For the love of rock
Vol X, Issue 5 – Bougainvillea (01 Sep 2025)
www.intheloveofrock.com
Name of song– Bougainvillea
Band – Dickey Betts
Writers– Dickey Betts, Don Johnson
Album- Dickey Betts & Great Southern
Release year– 1977
Bougainvillea
“Dickey Betts”, more popularly known as the guitarist for “The Allman Brothers Band”, is undoubtedly the virtuoso guitar player himself. For many rock fans, it might be a surprise revelation – that the long jamming guitarist in The Allman Brothers Band’s ‘Blue sky’, also had side projects and is also a well-established singer and guitarist in his own right. Born and raised in Florida, USA, Dickey Betts had a family with musical background. He had started to learn various musical instruments from his early childhood days and ultimately stuck to guitars in his teenage years. In 1969, he cofounded “The Allman Brothers Band” and had a successful career as the guitarist. During the break up periods of “The Allman Brothers Band”, Betts engaged himself in his own band and released few notable albums. He had formed his own band named “Great Southern Band” in 1977 and had released an album named “Dickey Betts & Great Southern”. Although he could not achieve the name and fame with his solo projects in comparison to “The Allman Brothers Band”, his solo projects do play a major role in the seventies country and southern rock scene.
Among his various solo projects, “Dickey Betts & Great Southern” is one of the most notable ones. This album is definitely a slow burner, but shows Betts’ showmanship as a songwriter, singer as well as a guitarist.
“Bougainvillea” is undoubtedly one of the finest songs in the album. A slow, melodic and extended ballad, co-written by Betts with Don Johnson, it has relatively few words, but it expresses much deeper feelings with the guitar. The short lyrical poem themed around the love which is juxtaposed with the bougainvillea flower, this romantic ballad sways the listener to a dreamy world of love and romance.
The song begins with a slow guitar plucking and Ken Tibbett’s bass and Tom Broome’s keyboards pour in with remarkable harmony. Betts’ vocals with background vocals by Don Johnson, pushes the song into a slow, bluesy ride. As the song progresses, Betts’ guitar comes into play and drives the melody into a completely different world of love and romance, perhaps more effectively than the words. Undoubtedly a craftsman’s prize, the extended solos of the song may be regarded as powerful as the twinning solos of The Allman Brother’s Band’s ‘Blue sky’. Definitely, in “Bougainvillea”, we find a killer solo by Betts!
Yes, we all know that Dickey Betts is the guitarist in “The Allman Brothers Band”, but he was more than a guitarist in a band. He was a virtuoso who could sing as well as write songs. And when we consider the guitar ballads, “Bougainvillea” undoubtedly takes the cake as one of the most beautiful songs – as beautiful as the flower itself with the most beautiful guitar work!!! Happy listening!!! Resources- Wikipedia.org, allmusic.com
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea, sing your song
For my lover, for my love
I need
Sweet Bougainvillea
Let her wear your flowers in her hair
You will always be
Always be our love song
She was so afraid
To give her heart away
Now before she even knows
I hold her close to me
Sweet Bougainvillea
Let her know she’s free
She was so afraid
To give her heart away
Now before she even knows
I hold her close to me
Sweet Bougainvillea
Let her know she’s free
Let her know she’s free
Lyrics – https://genius.com/Dickey-betts-and-great-southern-bougainvillea-lyrics
Video link – https://youtu.be/7SFUYJvTqEc