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Looking back today, the story of Lynyrd Skynyrd seems like a fairy tale, without the happy ending, but still a fairy tale. It's impressive to think, almost fifty years after Gary Rossington and the others first picked up their guitars, how these (former) Southern rebels literally went, in a few years, from school desks to the charts across half of America. Founded, like so many bands, by kids who met over high school books, they managed, in a journey that lasted less than five years, to brand their quirky name in bold letters into the history of world rock, laying the foundations for what is now commonly defined as southern rock or southern rock, alongside other heavyweights like the Allman Brothers Band and Molly Hatchet.
That explosive mix of hard rock, country, and blues would establish them as one of the most important bands ever, creators of at least three unforgettable albums and a series of singles now considered milestones of a certain way of understanding music. Their lyrics, which distinguished them from the mass of similar bands, as did their musical proposal, avoided narrating a mythical and legendary South, more imagined than true, often tackling real issues, like racism or the spread of firearms, while also speaking about personal stories and feelings, all always covered with a certain melancholic vein.
The first album, released in '73, with the entire world hard rock scene churning out classics one day and the next, already presents the band at its peak. Ronnie Van Zant's nasal and communicative voice is recognizable among thousands, as are Billy Powell's keyboards and the legendary trio of guitars formed by Gary Rossington, Ed King, and Allen Collins, all supported by a solid and syncopated rhythm section. "Free Bird" is an immortal track, still played on the radio today despite its considerable length, an authentic summation of Skynyrd's musical offering. "Gimme Three Steps" and "I Ain't The One" may be less popular with the general public, but they are irreplaceable gems for genre enthusiasts. It might seem absurd, but forty years later, the band's name, a fanciful transliteration of a founding member's school teacher, is still pronounced in many different ways, despite the debut album's title clearly explaining the pronunciation: "(Pronounced 'Leh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)".
The success is overwhelming, and a second album soon arrives, cementing the Americans among the genre's heavyweights: "Second Helping", from 1974, reprises the debut's formula, showing a determined and inspired band presenting a record without weak points in their second length test, where every track has become a classic over time. "Sweet Home Alabama", "Call Me The Breeze", "The Ballad Of Curtis Loew" are still indispensable in the ensemble's performances and authentic manifest tracks of southern rock.
Success also brings with it major commitments, and the touring life eventually becomes exhausting: the band starts losing members, Bobby Burns leaves and is replaced on drums by Artimus Pyle, who has a heavier and more incisive touch. However, the new album, hitting stores by '75, features a band that has lost the spark of its early days. The production of "Nuthin' Fancy" does not please everyone, the album doesn't transmit the energy that characterized the previous ones, and there's a sense of crisis: the songs aren't bad, "Saturday Night Special" is still highly requested, but it seems that, after the initial glory days, the Americans' proposal is becoming standard and unable to renew itself, presenting a good but not as interesting album as its predecessors. The album still sells well, but Rossington and the others' inability to keep the lineup together is worrying: Ed King, the band's axe for years, leaves, leaving the Americans without their characteristic guitar trio, at least in the studio.
"Gimme Back My Bullets", released in '76, suffers partly from the difficulties of the moment but seems more focused than its predecessor, though far from the freshness of the first two unforgettable albums. The title track, "Double Trouble" and "All I Can Do Is Write About It" still deserve a place of honor in the Jacksonville band's discography, considering that albums like this would nowadays make any rock formation's fortune, but inevitably, if one is used to the best, one cannot settle for an album that's "only" good.
If the subsequent tour is the opportunity to show that the band is still alive and kicking despite some studio difficulties, "One More From The Road", also from '76, the only live album recorded during the golden years, is also the chance to present the talents of newcomer Steve Gaines to those who could not attend the tour, a true game-changer who would have revived the fortunes of a formation that seemed to have partly lost its way.
As noted at the beginning, it's quite impactful to consider how all this long story unfolds in less than five years, indeed the time that passed between the first album and the Skynyrd's forced disbandment: timelines unthinkable today, just as it would be considered commercial suicide today, with a record market in constant crisis, to bring a new work to stores every year, managing, moreover, to always achieve at least good artistic results. Different times.
1977 has finally arrived, and the time is ripe for the definitive relaunch of a band that seemed to have suffered a bit too much from the grueling album-tour-album rhythms over the last two years. Steve Gaines, confirmed on guitar, is the wild card for the new incarnation of the Americans, who now seems destined for a consistently growing career: "Street Survivors" is the album of the definitive rebirth, with the Skynyrd's musical proposition seeming to have reached full maturity. The album skillfully alternates hard rock, female choirs, blues, and country, showing a band capable of range that, precisely by not wanting to set limits, manages to impress even several years after the debut. "What's Your Name?", "I Know A Little" and "That Smell" would become true classics, demonstrating how the seven Americans had regained their former sparkle. By a tragic twist of fate, however, things would take an entirely unexpected turn: three days after the album's release, the plane on which the band was traveling crashes, killing Ronnie Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, a backing vocalist, on the spot, as well as various crew members, leaving a still today unfillable void.
There's no point beating around the bush, the story of the Skynyrd ends that day. Years later, the surviving members, led by Gary Rossington and Ronnie's brother Johnny, would stage a nostalgic reunion, with new albums and tours, but it wasn't the same. The chronic inability to keep a stable lineup, along with the loss of other historical members like Billy Powell and Leon Wilkeson, would effectively reduce the current incarnation of the band to luxury session musicians in the service of the southern rock scene, under the command of a Gary Rossington who, by now, simply does not want to retire the historic name. Another massive difference between the two versions of the band is in attitude and certain stances: if the historical Skynyrd were characterized by a certain hippie and libertarian approach, rough but sincere, as such, the current ones seem too focused on a tedious and irritating presentation of certain reactionary and gross aspects of the old Southern myth, complete with eagles and stars and stripes waved at every opportunity.
Of the countless anthologies published over the years, "The Essential Lynyrd Skynyrd", initially released by MCA and then by Geffen under the title "Gold", is one of the most comprehensive. The current version of the band is logically not considered, instead giving ample space to what was recorded at the time by Ronnie Van Zant and the others. While naturally albums like "(Pronounced 'Leh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)" and "Second Helping" are raided, it is undeniable that "Gimme Back My Bullets" would have deserved more space, although the intention to highlight less well-known tracks like "Four Walls Of Raiford" and "Mr. Banker" is commendable, thus showing that the greatness of the band did not only stem from successful singles but also from less popular tracks."The Essential Lynyrd Skynyrd" could therefore be the opportunity to rediscover one of the most noble and unfortunate formations of American rock, still capable of delivering emotions some forty years after the golden times, and authors of a mature and multifaceted rock, the true expression of the most genuine and fascinating side of the Southern United States.
Disc 1
- Sweet Home Alabama
- I Ain't The One
- Was I Right Or Wrong?
- Gimme Three Steps
- Workin' For MCA
- Simple Man
- Swamp Music
- The Ballad Of Curtis Loew
- Saturday Night Special
- Mr. Banker
- Comin' Home
- Call Me The Breeze (J.J. Cale)
- Free Bird
Disc 2
- What's Your Name?
- Whiskey Rock-a-Roller" (Live)
- Tuesday's Gone
- Double Trouble
- I Know A Little
- Four Walls Of Raiford (Undubbed Demo)
- I Never Dreamed
- Gimme Back My Bullets" (Live)
- You Got That Right
- All I Can Do Is Write About It (Acoustic Version)
- That Smell
- Free Bird (Live)
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Sweet Home Alabama (04:45)
Turn It Up
Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the Southland
I miss ol'Bamee once again
And I think its a sin, yes
Well I heard Mister Young sing about her
Well, I heard ol' Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A Southern man don't need him around anyhow
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
In Birmingham they love the governor, booo hooo hooo
Now we all did what we could do
Now Watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Here I come, Alabama
Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers
And they've been known to pick a song or two
(yes they do)
Lord they get me off so much
They pick me up when I'm feeling blue
Now how about you?
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Sweet home Alabama
Oh sweet home
Where the skies are so blue
And the governor's true
Sweet Home Alabama
Lordy
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Yeah, yeah
02 I Ain't the One (03:54)
Now I'll tell you plainly, baby, what a plan to do.
Say, I may be crazy, woman, but I ain't no fool.
Your daddy's rich, mama, and you're overdue
but I ain't the one, baby, been messin' with you.
Got bells in your mind, lady, and it's easy to see.
I think it's time for me to move along, I do believe.
Or are you tryin' to put a hook on me, oh no?
Now you're talkin' jive, woman, when you say to me
that your daddy's gonna take us in, mama, 'n take care of me.
You know and I know, woman, I ain't the one.
I never hurt you, sweetheart, said, I never pulled my gun.
Got bells in your mind, mama, and it's easy to see.
I think it's time for me to move along, I do believe.
Time for me to put my boots out in the street..
Now you're talkin' jive, woman, when you say to me
that your daddy's gonna take us in, mama, 'n take care of me.
You know and I know, woman, I ain't the one.
I never hurt you, sweetheart, said, I never pulled my gun.
Got bells in your mind, mama, and it's easy to see.
I think it's time for me to move along, I do believe.
Oh, I must be in the middle of some kinda conspiracy
04 Gimme Three Steps (04:31)
I was cutting the rug
Down at a place called The Jug
With a girl named Linda Lu
When in walked a man
With a gun in his hand
And he was looking for you know who.
He said, "Hey there fellow,
With the hair colored yellow,
Watcha tryin' to prove?
'Cause that's my woman there
And I'm a man who cares
And this might be all for you."
I was scared and fearing for my life.
I was shakin' like a leaf on a tree.
'Cause he was lean, mean,
Big and bad, Lord,
Pointin' that gun at me.
I said, "Wait a minute, mister,
I didn't even kiss her.
Don't want no trouble with you.
And I know you don't owe me
But I wish you'd let me
Ask one favor from you."
"Won't you give me three steps,
Gimme three steps mister,
Gimme three steps towards the door?
Gimme three steps
Gimme three steps mister,
And you'll never see me no more."
Well the crowd cleared away
And I began to pray
As the water fell on the floor.
And I'm telling you son,
Well, it ain't no fun
Staring straight down a forty-four.
Well he turned and screamed at Linda Lu
And that's the break I was looking for.
And you could hear me screaming a mile away
As I was headed out towards the door.
"Won't you give me three steps,
Gimme three steps mister,
Gimme three steps towards the door?
Gimme three steps
Gimme three steps mister,
And you'll never see me no more."
05 Workin' for MCA (04:48)
Seven years of hard luck, comin' down on me
From the Florida border, yea up to Nashville Tennessee
I worked in every joint you can name, mister every honkytonk
Along come Mr Yankee Slicker, sayin' maybe you're what I want
Want you to sign your contract
Want you to sign today
Gonna give you lots of money
Workin' For MCA
9000 dollars, that's all we could win
But we smiled at the Yankee Slicker with a big ol' Southern grin
They're gonna take me out to California gonna make me a superstar
Just pay me all of my money and mister maybe you won't get a scar
Want you to sign your contract
Want you to sign today
Gonna give you lots of money
Workin' For MCA
Slickers took my money since I was seventeen
If it ain't no pencil pusher, it got to be a honkytonk queen
But I'll sign my contract baby, and I wan't you people to know
Every penny that I make, I've gotta see where my money goes
Want you to sign your contract
Want you to sign today
Gonna give you lots of money
Workin' For MCA
06 Simple Man (05:58)
Mama told me, when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely, to what I say.
And if you do this
It'll help you some sunny day.
Oh take your time...don't live too fast,
Troubles will come, and they will pass.
Go find a woman and you'll find love,
And don't forget son,
There is someone up above.
(Chorus)
And be a simple kind of man.
Oh be somethin you love and understand.
Baby be a simple kind of man.
Oh won't you do this for me, son,
If you can?
Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul,
And you can do this if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.
And be a simple kind of man.
Oh be somethin you love and understand.
Baby be a simple kind of man.
Oh won't you do this for me, son,
If you can? (Oh yes I will)
Boy, don't you worry... you'll find yourself.
Follow your heart and nothing else.
And you can do this, oh babe, if you try.
All I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.
(Chorus)
Baby be a simple,
Be a simple man
Oh be something you love and understand
07 Swamp Music (03:32)
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
08 The Ballad of Curtis Loew (04:52)
(Allen Collins - Ronnie VanZant)
Well I used to wake the morning before the rooster crowed
Searching for soda bottles to get myself some dough
Brought 'em down to the corner, down to the country store
Cash 'em in and give my money to a man named Curtis Loew
Old Curt was a black man with white curly hair
When he had a fifth of wine he did not have a care
He used to own an old dobro, used to play it across his knee
I'd give old Curt my money, he'd play all day for me
(Chorus)
Play me a song Curtis Loew, Curtis Loew
I got your drinking money, tune up your dobro
People said he was useless, them people are the fools
'Cause Curtis Loew was the finest picker to ever play the blues
He looked to be sixty, and maybe I was ten
Mama used to whip me but I'd go see him again
I'd clap my hands, stomp my feets, try to stay in time
He'd play me a song or two
Then take another drink of wine.
Chorus
Yes sir
On the day old Curtis died, nobody came to pray
Ol' preacher said some words, and they chunked him in the glade
But he lived a lifetime playin' the black man's blues
And on the day he lost his life, that's all he had to lose
Play me a song Curtis Loew, Hey Curtis Loew
I wish that you was here so everyone would know
People said he was useless, them people all are fools
'Cause Curtis you're the finest picker to ever play the blues
09 Saturday Night Special (05:12)
Two feets they come a creepin
like a black cat do
and two bodies are layin' naked.
Creeper think he got nothin' to lose.
So he creeps into this house, yeah
and unlocks the door
and as a man's reaching for his trousers
shoots him full of thirty-eight holes.
It's the Saturday night special
got a barrel that's blue and cold
ain't good for nothin
but put a man six feet in a hole
Big Jim's been drinkin' whiskey
and playin' poker on a losin' night
and pretty soon ol' Jim starts a thinkin
somebody been cheatin' and lyin'.
So big Jim commence to fightin',
I wouldn't tell you no lie.
Big Jim done pulled his pistol,
shot his friend right between the eyes.
It's the Saturday night special
got a barrel that's blue and cold
ain't good for nothin
but put a man six feet in a hole
Hand guns are made for killin',
they ain't no good for nothin' else.
And if you like to drink your whiskey
you might even shoot yourself.
So why don't we dump 'em people
to the bottom of the sea
before some ol' fool come around here,
wanna shoot either you or me.
It's the Saturday night special
got a barrel that's blue and cold
ain't good for nothin
but put a man six feet in a hole
It's the saturday night special
and I'd like to tell you what you could do with it too
and that's the end of the song
10 Mr. Banker (05:22)
(Ronnie VanZant -- Gary Rossington)
Mister Banker
Mister please, how much does money mean
Won't you reconsider mister
Won't you do this thing for me
Ain't got no house
Ain't got no car
All I got, Lord, is my guitar
But you can have that mister banker
Won't you bury my papa for me
Oh mister banker please
Listen to how that sound
I would not be here on my knees
But hey mister banker
It means so much to me
Oh won't you reconsider mister
Won't you do this thing for me
I told you mister
I ain't got no house
Ain't got no car
I got me a 1950 Les Paul guitar
Won't you take it mister banker
Won't you bury my papa for me
Oh mister banker please
12 Call Me the Breeze (05:09)
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
13 Free Bird (09:10)
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...!
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