(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)

(Pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd) is the debut album from Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 1973.^[1] Featured songs include "I Ain't the One", "Gimme Three Steps", "Simple Man", "Tuesday's Gone" and "Free Bird", the rock anthem that first brought the band national attention.

Bassist Leon Wilkeson left the band during the album's early recording sessions only playing on two tracks. Strawberry Alarm Clock guitarist Ed King was asked to fill in for Wilkeson on bass during the remaining sessions, as Wilkeson already wrote many of the bass parts. This left Skynyrd with only six official members at the time of the album's release. Not long after, King remained with the band, and was made a member, so that they could replicate the triple-guitar lead during live performances. Wilkeson returned to the band when it was time to take the photo for the album cover and embark on the tour for the album. It was certified Gold on 12/18/1974, Platinum and 2x Platinum on 7/21/1987 by the R.I.A.A.

The album was re-released in 2001 as an expanded version with bonus tracks, including demos of many of the songs on the album.^[2]

Reception

In 2003, the album was ranked number 401 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and has sold an estimated 2 million units internationally.^[3]

Album cover

The men in the photo are all the band members, from left to right: Leon Wilkeson, Billy Powell, Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington (seated), Bob Burns, Allen Collins, and Ed King.

The album cover photograph was taken on Main Street in Jonesboro, Georgia. Coincidentally the photo of the band is only a few feet away, behind the photographer, from what would be the film scene where Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed loaded the Coors beer onto the tractor trailer rig in the 1977 film "Smokey and the Bandit" four years later.

Track listing

Side one

1. "I Ain't the One" (Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant) – 3:53
2. "Tuesday's Gone" (Allen Collins, Rossington, Van Zant) – 7:32
3. "Gimme Three Steps" (Collins, Van Zant) – 4:30
4. "Simple Man" (Rossington, Van Zant) – 5:57

Side two

1. "Things Goin' On" (Rossington, Van Zant) – 5:00
2. "Mississippi Kid" (Al Kooper, Van Zant, Bob Burns) – 3:56
3. "Poison Whiskey" (Ed King, Van Zant) – 3:13
4. "Free Bird" (Collins, Van Zant) – 9:18

2001 CD reissue bonus tracks

9. "Mr. Banker" (Demo) (Rossington, Van Zant, King) – 5:23
10. "Down South Jukin'" (Demo) (Rossington, Van Zant) – 2:57
11. "Tuesday's Gone" (Demo) (Rossington, Collins, Van Zant) – 7:56
12. "Gimme Three Steps" (Demo) (Collins, Van Zant) – 5:20
13. "Free Bird" (Demo) (Collins, Van Zant) – 11:09

• Tracks 9-13 previously unreleased.

Personnel

Musical

• Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals, lyrics
• Gary Rossington – lead guitar on "Tuesday's Gone", "Gimme Three Steps", "Things Goin' On", "Poison Whiskey", "Simple Man", rhythm guitar on the others, slide guitar on "Free Bird"
• Allen Collins – lead guitar on "I Ain't The One" & "Free Bird", rhythm guitar on the others
• Ed King – lead guitar on "Mississippi Kid", bass on all tracks except "Mississippi Kid" and "Tuesday's Gone"
• Billy Powell – keyboards
• Bob Burns – drums except on "Tuesday's Gone"
• Leon Wilkeson – bass guitar on "Mississippi Kid" and "Tuesday's Gone"

Additional

• Al Kooper (Roosevelt Gook) – bass, Mellotron & back-up harmony on "Tuesday's Gone", mandolin & bass drum on "Mississippi Kid", organ on "Simple Man", "Poison Whiskey" & "Free Bird", Mellotron on "Free Bird"
• Robert Nix – drums on "Tuesday's Gone"
• Bobbye Hall – percussion on "Gimme Three Steps" & "Things Goin' On"
• Steve Katz – harmonica on "Mississippi Kid"

Technical

• Al Kooper – Producer, Engineer
• Bobby Langford – Engineer
• Rodney Mills – Engineer
• Thomas Hill – Photography
• Michael Diehl – Design
• Hideki Masubuchi – Liner Notes
• Chihiro Nozaki – Art Coordination
• Kenji Saiki – Art Coordination

References