An underrated Skynyrd classic.Īs a long time honky tonk singer myself, I must have performed this song a million times, but the fans and party crowd never get tired of hearing it. Ronnie’s story of a road weary traveler who is just plain tired of life on the road and is longing for home. Had he lived, I believe Ronnie would have eventually “gone country.” He certainly had a love in his heart for all things Haggard, Jones and Waylon, and he could simply sing the hell out of a country song. Written by Merle Haggard and recorded for Street Survivors, this one, I believe, was a foreshadowing of things to come. I have really likes this tune since day one, and Johnny Van Zant sings it well.įrom their Vicious Cycle release of 2003, my second post-Ronnie pick, and a wonderful post-9/11 tribute to America. The title track from their 1993 album is a really great song and one of only two post-Ronnie songs in my countdown. Swampy as a Muscle Shoals fishin’ hole, another Skynyrd signature song. Don’t ask me no questions and I won’t tell you no lies. What happens in Vegas, or in Cleveland, stays there. Simple rules when a band is home from the road. “I like to drunk and dance all night/Comes to a fix I ain’t afraid to fight/You got that right.” Ronnie trading off vocal licks with Steve Gaines and telling it like it was. The opener from Street Survivors blew my wig off the first time I played it on my old tube Panasonic stereo. Second, mix all ingredients together and stir.
Well, first, be a member of one of the hottest rock and roll bands on earth. This country to the bone track from Legend serves as Ronnie’s tip of the hat to brothers of the road like Charlie Daniels and Marshall Tucker.Īnother one of my personal favorites. Obviously, he was doing a little drinking at the time. Whatever he was living at that particular moment went into the song.
Ronnie took so many songs straight from life. The band’s cover of this JJ Cale song became another bar band staple during the seventies and remains one today. Heavily influenced by British bands like Cream, “On The Hunt” is Skynyrd at their hard rocking best. Ronnie’s shout at the Billboard charts following a slump in Skynyrd’s chart standings. This is another of Skynyrd’s best loved songs.Ī timeless tribute to the corner store musicians in Van Zant's old Jacksonville neighborhood, it’s a classic story of loving music, anti-racism and the innocence of childhood.Īllen Collins and Gary Rossington rock out sixties-style on the guitars that follow an instantly recognizable high-hat and guitar riff opening segment. Van Zant's beautiful and inspirational tribute to his grandmother is a a tribute to all mothers. Trivia note: Robert Nix of Atlanta Rhythm Section is the drummer on this track. My personal all-time favorite Skynyrd song, it has been included on numerous soundtracks, including those of Happy Gilmore, Dazed and Confused, My Name is Earl, and others. Ronnie Van Zant shines as a songwriter, and on this one he positively glows. “Hand guns were meant for killing, they ain’t no good for nothin’ else.” Ronnie takes a political stance. Skynyrd’s anti-handgun song off their 1975 LP Nuthin' Fancy doesn’t mince words. It’s all about the lyrics in this Ronnie Van Zant country song that talks about his concern for the urbanization of the rural South and the whole tearing down historic buildings to build a new mall kind of thing. Everybody knows the Neil Young story, so I will spare you the rehash.Ī true fan favorite, this anti-addiction song is musically remarkable, with soaring guitar work from Allen Collins and passionate vocals from Ronnie, and let’s not forget the all-important backing vocals of The Honkettes, JoJo Billingsley, Cassie Gaines and Leslie Hawkins. Ed King’s opening riff from "Alabama" is instantly recognizable, even if you don’t count the KFC commercial, and it is probably one of the most-covered songs in the world. The lead track off Skynyrd's second album Second Helping, remains one of the most recognizable songs in Southern rock. I’ll share it with you sometime.) has become an ongoing joke, the song remains the all-time classic Southern Rock song.
to The Tommy Talton Band (Tommy had the best response I ever heard. After all, they are both in the Hot Lists of all time best rock and roll songs by most journalists, and while “Freebird” has been driven into the ground by classic rock radio and made into the butt of many a joke, and while yelling “Fee Bird!” at shows by everyone from R.E.M. Picking the top two Skynyrd songs is a no-brainer. And now, my choices for the 25 all-time best songs recorded by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
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