One Way Out (song)

Early recordings

Elmore James cut "One Way Out" in his final sessions for producer Bobby Robinson. Instead of his usual Broom Dusters, Robinson brought in a full band with a four-piece horn section. The session happened at Beltone Studios in New York City late in 1960, and James played without slide guitar. His version sat unreleased until 1965, two years after his death, when Sphere Sound Records put it out as a single paired with "My Bleeding Heart," recorded at the same session. It later turned up on compilations like the 1992 box set King of the Slide Guitar.

Sonny Boy Williamson II recorded the song on September 8, 1961, for the Chess brothers in Chicago. He handled vocals and harmonica, backed by Otis Spann on piano, Robert Lockwood and Luther Tucker on guitars, Willie Dixon on bass, and Fred Below on drums. Checker Records released it as a single in January 1962 with "Nine Below Zero." Billboard's review flagged its "strong sales potential," calling it a vigorous performance with a Latin beat and strong harmonica work. Williamson cut a second version with guitarist Buddy Guy, which Chess included on his 1965 compilation The Real Folk Blues. This take runs 2:45, 45 seconds longer than the single, and uses a rhythmic figure that borrows from Ray Charles' "What'd I Say" and Bobby Parker's "Watch Your Step." The Allman Brothers Band later modeled their rendition on this second recording.

Songwriting credits

The songwriting credits for "One Way Out" have shifted across its releases. Early singles listed "Dixon, Williamson" for Sonny Boy Williamson's version, "Sehorn, James" for Elmore James's, and "Crockett, Daniels" for George Crockett's. Willie Dixon, Marshall Sehorn, and Jack Daniels were involved in production, management, or technical roles; it was standard practice to add non-writers to credits to distribute royalties. Copyright registrations, all from 1965, reflect these credits: James's single credited Elmo James and Marshall Sehorn (Rhinelander Music, February 23), Crockett's credited George Crockett and Jack Daniels (June 18), and Williamson's single and album credited Sonny Boy Williamson alone (Arc Music, November 12). Though Williamson's version came out first, his registration was the last filed.

Allman Brothers Band version

The Allman Brothers Band played "One Way Out" in concert from at least February 1971. A live recording appeared on their 1972 album Eat a Peach, recorded at the Fillmore East's final show on June 27, 1971; producer Tom Dowd considered that performance their definitive effort on the song. In the performance, guitarist Dickey Betts sets up the Sonny Boy Williamson boogie vamp, Duane Allman plays bottleneck slide guitar, and Gregg Allman narrates the drama. Betts takes a solo, then Duane Allman and Betts trade licks, followed by a Duane Allman solo. Bassist Berry Oakley comes in a beat early after the trade, but the band recovers, then drops out for Gregg's a cappella vocal before the "Big Ending".

The recording became popular on progressive rock and album-oriented rock radio, remaining under five minutes and convenient for airplay. It remains a staple on classic rock radio and was a frequent Allmans concert encore. The Eat a Peach version appears in Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: A Musical Journey, and on the soundtracks of The Departed (2006), American Made (2017), Almost Famous (2000), Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001), and Lords of Dogtown (2005). It is included on the Allmans compilations Dreams (1989), A Decade of Hits 1969-1979 (1991), and Gold (2005). Other live renditions appear on retrospective albums such as Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY: 5/1/73.