Σήμερα θα μιλήσω για ένα από τα πιο αντιπροσωπευτικά συγκροτήματα Southern Rock τους Lynyrd Skynyrd. Δυστυχώς στην Ελλάδα, κάποιοι από λανθάνοντες ιδεολογικούς λόγους θεωρούν ότι προέρχεται από τον αμερικάνικο νότο είναι και ρατσιστικό, οπότε έχουμε και τραγικά φαινόμενα να χαρακτηρίζονται ως ρατσιστές μερικοί από τους πιο προοδευτικούς μουσικούς της δεκαετίας του 70.
Οι Skynyrd μεγαλούργησαν την δεκαετία του 70. Δυστυχώς το 1977 τρία από τα βασικότερα μέρη τους ήταν σε αεροπορικό δυστύχημα και η μπάντα ουσιαστικά έπαψε να υπάρχει. Η επανασύσταση της μπάντας μία δεκαετία αργότερα σε καμία περίπτωση δεν μπορεί να θεωρηθεί αντάξια της πρώτης περιόδου.
Ο ήχος των Skynyrd χαρακτηρίζεται από την πολύ μεγαλύτερη έμφαση στην ηλεκτρική κιθάρα μιας και το συγκρότημα είχε 3 κιθαρίστες. Ήταν σαφέστατα επηρεασμένοι από τα ακούσματα του νότου και κυρίως τα φολκ, κάντρυ, τζαζ και μπλουζ του νότου. Γενικά όμως παρά την σύντομη σχετικά πορεία τους επηρέασαν σε μεγάλο βαθμό την μετέπειτα εξέλιξη της ροκ. Δεν είναι τυχαίο το γεγονός ότι ακόμα και σήμερα η πιο συνήθης προτροπή σε κιθαρίστα στην Αμερική είναι το "play Freebird..."
Ας δούμε μερικά από τα πιο γνωστά τους κομμάτια...
Sweet Home Alabama
Στίχοι
Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the Southland
I miss Alabama once again
And I think it's a sin, yes
Well, I heard Mr. Young sing about her
Well, I heard ol' Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A Southern man don't need him around anyhow
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
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
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Here I come, Alabama
Ah ah ah
Alabama, ah ah ah
Alabama, ah ah ah
Alabama, ah ah ah
Alabama
Now Muscle Shoals has got the swampers
And they've been known to pick a song or two
(Yes, they do!)
Lord, they get me off so much
They pick me up when I'm feeling blue, now how about you?
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Sweet home Alabama, oh, sweet home baby
Where the skies are so blue and the governor's true
Sweet home Alabama, Lordy
Lord, I'm coming home to you, yeah yeah
Montgomery's got the answer
Saturday Night Special
Στίχοι
Two feet they come a creepin'
Like a black cat do
And two bodies are layin' naked
Creeper think he got nothin' to lose
So he creeps into this house, yeah
And unlocks the door
And as a man's reaching for his trousers
Shoots him full of thirty-eight holes
Mr. Saturday night special
Got a barrel that's blue and cold
Ain't good for nothin'
But put a man six feet in a hole
Big Jim's been drinkin' whiskey
And playin' poker on a losin' night
And pretty soon ol' Jim starts a thinkin'
Somebody been cheatin' and lyin'
So Big Jim commence to fightin'
I wouldn't tell you no lie
Big Jim done pulled his pistol
Shot his friend right between the eyes
Mr. Saturday night special
Got a barrel that's blue and cold
Ain't good for nothin'
But put a man six feet in a hole
Oh, it's the Saturday night special
Hand guns are made for killin'
They ain't no good for nothin' else
And if you like to drink your whiskey
You might even shoot yourself
So why don't we dump 'em people
To the bottom of the sea
Before some ol' fool come around here
Wanna shoot either you or me
Mr. Saturday night special
Got a barrel that's blue and cold
Ain't good for nothin'
But put a man six feet in a hole
Mr. the Saturday night special
And I'd like to tell you what you could do with it
And that's the end of the song
Simple Man
Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say.
And if you do this
It will help you some sunny day.
Take your time... Don't live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass.
Go find a woman and you'll find love,
And don't forget son,
There is someone up above.
And be a simple kind of man.
Be something you love and understand.
Be a simple kind of man.
Won't you do this for me son,
If you can?
Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul,
And you can do this if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.
Boy, don't you worry... you'll find yourself.
Follow you heart and nothing else.
And you can do this if you try.
All I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.
Gimme three steps
Στίχοι
I was cutting the rug
Down at place called The Jug
With a girl named Linda Lou
When in walked a man
With a gun in his hand
And he was looking for you know who
He said, "Hey there, fellow
With the hair colored yellow
Whatcha tryin' to prove?
'Cause that's my woman there
And I'm a man who cares
And this might be all for you"
I said, "Excuse me"
I was scared and fearing for my life
I was shaking like a leaf on a tree
'Cause he was lean, mean
Big and bad, Lord
Pointin' that gun on me
"Oh, wait a minute, mister
I didn't even kiss her
Don't want no trouble with you
And I know you don't owe me
But I wish you'd let me
Ask one favor from you"
"Oh, won't you
Gimme three steps, gimme three steps, mister
Gimme three steps toward the door?
Gimme three steps, gimme three steps, mister
And you'll never see me no more"
For, sure
Well the crowd cleared away
And I began to pray
And the water fell on the floor
And I'm telling you, son
Well, it ain't no fun
Staring straight down a forty-four
Well, he turned and screamed at Linda Lou
And that's the break I was looking for
Well, you could hear me screaming a mile away
I was headed out toward the door
"Oh, won't you
Gimme three steps, gimme three steps, mister
Gimme three steps toward the door?
Gimme three steps, gimme three steps, mister
And you'll never see me no more"
That Smell
Αγαπάω πάρα πολύ τον σχετικά ιδιότυπο ήχο των παραμορφώσεων στις κιθάρες την δεκαετία του 70. Το τραγούδι αυτό είναι ένα καλό παράδειγμα του γιατί συμβαίνει αυτό! Γενικά μην ακούτε τι λένε δεν αναφέρεται σε τίποτα το ρατσιστικό αλλά στον κίνδυνο των ναρκωτικών.
Στίχοι
Whiskey bottles, and brand new cars
Oak tree you're in my way
There's too much coke and too much smoke
Look what's going on inside you
Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you
Angel of darkness is upon you
Stuck a needle in your arm
So take another toke, have a blow for your nose
One more drink fool, will drown you
Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you
Now they call you Prince Charming
Can't speak a word when you're full of 'ludes
Say you'll be all right come tomorrow
But tomorrow might not be here for you
Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you
Hey, you're a fool you
Stick them needles in your arm
I know I been there before
One little problem that confronts you
Got a monkey on your back
Just one more fix, Lord might do the trick
One hell of a price for you to get your kicks
Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you
Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you
Free Bird
Ο ΥΜΝΟΣ. Απλά μόνο άνθρωποι εσωτερικά νεκροί δεν μπορούν να ταξιδέψουν με αυτό το κομμάτι. Από τα καλύτερα σόλο σε κιθάρα που έχουν γραφτεί. Απλά δεν νοείται ροκάς που να μην το έχει ακούσει. Το βρήκα από τηλεοπτική εμφάνιση το 1975.
Στίχοι
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
But, if I stayed here with you, girl
Things just couldn't be the same
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now
And this bird you can not change
And this bird you can not change
And this bird you can not change
Lord knows, I can't change
Bye, bye, baby it's been a sweet love
Though this feeling I can't change
But please don't take it so badly
'Cause Lord knows I'm to blame
But, if I stayed here with you girl
Things just couldn't be the same
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now
And this bird you can not change
And the bird you can not change
And this bird you can not change
Lord knows, I can't change
Lord help me, I can't change
Lord I can't change
Won't you fly, free bird, yeah
Εδώ τελειώνει η σύντομη περιπλάνηση μας στους Lynyrd Skynyrd. Ομολογουμένως είναι από τα αγαπημένα μου συγκροτήματα και έχουν κομμάτια που πραγματικά αξίζουν.