•
Rating: A tiny review for an album that is not essential, not a milestone, not even representative of the band's best period who recorded it. This album is born from an emotion and is recorded on dozens of stages amidst a great emotion, and this emotion still bears witness today to those who listen to it.
It's 1987 and the surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd feel the need and duty to offer a celebratory tour for the decade since their disbandment. A tragic blow, lead singer and lead guitarist: think if Page & Plant, or Blackmore & Gillan had left their respective bands; a fatal blow for Lynyrd and a hard hit for all southern rock, which was already living in the myth of Duane Allman. On the anniversary, Johnny Van Zant takes his brother's microphone, and friends and old comrades are recruited to reform the famous trio guitar barrage, as poor Allen Collins is definitely out due to a car accident the previous year. The idea is to do a short celebratory tour with the Confederate flag on the shields, the Stetson proudly on the head, a handful of classics, and lots of sweat and emotion on stage and among the audience. The first concerts will actually be so successful that they push the band to extend the tour, and the following year to organize a permanent reunion, which will prove to be much more than dignified with excellent and honest studio albums and always fiery concerts.
The following year, record buyers find this double live album on the shelves, full of the band's classics (and therefore southern classics) and reverent guests, Charlie Daniels, Steve Morse, Toy Caldwell. A remarkable, muscular, moving, and roaring set (incredible "Call Me The Breeze"), which finds its logical and expected conclusion in a very proud version of the immortal 'Sweet Home Alabama' (introduced by the southern anthem 'Dixie') and then offers the final catharsis of an unforgettable 'Free Bird.' It shouldn't be necessary to explain what 'Free Bird' is for American music and rock in general. The most memorable guitar journey of all time, introduced by a wonderful ballad for piano, organ, and slide guitar, culminates in this 1987 in a moving and emotive rite that touches fifteen minutes. The song starts, and people get wildly excited, and Johnny Van Zant raises the Confederate flag once again and turns all the microphones towards the audience, because Ronnie died ten years earlier in the plane crash and now “that” song has to be sung by the audience. As the live album testifies, the fans will sing the entire famous lyrics in a proud and stentorian chorus throughout the tour, before the three guitars launch, as ten years earlier, into a tremendous jam on three equally famous chords, the guitars showcase all the virtuosity and pain of the smoking fingers and the relentless time that has taken away so many friends, and everything explodes in a grand and triumphant finale.
As I admitted, it is not “the” album to have by Lynyrd Skynyrd – buy 'One More From The Road' first – but the emotion of the listening is great and every self-respecting fan has certainly dedicated a special place to “Southern By The Grace Of God.”
Tracklist and Lyrics
02 Swamp Music (00:00)
Going down to the swamp
Gonna watch me a hound dog catch a �coon
Well, I'm going down to the swamp
Gonna watch me a hound dog catch a �coon
You know the hounddog make-a music
On a summer night under a full moon
Lord, fetch my cane pole mama
Gonna catch a brim or maybe two
Lord, fetch my cane pole mama
Gonna catch a brim or maybe two
And when the hound dog start barkin�
Sounds like ol� son house singin� the blues
(chorus)
Hound dog sing that
Swamp, swamp, swamp, swamp music
Swamp, swamp, swamp, swamp music
When the hound dog starts singin�
I ain't got them big ol� city blues
Well, hey pretty mama
Lord, just take that city hike
Said go ahead pretty mama
Lord, just take your city hike
Well, I'd rather live with the hound dogs
For the rest of my natural born life
(chorus)
Singing that
Swamp, swamp, swamp, swamp music
Swamp, swamp, swamp, swamp music
Well, I'd rather live with the hounddogs
For the rest of my natural born life
Well, I'd wanna live with the hound dogs
For the rest of my natural born life
03 Call Me The Breeze (00:00)
Call me the breeze
I keep blowin' down the road
Well now they call me the breeze
I keep blowin' down the road
I ain't got me nobody
I don't carry me no load
Ain't no change in the weather
Ain't no changes in me
Well there ain't no change in the weather
Ain't no changes in me
And I ain't hidin' from nobody
Nobody's hidin' from me
Oh, that's the way it's supposed to be
Well I got that green light baby
I got to keep movin on
Well I got that green light baby
I got to keep movin' on
Well I might go out to California
Might go down to Georgia
I don't know
Well I dig you Georgia peaches
Makes me feel right at home
Well now I dig you Georgia peaches
Makes me feel right at home
But I don't love me no one woman
So I can't stay in Georgia long
Well now they call me the breeze
I keep blowin' down the road
Well now they call me the breeze
I keep blowin' down the road
I ain't got me nobody
I don't carry me no load
Oooh mister breeze
05 Free Bird (00:00)
If I leave here tomorrow
would you still remember me?
For I must be traveling on now
'cause theres too many places I've got to see.
…but, if I stayed here with you, girl,
things just couldn't be the same
'cause I'm as free as a bird now
and this bird you cannot change…
and this bird you cannot change…!
and this bird you cannot change!
Lord knows, I can't change.
Bye-bye, baby, it's been a sweet love,
though this feeling I can't change,
but please don't take it badly
'cause Lord knows I'm to blame.
…but, if I stayed here with you girl
things just couldn't be the same
'cause Im as free as a bird now
and this bird you'll never change…
and this bird you cannot change…!
and this bird you cannot change!
Lord knows, I can't change.
Lord help me, I can't change.
Lord, I can't change…!
Won't you fly high, free bird?
Yeah...!
08 That Smell (00:00)
Whiskey bottles and brand new cars
Oak tree you're in my way
There's too much coke and too much smoke
Look what's going on inside you
Ooh, that smell
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh, that smell
The smell of death surrounds you
Angel of darkness is upon you
Stuck a needle in your arm (You fool, you)
So take another toke, have a blow for your nose,
One more drink fool, would drown you (Hell, yeah)
Ooh, that smell
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh, that smell
The smell of death surrounds you
Now they call you Prince Charming
Can't speak a word when you're full of 'ludes.
Say you'll be alright come tomorrow
But tomorrow might not be here for you (Yeah, you)
Ooh, that smell
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh, that smell
The smell of death surrounds you
Aw, you fool, you.
You stick them needles in your arm
I know I been there before
One little problem that confronts you
Got a monkey on your back
Just one more fix Lord, might do the trick
One hell of a price for you to get your kicks (Hell, yeah)
Ooh, that smell
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh, that smell
The smell of death surrounds you
Ooh, that smell
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh, that smell
The smell of death surrounds you
Oh, you fool, you
Don't stick those needles in your arm.
You're just a fool, just a fool, just a fool.
09 I Know A Little (00:00)
Yes sir
Well the bigger the city, well the brighter the lights
The bigger the dog, well the harder the bite
I don't know where you been last night
But I think mama, you ain't doin' right
(Chorus)
Say I know a little
I know a little about it
I know a little
I know a little 'bout it
I know a little 'bout love
And baby I can guess the rest
Well now I don't read that daily news
'Cause it ain't hard to figure
Where people get the blues
They can't dig what they can't use
If they stick to themselves
They'd be much less abused
(Chorus)
Play me a little, oh yeah
Yeah
Well if you want me to be your only man
Said listen up mama, teach you all I can
Do right baby, by your man
Don't worry mama, teach you all I can
(Chorus)
Well I know a little 'bout love
Baby I want your best
11 You Got That Right (00:00)
Well I've heard lots of people say
They're gonna settle down
You don't see their faces
And they don't come around
Well I'm not that way
I got to move along
I like to drink and to dance all night
Comes to a fix not afraid to fight
You got that right
Said, you got that right
Sure got that right
Seems so long I been out on my own
Travel light and I'm always alone
Guess I was born with a travellin' bone
When my times up, I'll hold my own
You won't find me in an old folks home
You got that right
Well you got that right
Said, you got that right
Sure got that right
I tried everything in my life
Things I like I try 'em twice
You got that right
Sure got that right
Travellin' around the world, just singing my song
I got to go, Lord I can't stay long
Here comes that ol' travellin' jones once again
I like to drink and to dance all night
Comes to a fix not afraid to fight
You got that right
Said, you got that right
Well you got that right
Sure got that right
Loading comments slowly
