Shades of Two Worlds Songs Ranked
Shades of Two Worlds is the tenth studio album by the Allman Brothers Band. Among the tracks are several longer songs of varying genres: the rock song “Nobody Knows”; jazzy instrumental “Kind of Bird”; and the blues-rocker “Get On with Your Life”. Dickey Betts takes a more prominent role in songwriting here than on most other of the group’s albums, writing or cowriting five of the eight songs. Newer member Warren Haynes also has co-writing credits on five songs. There is also a Delta Blues cover of Robert Johnson’s “Come On in My Kitchen”. In Rolling Stone John Swenson wrote, “Charged by topflight performances from Dickey Betts and Gregg Allman, the band summons up both the spirit and the musical resonance of the original group…. [Warren Haynes] references [Duane] Allman’s tone and signature techniques yet animates his presentation with his own distinct personality.” Here are all of Shades of Two Worlds songs ranked.
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8. Come On in My Kitchen
“There’s a slide steel guitar laden back porch version of Robert Johnson’s Come On In My Kitchen on the album, and it’s always a treat to hear the Allmans do something like that. Midnight Man doesn’t offer too much, but it’s not bad, and everything else on the album is stellar.”
7. Desert Blues
“Desert Blues” is a solid blues/rocker with more stellar guitar work from Betts and Haynes. It’s not the best thing the Allmans have ever put out, sure, but even second-rate ABB is head and shoulders above most bands’ very best efforts.”
6. Kind of Bird
“The 8:30 minute jazzy instrumental, Kind Of Bird, shows off the band’s creativity and exceptional musicianship, and the slow blues. Betts and Haynes combined to create another classic Allman Brothers instrumental. “Kind Of Bird,” at over eight minutes is as close to true jazz as the band would come.”
See more: The Allman Brothers Albums Ranked
5. Nobody Knows
“The album’s centerpiece is the 11:00 minute epic Nobody Knows, a song that Dickey wrote and Gregg enthusiastically sings. It features some top quality spirited soloing from the group, and the lyrics are thoughtfully philosophical in the way that they suggest staying true to yourself and believing in your dreams, even as the world around you offers convenient and constantly changing answers to the questions of life and it’s meaning.”
4. Bad Rain
“In many ways, Allman’s vocal work is some of the best of his career. The dual guitars of Betts and Haynes and the drumming of Jaimoe and Butch Trucks are as good as anything the band would produce.”
See more: The Allman Brothers Songs Ranked
3. Midnight Man
“Midnight Man doesn’t offer too much, but it’s not bad, and everything else on the album is stellar. Warren Haynes didn’t yet sing at this point (not lead anyway, although I can’t tell if he may be singing one of the verses on “Come On In My Kitchen”), so Gregg Allman takes most of the lead vocals, with Dickey Betts taking over on “Midnight Man”
2. End of the Line
“The reflective swagger of End Of The Line works perfectly as Gregg looks back on the reckless years of his youth and is amazed that he survived it all.”
1. Get On With Your Life
“Anyway, another great song is the blues Get on with Your Life. Lyrically it’s pretty much just Come and Go Blues all over again, but you don’t listen to the Allman Brothers for their lyrics, you listen to them for the guitars! And they sparkle on that cut.”
