There are few bands that have had the ability to define a genre. Lynyrd Skynyrd is among them. Armed with swampy rock riffs, a backwoods boogie style, and the fierce declarations of regional pride that come with the territory, Lynyrd Skynyrd is the definitive Southern rock outfit.
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The Florida-formed group was the force behind the crashing Southern rock wave that washed over music in the late 1960s and early ’70s. Their early catalog was the catalyst. It only took a short time and two albums—their impressive 1973 debut collection (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd) and their ripping 1974 follow-up release Second Helping—for the band to garner recognition as a singular band hellbent on spreading their Southern sound.
The Southern rock genre wouldn’t be the same had they not delivered these five timeless tunes.
5. “Tuesday’s Gone”
“Tuesday’s Gone,” the melancholy swan song of the band’s debut album, is a glorious showcase of their distinctive sound. A glimmer of their soul-stirring rock here, a flourish of their weepy blues there as a tearful barroom piano dances in and out, “Tuesday’s Gone” is a swelling Southern rock masterpiece.
4. “Gimme Three Steps”
Also from their premiere release (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd), the racing rock epic “Gimme Three Steps” is another Southern rock essential. While the raucous tune painted the young band as a rowdy, good-timing bunch early on, it also gave listeners an introduction to their slice-of-life storytelling and energetic songcraft.
3. “Sweet Home Alabama”
Nothing screams Southern rock quite like “Sweet Home Alabama.” One of the band’s signatures, “Sweet Home Alabama” appeared on their sophomore album, Second Helping, to gift not only a state its anthem but to craft the genre’s catchiest and most enduring hit.
2. “Simple Man”
“Simple Man” proved Lynyrd Skynyrd’s versatility from the very beginning. Arriving by way of their debut, the gripping offering –with its heartfelt lyrics and sweeping melody– was a departure from the release’s collection of high-energy rock anthems and a shining example of all the Southern rock could be.
1. “Free Bird”
The enduring rock ballad “Free Bird,” another iconic song from the band’s first album, is pure gold. With its solemn lyrics and throat-tightening guitar solos, the building opus has no doubt left a lasting impact on Southern rock, but also on the rock genre as a whole.
Photo by Richard McCaffrey/ Michael Ochs Archive/ Getty Images
