Lynyrd Skynyrd-An Open Discussion

Is it me, or do those signatures look suspiciously clean and neat? All seven signed that neatly? Nobody did the olde rock star start to scribble-doodle?

 

Wow look at Ronnie's handwriting, and Leon's. Very neat and fancy!

 

"Three Steps" from the remastered Knebworth release:

 

Noting its Fancy!

Almost looks too neat, and those two in particular very similar. I'm thinking a fake? Here or there?

Nothing Matters, then there is this, to compare...

 

A little about each song.

I Ain't The One
The shot out of the cannon is a Texas style boogie blues written by Gary. Tough sounding chords with blues bends. Allen smokes on his Firebird with a double tracked solo....soon to be a trademark of his. Fine opener.

Tuesday's Gone
The transition from the opening song is ear stunning and shows immediately the depth of the band. One of my favorite songs by the band. The song's hook is the little tail cadence notes at the end of the verses that repeat. The little double note thing adds tension to the end of the verse lines and IMO makes the song. Very orchestral sounding. Ronnie is sublime with amazing harmonies. Little R and B type guitar stabs along the way let us know the soul of the song lies in Rhythm and Blues. Al Kooper did a great job with this elevating it to greatness. Of course Allen Collins music helped. His guitar is flanged throughout.

Gimme Three Steps
So not only can Gary write a mean boogie blues, so can Allen. Great lyrics from Ronnie about a time he flirted with the wrong woman. Nasty double note solos from Gary. Bobbye Hall really makes the song rock with some well placed percussion.

Simple Man
The second R and B type ballad on the album. The choruses are filled with some dynamic heavy guitar power chords a la Zep. A fine song. Ronnie is damn near perfect again.

Things Goin' On
Another boogie that starts out laid back and then picks up. Billy Powell shines with some honky tonkin' piano. Not one of my faves from the album but still a good song IMO. Gary plays his trademark double note growls.

Mississippi Kid
A touch of bluegrass on this fun blues tune. Al Kooper plays the itchy sounding mandolin parts. I think it is Ed King on slide. Simple but gets your foot tapping.

Poison Whiskey
An Ed King blues rocker. Heavy chorus chords. Ronnie's lyrics are the usual greatness.

Free Bird
Well, what the heck can I say. You hear the first chords and your jaw drops and even on the first listen you know it is going to be great. You don't realize how great until the song ramps up for the coda and Allen Collins starts his frenetic amazing double tracked solo. His solo is based on repetition but he is able to maintain momentum with his rhythmic changes and amazing tone and vibrato. The music was written by Allen IIRC as early as 1969. The tune went thru a bunch of arrangement changes along the way. The one here is the best IMO. Allen's guitar solo is often cited as one of the greatest of all time. I agree 100%. The song helped launch their career. It is one of my favorite songs of all time.

Often cited as one of the best rock albums of all time for good reason. The entire band can rock and roll with the best and it shows from the start here. The production is tough sounding and the arrangements don't go overboard and stay simple. A great debut IMO. I have listened to the album regularly since its release in 1973.

 

I got Artie to sign the CD version of that cover & he only wrote his first name.
He also put birds above Ronnie's head & wrote "RVZ.....THE MAN!"

 

Ah yes, I thought so. Black MCA first, then (my)tan (no rainbow) as second label, and then blue, third label? (Even though this is a UK MCA label pictured.)

 

"Saturday Night Special" was the first track the band worked up with Artie.
From what I understand earlier Ronnie had sent Ed & Leon to audition him after a recommendation from Charlie Daniels.

 

Yeah, "SNS" sounds like the bridge from Second Helping to Nothin' Fancy. It could have easily fit on Second Helping.

Man, on side two of Nothin' Fancy now; forgot what a great record this is! Got it "Made In The Shade"!

 

Definitely suspicious looking. Too neat for sure.

 

I suspect some Yankee Carpetbaggers lookin' to boondoggle some sweet, unsuspecting Southern Belle!!

 

I was looking to see if Artie & Billy had the same last name.....a real giveaway.

 

The rhythm guitar that kicks it off, pure Allen Collins. To me, that rhythm guitar is the sound of Skynyrd, right there!

 

The version of Free Bird isn't faded out.

 

He seems to be quite a character.
For some reason I thought he was a more restrained, quiet type of guy.

 

Fine album!

 

Well I learned something new today - I never knew Kooper played the mandolin on this track. I love the adjective you picked to describe it's sound - it's spot on. Mississippi Kid is one of my favorite tracks on this album, there is something about the self assured bravado in Ronnie's vocal combined with the "itchy" mandolin, slide guitar and harmonica that give it a Southern vibe I just dig. Who plays the harmonica on this track? I've read that Ed plays the slide guitar on this track - can someone confirm?

Of all the rock and roll artists who tragically perished in their prime during my lifetime none struck me like this one. It was a crusher and remains my personal "day the music died". As John Greenleaf Whittier succinctly wrote:

Of all sad words of tongue or pen
The saddest are these - what might have been

 

If I was a betting man, I'd say all of those signatures were done by the same person.

 

I believe that the alternate DT also exists on the deluxe edition on "Gimme Back My Bullets"

 

I believe it does. At the time, 1989, it was exclusive to the Innyrd's disc.

 

it does

 

I never knew there was Anaheim footage! I was at that show! Yes a ‘77 release would be amazing