Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes Shares Orchestral ‘Shakedown Street’ Cover

Gov’t Mule frontman Warren Haynes rolled out “Shakedown Street,” the latest offering from his forthcoming Dreams & Songs orchestral album. The orchestral take on the Grateful Dead favorite was accompanied by an official live video.

Dreams & Songs documents Haynes’ March 2019 symphonic shows at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. Warren performed his first-ever Dreams & Songs concerts with the 64-piece Asheville Symphony Orchestra and a WHB ensemble consisting of bassist Oteil Burbridge, keyboardist John Medeski, saxophonist Greg Osby and drummer Jeff Sipe, alongside backing vocalists Edwin McCain and Jasmine Muhammad. While the tracklist for Dreams & Songs was also unveiled today, the release date and pre-order information is forthcoming.

Warren Haynes shared the following about his version of “Shakedown Street”:

“‘Shakedown Street’ is a really powerful orchestrated arrangement that enhances the power of the original, which I played and sang a ton of times with those guys through the years, especially with Phil Lesh and Friends, but with The Dead as well.

“It’s a very danceable song. A lot of people just focus on the groove and get lost in the rhythmic quality of it. The orchestra forces you to pay attention to it in a different way. It’s very dark and powerful and, I think, very effective. This song goes back to the Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration, which was my first experience with an orchestra. That’s kind of what started this whole journey for me, which is still going on.”

Warren Haynes’ Dreams & Songs journey resumes on March 11 and 12, 2027 with orchestral shows in Nashville. Keyboardist John Medeski, Gov’t Mule touring rhythm section drummer Terence Higgins and bassist Kevin Scott, saxophonist Greg Osby, vocalist Saundra Williams and vocalist Mayteana Morales will back Haynes and The Nashville Symphony at Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

Watch Warren Haynes’ Dreams & Songs version of “Shakedown Street” below:

Dreams & Songs Tracklist

1. Dreams and Songs (Part One)
2. Dreams
3. Banks of the Deep End
4. Spots of Time
5. Broken Promised Land
6. Thorazine Shuffle
7. Makes No Difference
8. Terrapin Station
9. Raven Black Night
10. Just Another Rider
11. Black Peter
12. Instrumental Illness
13. One
14. Shakedown Street
15. Whipping Post
16. Dreams and Songs (Reprise)