Here down south we live in a wasteland of classic rock. Now I’m not that much of a traveler so I can’t concrete that thesis but I swear the south is a breeding ground for long haired good old boys who want to rock out to the masterful tunes of Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and of course our boys Lynyrd Skynyrd. Being raised and living in Tennessee, I sort of have this stuff stuck in me bones. Sure I get out and listen to other types of music, music that doesn’t involve a guitar solo or a working mojo. I go to Goth club nights, listen to a little bit of art rock, and lately I’ve been getting into Bob Marley. For whatever reason though my car radio is tuned to two different classic rock stations. Both have the same play list and both have annoying morning shows but I can’t stop running back to them in need of some sort of good old boy rebel yell.
Thought I would spend some time with Lynyrd Skynyrd. Of all Classic Rock artists I think these guys are the most maligned. Freebird has become a joke at concerts and some smarty-pants writers doubt the authenticity of its quality. Matter of fact it was this dislike of what one DJ called “The South’s National Anthem” that led me to writing this article. Ladies and Gentlemen I give you mini reviews of Lynyrd Skynyrd on the radio. Please bear in mind that the only piece of Lynyrd Skynyrd merchandise I own is a cassette tape of “Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd” and I think I left that one at my parent’s house. These opinions are based on the songs that get played on the radio. A lot. I mean whole bunches and bunches. You can’t go a day without hearing at lease three Lynyrd Skynyrd songs here in Knoxville and one of them won’t be “Freebird”.
1. Tuesdays Gone
I keep expecting musical historians to discover that this is a Robert Johnson song. I can hear it you know. I can hear Robert Johnson playing this on his slide acoustic in a juked out voice full of sorrow and repentance. The girls a leavin’ and really there ain’t nothing to be done about it. She wants to be freed and can’t be tied down to any one man. As a sign of emotional maturity Tuesdays Gone is on the same album (
Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd go figure) as Freebird.
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Article comments
1 - Thrasher
Freebird as “The South’s National Anthem” does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?
Yes, the "Sweet Home Alabama" business has been way overdone. VH-1's Uncivil War certainly help propel some of the myths including the Neil Young vs Ronnie Van Zant.
Here's a link with more on "Sweet Home Alabama":
http://www.thrasherswheat.org/jammin/lynyrd.htm
As for me? Well I think neil & Ronnie got along just fine.
The Drive By Truckers Southern Rock Opera has a nice way of making the myth even bigger.
2 - Vern Halen
Track down a copy of the New Skynyrd's Endangered Species if it isn't out of print. Oddly enough, some of these unplugged versions ring truer than the originals. Is it possible that all those electric guitar solos were a distraction to what are basically good, solid rock songs? Of course the content & emotional spectrum (i.e., cryin', lovin', leavin') is either narrow or focused, depending on your love of southern rock, but it is consistent for the genre. Good guitar players are a dime a dozen nowadays, but mystique is still hard to come by, and Skynyrd, for whatever reason, still has a lot of mystique and consequently a lot of appeal.