3 Songs by Lynyrd Skynyrd That Still Sound Magical Today

If there is a group that is synonymous with 70s rock bands, it might be Lynyrd Skynyrd. Although the band didn’t have a ton of hit radio singles, they released so many songs that are still being sung more than 50 years later, including these three. Not surprisingly, they all still sound magical today.

“Sweet Home Alabama”

One of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s most popular songs, “Sweet Home Alabama” is their first Top 10 hit. Out in 1974 and written by band members Ed King, Gary Rossington, and Ronnie Van Zant, “Sweet Home Alabama” is on Second Helping, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s sophomore record.

The chorus of “Sweet Home Alabama” says, “Sweet home Alabama / Where the skies are so blue / Sweet Home Alabama / Lord, I’m coming home to you.”

“Sweet Home Alabama” may seem like it’s a tribute to the state. However, the three writers wrote the song as a rebuttal to Neil Young’s 1971 “Southern Man” song, which seemed to blame all of the South for slavery.

“We knew that by doing that song, just writing those lyrics, we knew from the beginning that we’d get a lot of heat for it. And I did attack Neil Young in that song,” Van Zant later said. Indeed, part of “Sweet Home Alabama” says, “Well I heard Mr. Young sing about her / Well I heard old Neil put her down.”

“Free Bird”

Lynyrd Skynyrd followed “Sweet Home Alabama” with “Free Bird”, also out in 1974. It’s “Free Bird” that is perhaps the song Lynyrd Skynyrd is known for the most. Written by Van Zant and Allen Collins, “Free Bird” is on (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd).

“Free Bird” begins with, “If I leave here tomorrow / Would you still remember me? / For I must be traveling on now / ‘Cause there’s too many places I’ve got to see.”

Interestingly, the single version of this song comes in at more than four and a half minutes, almost unheard of for a hit single (the album version is more than nine minutes long).

In 2023, Dolly Parton covered this song on her Rockstar record.

“What’s Your Name” 

On Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Street Survivors record is “What’s Your Name”. Rossington and Van Zant are the writers of “What’s Your Name”.

“What’s Your Name” says, “What’s your name, little girl, what’s your name? / Shootin’ you straight, little girl? / Won’t you do the same?”

Street Survivors was released on October 17, 1977. Tragically, only three days later, on October 20, 1977, band members Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gaines were killed in a plane crash.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images