This was Gregg Allman's signature song, describing how he continued on in the face of obstacles. He wrote the song, but shared the songwriting credit with Kim Payne, a roadie for the band who came up with the classic line, "The road goes on forever."
After he wrote this song, Gregg Allman wanted to start recording it right away, so with the help of Kim Payne, who was guarding their equipment, he broke into the band's Macon, Georgia recording studio in the middle of the night and went to work, figuring he should get some tracks down before he forgot them.
This first appeared on the second Allman Brothers album, Idlewild South, but it wasn't released as a single. The song became a live favorite and one very identifiable with Gregg, so when he recorded his first solo album, Laid Back, in 1973, he recorded a new version of this song and released it as a single. It became his biggest hit as a solo artist, charting at #19 US.
Lyrics
Well, I've got to run to keep from hiding
And I'm bound to keep on riding
And I've got one more silver dollar
But I'm not gon' let 'em catch me, no
Not gon' let 'em catch the midnight rider
And I don't own the clothes I'm wearing
And the road goes on forever
And I've got one more silver dollar
But I'm not gon' let 'em catch me, no
Not gonna let 'em catch the midnight rider
And I've gone by the point of caring
Some old bed I'll soon be sharing
And I've got one more silver dollar
But I'm not gon' let 'em catch me, no
Not gon' let 'em catch the midnight rider
No, I'm not gon' let 'em catch me, no
Not gon' let 'em catch the midnight rider
No, I'm not gon' let 'em catch me, no
I'm not gon' let 'em catch the midnight rider
But I'm not gonna let 'em catch me, no
Not gon' let 'em catch the midnight rider
Songwriters: Gregg L. Allman / Robert Kim Payne
Midnight Rider lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.