about the southern United States. Well, the Archivist went home somewhat perturbed by this, but tonight’s research has set us to rights. It appears that Thin Lizzy, the Kings of Leon and the Allman Brothers have each recorded a song entitled Southbound, but to date, no major artists we know of have written a song called ‘Northbound’.  So please enjoy the North, Ms. Harvard, the Archivist shall sleep happily knowing that everyone else is headed our way …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkkOqbHnlwY

“Southbound” was recorded in late 1972 and released in August 1973 as part of the Allman Brothers’ Brothers and Sisters album. The fact that the album was released at all is something of a testament to the band’s resiliency. It was the first album recorded entirely after the death of founding member Duane Allman, and most of it was also recorded after the death of bassist Barry Oakley.

In many ways, the song represented something of a high-water mark for the band, at least commercially. It spent five weeks at the top of the charts, and contained their only hit single, “Ramblin’ Man.” “Southbound” itself was tremendously popular on FM radio.

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