As noted above, Van Zant thought Young was generalizing about the south too much (encompassing all "southern (white) men" and then an entire state), and Young admitted later he went overboard. Also, I wonder if the fact that Young is Canadian may have played a role too.To be fair not really mate - well known hugely inflammatory and scathing lyrics (not sure what his inspiration was at that particular point in time), it was never going to be a well liked in that part of the country but my query as to why they were seemingly so annoyed by it (effectively was it because someone was singing about it?)..........
It is a top song to be fair.............It was that song and "Alabama" which both criticized race relations in the south.
Alabama lyrics:
Oh, Alabama
The devil fools with the best laid plan
Swing low, Alabama
You got the spare change
You got to feel strange
And now the moment is all that it meant
Alabama, you got the weight on your shoulders
That's breaking your back
Your Cadillac has got a wheel in the ditch
And a wheel on the track
Oh, Alabama
Banjos playing through the broken glass
Windows down in Alabama
See the old folks tied in white ropes
Hear the banjo
Don't it take you down home?
Alabama, you got the weight on your shoulders
That's breaking your back
Your Cadillac has got a wheel in the ditch
And a wheel on the track
Oh, Alabama
Can I see you and shake your hand
Make friends down in Alabama
I'm from a new land
I come to you and see all this ruin
What are you doing Alabama?
You got the rest of the union to help you along
What's going wrong?
Of course, the "feud" between Young and Van Zant was played up -- in reality they were friends and respected each other's work as the DBTs allude to. And I read "Birmingham" as a bridge-builder between the two albeit 30 years later but it's almost done for effect since, obviously, the DBTs knew the whole story.
Let us not forget -- LS wrote an awful lot of socially-charged stuff, even if race wasn't a topic (though admittedly it might have been in a topic in songs of theirs I missed). "That Smell" takes a page out of "The Needle And The Damage Done" regarding drug abuse, for instance. But my all-time favo(u)rite LS song is "Saturday Night Special", the best anti-gun song I've ever heard and the most direct.
Yes obviously they are hugely sweeping statements (across however many states of the US?)............As noted above, Van Zant thought Young was generalizing about the south too much (encompassing all "southern (white) men" and then an entire state), and Young admitted later he went overboard. Also, I wonder if the fact that Young is Canadian may have played a role too.
Tuesday Gone my favourite Skynyrd song.Indeed he is. And I love it too.
For Skynyrd I actually think the uber-popular "Free Bird" is one of their least interesting songs. But they had so so many good ones.
And in the "beautiful songs" category I mentioned on another thread, "Tuesday's Gone" should be in the mix.
Skynyrd was truly a special band.
I think Fog has answered.To be fair not really mate - well known hugely inflammatory and scathing lyrics (not sure what his inspiration was at that particular point in time), it was never going to be a well liked in that part of the country but my query as to why they were seemingly so annoyed by it (effectively was it because someone was singing about it?)..........
Indeed he is. And I love it too.
For Skynyrd I actually think the uber-popular "Free Bird" is one of their least interesting songs. But they had so so many good ones.
And in the "beautiful songs" category I mentioned on another thread, "Tuesday's Gone" should be in the mix.
Skynyrd was truly a special band.
Bizarrely, I really enjoy the slower paced element of the song and probably the first minute or when it kicks in but too long winded for me overall............Freebird was at # 20 on my list: I do love the guitar workout.
Totally agree about "Tuesday's Gone".
I did have Skynyrd at #5 on my first draft favourite bands list but they moved down when I did a points based system for numbers 4 to 15. With Ronnie there, they were a very special band and remained a tremendous live act (!) with Johnny and the Southern Rock All Stars.
I mean they were still improving creatively until the plane crash.
Thankful I saw them with Ronnie.
I think Street Survivors is their best record. Came out a few days before the crash. They were just getting started :(Freebird was at # 20 on my list: I do love the guitar workout.
Totally agree about "Tuesday's Gone".
I did have Skynyrd at #5 on my first draft favourite bands list but they moved down when I did a points based system for numbers 4 to 15. With Ronnie there, they were a very special band and remained a tremendous live act (!) with Johnny and the Southern Rock All Stars.
I mean they were still improving creatively until the plane crash.
Thankful I saw them with Ronnie.
I think Street Survivors is their best record. Came out a few days before the crash. They were just getting started :(