NationStates Jolt Archive

Let's discuss the greatest Southern Rock group of all time.

I saw them in concert last year. My favorite has to be Freebird. It is the best song of all time. "And this bird you cannot change!"

It is the best song not for its lyrics, but for the 10 minute guitar solo at the end. They go to 120 beats a minute. Awesome stuff. The concert version of the song ended up being 21 minutes. (normally it is 15)

I only know Sweet Home Alabama...and to be fair, thats good going for me. I apparently have poor taste in music and don't know very many well known artists. I'm bad!:(

My favorite song would be "Call Me the Breeze". Great song.

My dad had tickets to see them once. However, he never got to go... the concert was canceled. More unfortunetly, it was canceled because of the plane crash...

Actually, studio version is a fuzz 9 minutes (9:10) whereas the live versions tend to be 12+. I have the one from Atlanta* which clocks in at 13:20. But yeah, I have a ton of Skynyrd, and Freebird is hands down the best song they've done.

Then again... Simple Man is not a slouch either... *pops on another Skynyd CD*

Sweet Home comes first, because of some of the great guitar riffs in it. Then Freebird, because it's just a damn great song.

Actually, studio version is a fuzz 9 minutes (9:10) whereas the live versions tend to be 12+. I have the one from Atlanta* which clocks in at 13:20. But yeah, I have a ton of Skynyrd, and Freebird is hands down the best song they've done.

Then again... Simple Man is not a slouch either... *pops on another Skynyd CD*
Freebird can run much longer at a concert. Believe me. They just repeat the guitar riffs over and over.

I forgot to mention, but Tuesday's Gone has the best opening guitar riff. If you don't think you've heard it, watch "Happy Gilmore." It is the song in the beginning.

I'm was torn between Freebird and Simple Man. Both are awesome, but I had to put my vote in for Simple Man.

Actually, if I did not love Freebird as much as I do, I would have a real problem. All the other songs listed are just that good that it is hard to pick between them.

I wish this was one of the polls you could check multiple answers!

Let's discuss the greatest Southern Rock group of all time.R.E.M.?

Tough call, but Sweet Home Alabama.

R.E.M.?

:::Thwack:::

Everyone knows the answer to that question is the Allman Brothers Band!

Everyone knows the answer to that question is the Allman Brothers Band!Oh, is there a difference between them and Lynyrd Skynyrd?

Oh, is there a difference between them and Lynyrd Skynyrd?

Absolutely.

Let's discuss the greatest Southern Rock group of all time.

I saw them in concert last year. My favorite has to be Freebird. It is the best song of all time. "And this bird you cannot change!"

It is the best song not for its lyrics, but for the 10 minute guitar solo at the end. They go to 120 beats a minute. Awesome stuff. The concert version of the song ended up being 21 minutes. (normally it is 15)
The original band was much better than the group you saw in concert. Unfortunately, the creative force within the group died in the firey plane crash.

The only one I know is Freebird. So I'll go with that.

:::Thwack:::

Everyone knows the answer to that question is the Allman Brothers Band!
Well, Freebird was written about one of them... I can't remember which it was, but it definitely was written about one of the two.


Inconceivably, I'm the first person here to yell
FREEEEEEBIIIIIIIIIRRRRD!

Let's discuss the greatest Southern Rock group of all time.

I saw them in concert last year. My favorite has to be Freebird. It is the best song of all time. "And this bird you cannot change!"

It is the best song not for its lyrics, but for the 10 minute guitar solo at the end. They go to 120 beats a minute. Awesome stuff. The concert version of the song ended up being 21 minutes. (normally it is 15)
I find it funny that you call it a guitar "solo" considering that there are as many as three guitars going at one time.

I find it funny that you call it a guitar "solo" considering that there are as many as three guitars going at one time.
Ok, guitar duel... or, since there's more than two, how about guitar orgy?:D

Well, Freebird was written about one of them... I can't remember which it was, but it definitely was written about one of the two.


Almost but not quite. It wasn't originally written as a tribute to Duane, but they usually dedicated it to him in concert. :)


Inconceivably, I'm the first person here to yell
FREEEEEEBIIIIIIIIIRRRRD!

Interesting article on that, from, of all places, that great bastion of R&R journalism, the Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB111102511477881964-ZkAKwALO87RaHLbFJrSJSA_i9xg_20050415.html?mod=blogs

Almost but not quite. It wasn't originally written as a tribute to Duane, but they usually dedicated it to him in concert. :)
Ok, close enough I suppose.


Interesting article on that, from, of all places, that great bastion of R&R journalism, the Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB111102511477881964-ZkAKwALO87RaHLbFJrSJSA_i9xg_20050415.html?mod=blogs
I read an article in The Oregonian about one of the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd yelling "Freebird" at the musicians at a show he went to.

Ok, close enough I suppose.



I read an article in The Oregonian about one of the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd yelling "Freebird" at the musicians at a show he went to.

Hehe. That's a good one. :)

i vote for freebird but I only know 'freebird' and 'sweet home alabama'. both are great songs to listen to while drinking and sing along to ;) Freebird is just wonderful because it speaks to people in relationships (at least how I interpret it) as opposed to SHA which just speaks to those from alabama.

When I'v been drinking, I turn into one of those guys who yells "freebird!" at the people on stage inbetween songs :)

did everyone know that Lynard Skinner was the band's highschool shop teacher?

i vote for freebird but I only know 'freebird' and 'sweet home alabama'. both are great songs to listen to while drinking and sing along to ;) Freebird is just wonderful because it speaks to people in relationships (at least how I interpret it) as opposed to SHA which just speaks to those from alabama.

Well Freebird is a love song, and they usually do tend to speak to people in relationships... ;)

Sweet Home Alabama speaks to me of pride in the entire South, not just Alabama. (prepare for the onslaught of GDYankees and other haters)

When I'v been drinking, I turn into one of those guys who yells "freebird!" at the people on stage inbetween songs :)

did everyone know that Lynard Skinner was the band's highschool shop teacher?

Gym coach, actually. First name Leonard, not Lynard. ;)

Wait, Lynyrd Skynyrd had other songs than Freebird? JK. But yeah, Freebird rocks. One of the best guitar solos ever, an epic song.

Best southern rock band? Pantera. They're southern metal. And they did a song on Spongebob. End dicussion.

Best southern rock band? Pantera. They're southern metal. And they did a song on Spongebob. End dicussion.

Pantera may be Southern, but they ain't Southern Rock (http://classicrock.about.com/od/history/a/southern_rock.htm).

Pantera may be Southern, but they ain't Southern Rock (http://classicrock.about.com/od/history/a/southern_rock.htm).

I consider them Southern Rock.

I consider them Southern Rock.

:confused: On what grounds? Surely you'd call them Heavy Metal or Groove Metal, no?

Ok, guitar duel... or, since there's more than two, how about guitar orgy?:D
A guitar orgy!:eek: That's actually a good discription!

Best southern rock band? Pantera. They're southern metal. And they did a song on Spongebob. End dicussion.Pantera isn't even a good metal band.

Oh, is there a difference between them and Lynyrd Skynyrd?
Sure. Skynyrd has 3 lead guitars, Allmans have 2.

Fun fact:
Ronnie van Zant was the founder of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Johny van Zant was the refounder of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Donnie van Zant was the founder of .38 Special.

Musical family no? *Hold[s] on Loosely just for the fun of it*

Sure. Skynyrd has 3 lead guitars, Allmans have 2.

Fun fact:
Ronnie van Zant was the founder of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Johny van Zant was the refounder of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Donnie van Zant was the founder of .38 Special.

Musical family no? *Hold[s] on Loosely just for the fun of it*Eww their names all rhyme...please tell me that those are stage names.
I do like the idea of musical families, though I'd hate to be the less talented member of one.

Someone was telling me about racist theme in "Sweet home Alabama", that kinda ruined the song for me. Anyone know if theres any truth in this or is my friend a lieing fiend?

Something about Niall Young criticising the racism in the south and Lynyrd Skynrd defending it??? Will a real fan shed some light on the subject please.

Someone was telling me about racist theme in "Sweet home Alabama", that kinda ruined the song for me. Anyone know if theres any truth in this or is my friend a lieing fiend?

Something about Niall Young criticising the racism in the south and Lynyrd Skynrd defending it??? Will a real fan shed some light on the subject please.This is possible, but I got more of an impression that Neil Young was calling all southerners racists, and Lynyrd Skynyrd was disagreeing with him.

This is possible, but I got more of an impression that Neil Young was calling all southerners racists, and Lynyrd Skynyrd was disagreeing with him.
Yeh, i was just looking into it there, that seems to be right. Neil Young released "southern man" and "Alabama" criticising the south as being racist. "sweet home alabama" was written in response to them

Someone was telling me about racist theme in "Sweet home Alabama", that kinda ruined the song for me. Anyone know if theres any truth in this or is my friend a lieing fiend?

Something about Niall Young criticising the racism in the south and Lynyrd Skynrd defending it??? Will a real fan shed some light on the subject please.

I'll address that in two parts, one easy and one not so easy.


The song is a reply to Neil (note spelling) Young's songs "Southern Man" and "Alabama", which did criticise the South and Alabama in particular. Both songs are thought to have resulted from a beat down Neil got in Alabama.

The lyrics of SHA pertaining to that are:
Well I heard mister Young sing about her
Well, I heard ole Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A Southern man don't need him around anyhow

All that being said, it's my understanding that the mebers of boith groups were quite friendly, and Neil's been know to do SHA live.

The tricker question is the intent of the song. In particular, the lines:
In Birmingham they love the governor (boo, boo, boo*)
Now we all did what we could do
Now Watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth

The governor reference is to George Wallace. The "boo, boo, boo" is questioned by some, and AFAIK does't appear in the "official lyrics", but it's on every recording I can remember.

Some people claim this was support for Wallace and his racism. I donb't agree.

This is a telling comment:
Although the song is perceived as an anthem of southern pride, “Sweet Home Alabama,” was actually intended not only as the band’s fond recollection of their first time in a recording studio but as a reminder to the rest of America that not all southerners were rednecks. When Skynyrd criticized Neil Young’s “Southern Man,” it was for the sweeping generalization of all southerners as rednecks. Don’t condemn southerners now for what their ancestors did. “We thought Neil was shooting all the ducks in order to kill one or two,” Van Zant said. “We’re southern rebels, but more than that, we know the difference between right and wrong.” In fact, the band was quite outspoken about their disdain for Wallace’s policies.
http://www.glidemagazine.com/articles139.html

Here's more on the subject:
http://www.thrasherswheat.org/jammin/lynyrd.htm

And finally, note the final line of the somg is "Yea, yea Montgomery's got the answer", which band members has specdifically stated was a reference to Rev. Dr. MKL King's civil rights march.

This is possible, but I got more of an impression that Neil Young was calling all southerners racists, and Lynyrd Skynyrd was disagreeing with him.

Pretty much spot on with my understanding.