Classic Rock Album of the Day- Lynyrd Skynyrd- (Pronounced- Len-nerd Skin-nerd)- (1973) ****
Thought I might cover this lengendary Southern staple today. As a genre, it was fantastic fork in the road genre, that was fresh off the Psychedelia era. This band, and the Allman Bros., caught the rock world off guard that someone from the south could peak the interest of those visiting their local record stores...
Strangely, if you look at my monthly compilation of Top 20 lists on another thread, Lynyrd Skynyrd never made it. Which in retrospection, is puzzling. It may be that I might have thought my tastes at the time were too high brow for this southern fare. Maybe I thought that though they had a rocking edge, but there was too much of a MCA commerical bend to their catalog. Or. maybe the fact is that Free Bird was and is the most over played memed rocking "request" in history... Almost to a joke. More on that later.
But of course 50 years later, and the album is now 50 years old, I have much more embraced my "southerneress" and what that means and matters as a heritage. 10 or 15 years ago plus or minus, I bought a greatest hit compliation collection of the band, which I have since played the hell out it. What this band did 1973-1977 in their first 5 studio albums was excellent. Generally only about a 1/4 to a 1/3 of ther 1st 5 are filler, meaning the band as whole should qualify as among the greatest in the genre. I have great respect for the legacy of this band now.
The first album is easily the best, and contains what I feel are their most memorable songs.
Fun Fact: Not one single post plane crash Skynrd LP/CD went Platinum.
Side 1-
------------
I A'int the One- Blusey Boogie opener, with good solid screaming axes. Good tune, but not exactly memorable in their catalog. 6
Tuesday's Gone- Never was into swooner rock ballads, but no one can deny this is one of the best ever done in that era. Beautifully done in soulful blusey fashion. This would will never get old. 1
Gimme Three Steps- Hilarious rocking tune around a guy who dances and gets caught with some bad dude's old lady. I think most of us can relate in the day, getting caught in an unfortunate love triangle or 2 with Linda Lou. Nicely hooked and great vehicle to lure in those peripheral album buyers. 3
Simple Man- I think most of the allure of the greatness of the first L-S has to do with how well and powerful the band did with the softer side. Simple Man is very powerful and pointedly heartfelt. Love how the band periodcially infuses heavy chordal guitar to give depth and dimension to what is another ballad in the vein as Tuesday's Gone. 2
Side 2-
-----------
Things Goin' On- Swamp boogie tune and standard fare that even brings kind of creole flavor and 1800's piano sound. Not one of my favoirites on the LP, but from a stylistic, and breadth of different styles, I got to admit, the guys were trying to show off their versatility and gumption, and in most cases it worked. 7
Mississippi Kid- Depression era-ish kind of delta blues number. Interestingly, it sounds like it comes off like a $10 Sears Silvertone 6 String. Led Zeppelin pulled the feat off much better on Led Zeppelin III in 1970, with Hats Off to Harper. Still very interesting in showing their historical interest in those delta blues acts. 8
Poison Whiskey- Standard solid rocker.... And a style that carried over in the band more prevalently in subsequent albums. Any song about rot gut whiskey can't be that bad. 4
Free Bird- Aren't many songs in my mind that are more ambivalent than this one. First the Good- Yes, this is arguably the the No. 1 or 2 most iconic rock song in history. Interchangagle with Stairway to Heaven. It is well composed, beautifully delivered, and powerful in the way it cressendos into an ultimate jam..... I mean the ultimate jam. Everyone knows this song. But------ I was purposely considerting leaving a ranking off for obvious reasons
Even within the first year of the album, this was already the most overhyped, overplayed song at parties, radio, cars, everywhere. I got sick of it. Maybe my most cringeworthy moment I ever had at a concert was in about 1984 or 1985. I was at a Bar concert where the Ramones performed. There were only like 40 or 50 people there. But invariably this one idiot red neck kept yelling at the Ramones to play "Free Bird". That just infuriated my hatred of what the song stood for. This dipshit was a living breathing stereotype for it.- 5
Thought I might cover this lengendary Southern staple today. As a genre, it was fantastic fork in the road genre, that was fresh off the Psychedelia era. This band, and the Allman Bros., caught the rock world off guard that someone from the south could peak the interest of those visiting their local record stores...
Strangely, if you look at my monthly compilation of Top 20 lists on another thread, Lynyrd Skynyrd never made it. Which in retrospection, is puzzling. It may be that I might have thought my tastes at the time were too high brow for this southern fare. Maybe I thought that though they had a rocking edge, but there was too much of a MCA commerical bend to their catalog. Or. maybe the fact is that Free Bird was and is the most over played memed rocking "request" in history... Almost to a joke. More on that later.
But of course 50 years later, and the album is now 50 years old, I have much more embraced my "southerneress" and what that means and matters as a heritage. 10 or 15 years ago plus or minus, I bought a greatest hit compliation collection of the band, which I have since played the hell out it. What this band did 1973-1977 in their first 5 studio albums was excellent. Generally only about a 1/4 to a 1/3 of ther 1st 5 are filler, meaning the band as whole should qualify as among the greatest in the genre. I have great respect for the legacy of this band now.
The first album is easily the best, and contains what I feel are their most memorable songs.
Fun Fact: Not one single post plane crash Skynrd LP/CD went Platinum.
Side 1-
------------
I A'int the One- Blusey Boogie opener, with good solid screaming axes. Good tune, but not exactly memorable in their catalog. 6
Tuesday's Gone- Never was into swooner rock ballads, but no one can deny this is one of the best ever done in that era. Beautifully done in soulful blusey fashion. This would will never get old. 1
Gimme Three Steps- Hilarious rocking tune around a guy who dances and gets caught with some bad dude's old lady. I think most of us can relate in the day, getting caught in an unfortunate love triangle or 2 with Linda Lou. Nicely hooked and great vehicle to lure in those peripheral album buyers. 3
Simple Man- I think most of the allure of the greatness of the first L-S has to do with how well and powerful the band did with the softer side. Simple Man is very powerful and pointedly heartfelt. Love how the band periodcially infuses heavy chordal guitar to give depth and dimension to what is another ballad in the vein as Tuesday's Gone. 2
Side 2-
-----------
Things Goin' On- Swamp boogie tune and standard fare that even brings kind of creole flavor and 1800's piano sound. Not one of my favoirites on the LP, but from a stylistic, and breadth of different styles, I got to admit, the guys were trying to show off their versatility and gumption, and in most cases it worked. 7
Mississippi Kid- Depression era-ish kind of delta blues number. Interestingly, it sounds like it comes off like a $10 Sears Silvertone 6 String. Led Zeppelin pulled the feat off much better on Led Zeppelin III in 1970, with Hats Off to Harper. Still very interesting in showing their historical interest in those delta blues acts. 8
Poison Whiskey- Standard solid rocker.... And a style that carried over in the band more prevalently in subsequent albums. Any song about rot gut whiskey can't be that bad. 4
Free Bird- Aren't many songs in my mind that are more ambivalent than this one. First the Good- Yes, this is arguably the the No. 1 or 2 most iconic rock song in history. Interchangagle with Stairway to Heaven. It is well composed, beautifully delivered, and powerful in the way it cressendos into an ultimate jam..... I mean the ultimate jam. Everyone knows this song. But------ I was purposely considerting leaving a ranking off for obvious reasons
Even within the first year of the album, this was already the most overhyped, overplayed song at parties, radio, cars, everywhere. I got sick of it. Maybe my most cringeworthy moment I ever had at a concert was in about 1984 or 1985. I was at a Bar concert where the Ramones performed. There were only like 40 or 50 people there. But invariably this one idiot red neck kept yelling at the Ramones to play "Free Bird". That just infuriated my hatred of what the song stood for. This dipshit was a living breathing stereotype for it.- 5
