For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. ~ Psalm 91:11

No, I’m no angel
No, I’m no stranger to the street
I’ve got my label
So I won’t crumble at your feet

Yup, we’ve all got a few skeletons in the closet. What was it that JC said? Let he among you who hath not sinned cast the first stone? Something like that. Seems nobody comes into a relationship squeaky clean anymore. And sometimes that’s a good thing.

And I know baby
So I’ve got scars upon my cheek
And I’m half crazy
Come on and love me baby

And you know those scars just give you character, anyway. Another saying – one I’m no longer so sure I totally agree with – is that which doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. I’ve noticed it’s usually those that are overly scarred that seem to cling tightest to that mindset. Yes, this life can definitely drive you a bit mad.

So you find me hard to handle
Well, I’m easier to hold
So you like my spurs that jingle
And I never leave you cold
So I might steal your diamonds
I’ll bring you back some gold, I’m no angel

And like Waylon once said “Ladies always love outlaws.”. Yes, the girls sure do seem to have an attraction for the boys with a bit of an edge to them. I guess the dark side has is own particular mystique. But like moths drawn to the flame, sometimes when you get too close, you may get burned.

No, I’m no angel
No, I’m no stranger to the dark
Let me rock your cradle
Let me start a fire with your spark

Gregg Allman is certainly no stranger to the dark side; true southern rock royalty with more than just a dash of “bad-boy” persona thrown in. I once had the pleasure of being backstage at an event that Capricorn Records was hosting and got a brief introduction; just a handshake and hello – no photo op, thank you – and he was one of those guys that just seemed to have that automatic “rock star cool” factor radiating around him at all times.

Oh, come on baby
Come and let me show you my tattoo
Let me drive you crazy
Come on and love me baby

Gregg’s “comeback” hit single “I’m No Angel” signaled the ending stretch of his roller coaster ride through the dark side of life during the early 1980’s. His four year marriage to Cher – one of five failed marriages – had ended in 1979 amidst his growing drug and alcohol problems, and his struggles seemed to carry forward throughout the first half of the decade. Gregg actually spent three days in jail for DUI just a few weeks before this single was released.

So you don’t give a darn about me
I never treat you bad
I won’t ever lift a hand to hurt you
And I’ll always leave you glad
So I might steal your diamonds
I’ll bring you back some gold, I’m no angel

But like the phoenix rising from the ashes, the success of “I’m No Angel” – it went to #49 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987 – and the new album seemed to spark a rebound that ultimately led to a reformation of The Allman Brothers Band  in 1989. It sure looked like southern boogie’s ultimate bad-boy was back!

No, I’m no angel
No, I’m no stranger to the dark
Let me rock your cradle
Let me start a fire in your heart

But, no matter what, the darkness seems to carry on throughout Gregg’s life, one way or another. First with the deaths of brother Duane and band mate Berry Oakley, then suffering through Hepatitis C and liver transplant surgery, and even more recently with the accidental deaths of several members of a film crew working on his autobiographical motion picture, Midnight Rider: The Gregg Allman Story.

Oh, come on baby
Come and let me show you my tattoo
Let me drive you crazy
Come on and love me baby

Yes, it can be enough to drive you crazy – if you let it. If there was something I could say to Gregg that might help him on his journey, it might be a reference to the Psalm verse above, along with a friendly reminder that God says that we’ll all be given trials in this life – but they won’t be more than we can bear.

Listen to the original here:

Source for this post included:

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregg_Allman

Songfacts: http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=853