This song was dedicated to Gary Rossington, one of the three guitarists. Gary wrecked his new 73 Ford Torino into an oaktree, his injuries caused a delay in the band's production. Ronnie really layed into him over that. Ironically enough, Gary is the lone surviving original member of the band. There is another surviving member of the band, Artimus Pyle, who replaced the original drummer Bob Burns in 1975.
@@bentindle9036 Medlocke was with Blackfoot. The other original guitarist along with Rossington and Collins was Ed King, who was with the band '72 - '75 King co-wrote "Sweet Home Alabama" and was the main guitarist on that classic.
The original LYNYRD SKYNYRD 73-77 was the absolute best band ever, so many classics pumped out of these guys in just a 4 year career and between the ages of 19 to 25 .....AMAZING BAND !!! My favorite of all.
I'm 58 years old, the 60s were a decade of innocence, the 70s were about experimentation, the 80s were a full blown party, the 90s was the hangover and the 2000s a new beginning for me and hopefully everyone else, God bless you all. 😎✌🙏
Totally agree! It's worth being old now to have been young then. Great music, keg parties, good weed, and natural girls. So much fun. I feel sorry for kids today - bad music, media addiction, anxiety... Ugh.
Lex, you are sooooo smart. I'm 56 and grew up in the 70s, and you are so right in many things you say. brad...you have a treasure for a woman, or friend, or whatever she is to you. this is my favorite reaction channel.
People my age (63) do you remember that day we were waiting for Lynyrd Skynyrd to come to our city. When that plane crash happened I lived in Cleveland. They were on tour to come there in a couple weeks. It was weird to hear this song the week that they died. When I hear it, I still get the creeps
And if you want to listen to another Lynyrd Skynyrd song I suggest Gimme Three Steps I can't believe nobody has mentioned that song it's one of their greats
If you go back to the beginning of the song the lyrics are "Whiskey bottles, brand new cars, oak tree in my way" which refers to guitarist Garry Rossington driving under the influence and driving through a VW bug and then into a oak tree. That is when this song was written. I agree with you Lex, my dad is the reason I don't drink or smoke. He smoked his whole life and was a alcoholic, I learned from him to not even try it. Addiction isn't anything to mess with and it runs deep in both sides of my family. My dad died last year just after turning 65, he drank every night till he passed out till the day he died. I beg people not to drink or smoke, it's not a good way to die
My parents both had grandparents and siblings who were huge addicts. Nicotine, alcohol, and some of them drugs. These cautionary tales that my parents told me growing up taught me to be smart about what I put in my body. I do drink and very occasionally smoke cigars, but I am always aware of how much I am using and to avoid them becoming a crutch. I'm glad they made sure I knew this, the history of addiction in my family.
My brother would sing this to me as a kid he was 14 years older than me. We would be in his Camaro with an 8track player heading to the beach in NJ. Sadly my brother passed away 8 years ago from cancer.... every time I hear this song I think of him.
This is pretty much a true story. The band had started partying so much that they were all losing control. But one of the guitarist, Gary Rossington ran into a tree one night while high, inspiring Ronnie Van Zant to write this song. The whole band was out of control on fame, fortune and drugs. 🤗🤔😎
Back in the 70's there was no MTV and no internet, so people only saw the artists at concerts, on album covers, or in the rare TV appearance. What they wore wasn't nearly as contrived as it is now
@CEOofYTisPureEvil They also made the comment that bands didn't have agents and image consultants telling them what to wear, and my point is that that's because they weren't in the public eye the way celebrities and pseudo celebrities are today. The advents of MTV and the internet created an opening for a world of advisors and fashion gurus.
absolutely some bands i had no idea what they even looked like as I didn't have the album cover, no jokes man, so many bands, I didn't know till either MTV or the internet... lol, serious tho..
@Unholy Driver They did have actual A&R people who if they weren't the ones who signed the biggest acts on the label then they were in charge of all the things they couldn't ask for on the Ryder for the Bands which tells the venues what food they needed to have and alcohol but they couldn't ask venues for weed Coke and so on. Coke back in the late 70's and most of the 80's was just a standard thing like incense or water,
Lex, aka Lady Couch Gang, your relaxed and open mind is only matched by your straight up Beauty. Now you two keep things professional and neutral during the show as far as what I have seen, but I have seen Lex looking at Holmes like either you're concerned about his next words or you're getting ready to smash
Actually the better and older version from circa 68 - 69 , Needle and Spoon by Savoy Brown is so much better.Chris Youlden's vocals are haunting and Kim Simmonds is just such a great guitarist, incredible playing lead. A true Fretmaster.
Brad and Lex, please read this. I just found you guys and after listening to your warmly intuitive and perceptive reception of 'The Ballad of Curtis Lowe' and now this, there's so much I need to share with you 2. Also I just saw that you have over a quarter of a million subscribers. So congratulations and God Bless. Forgive me if I write too much and I can't thank you enough for reading this. OK so... I am a guitarist/singer from the Bronx NYC. Currently I'm the singer in a Led Zeppelin tribute. But as they say 'first and foremost' I'm a guitarist. I was in one of thee first Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute bands to ever exist back in 1985. I know every molecule there is to know and love about this band. Plesse continue reading with my loving appreciation... Lex, I need to thank YOU right away for saying, in your Curtis Lowe review, that you can't understand why people would say Lynyrd Skynyrd is racist. They are ignorant in the truest meaning of the word. Ronnie Van Zant and the band knew how richly the Blues (which is a distinctly original American music form directly resulting from the Black experience in our great but historically flawed country), inspired and informed their songwriting and guitar playing. ~ So people see photo's and draw conclusions. The band used to display a conferate flag as a backdrop at their concerts. They were proud of the good parts of southern culture and I'm sure they despised racism. They knew their history and they acknowledged the social context of the musical table at which they feasted. They had a song called 'Things Goin' On' in which they sang about how wrong it is to spend millions on going to the moon while people go hungry on American streets. They werent socialist's but they had things in PERSPECTIVE. Ok, now THIS song. Brad, I think you nailed it about the prevalent use of alcohol and narcotics in those wild rock star days of the 70's, and the different ways one might smell death all around them. These lyrics however, were quite specifically inspired by one of the principal and founding guitarists in the band, Gary Rossington (ironically the only surviving member of the original band). One night, Gary went and got very badly intoxicated on everything and who knows what else, and proceeded to crash his car into the Oak tree mentioned in the song. This inspired Ronnie Van Zant to quit all drink and substances but too late, he and several others were killed in the infamous plane crash that ended the band weeks before this song was released. One more thing about your reactions, I was lovin' how you two didnt know it, but you were swaying left to right in perfect unison while you were diggin' the music. Noteworthy how Lex was smiling with joy but Brad was serious faced as if to say.."damn this stuff is for real". Ronnie Van Zant wrote songs about everything from urban sprall to handguns to homelessness LONG before it was a virtue signal to do so. Ask me the songs.....PS Lexie, I saw you playin' air guitar on that last sustaining note of the song ...you go ahead girl...and keep shinin' that beautiful smile.
I love the story of Ronnie Van Zant taking the producer outside,sending him home saying "we will call you when the records ready". That's back when men were men and musicians could play their instruments.
Skynyrd was hands down one of the greatest to do it, Tuesday’s gone, Saturday night special, the ballad of curtis Lowe, gimme three steps so many good ones.
One of their best IMO. I love Southern Rock. The smell of death was the knowledge that people they knew were dying or almost dying because of their actions.
Yep. Their hard partying had put them on the brink of death! "Angel of darkness is upon you, stuck a needle in your arm! (You fool you....)" Ronnie was an incredible lyricist! Maybe the best,.. in my book!
being one' back in the day' people , lol. The southern rock bands would have their whole guitar players line up together during the solos , miss those days .This band was/ is legendary!
That's because from the mid sixties to about the late seventies, the record company handled the business and let the artists alone to make the artistic decisions. Once they started pushing the artists around and brought in 'song doctors ' and everything became solely about the bottom line, musical originality was dead.
I love your all's UA-cam channel first off. Lynyrd Skynyrd is the best American band to ever do it. They've touched so many hearts and souls through their music if you listen to the lyrics. I can remember being a young boy and always hearing this music as I grew up to it through my family playing it and the radio playing it. The tragedy of this all most of them died in an airplane crash back in the early '70s if I'm not mistaken they're playing run out of gas and they crashed in the swamps. There is a VH1 movie that you all need to watch about this that shows them actually leaving the on the airplane. And then the drummer there's only like two or three original band members that are still alive. Made a movie about the plane crash y'all need to watch this movie and realize the tragedy of this band the world's greatest band of all times. Their music still lives to this day and played on the radio in movies their music will never die.
As a 1978 high school grad, I know a thing or two about the 70's. Awesome time to grow up in!! Bands like this give me SOOO many great memories. Great job you two!! Love from Alabama
I was 14 in 1976 and my 20s in the 80's.... I called them the dark years because I didn't see many TV shows or movies during that time. Life was one on going party, concerts music and work. I've lived my youth in my youth. No regrets. The seventies eighties and early nineties were a blast.
It's so awesome you both are loving this amazing band. Your terms "they come with the heat" and "they're songs slap" are spot on. You will not see any decline in the quality of music as you go deeper into their catalog.
It's insane that the frontman wrote it as a warning to his bandmate to not lose himself to drugs or he'd die, and in a few days, the frontman, and several others were killed in the plane crash.
Nose candy, ludes, crank, the whole package was big during this time. Almost everyone knew someone who went down this path. Guess it is a miracle we all survived the 70's.
Great reaction to and discussion of one of Skynyrd's deepest songs. And those GUITARS!!! I get goosebumps every time I hear the leads in this. Love y'all's reactions.
From Lynyrd Skynyrd’s best album. I bought Street Survivors on vinyl when it was released in UK. Within months a plane crash killed the singer, lead guitarist and one of the backing singers. Ironically the album cover has the band stood in flames. They really were a very special band back then.
Had the same original version signed by Gary, Allen ,Derk Hess,Dale Krantz -Noe Rossington other that formed Rossington Collins band gave it to me at a party Left in my Dad and Moms Garage for safe keeping the both passed 8 years ago cleaning out the house it and about 8 other albums had been stolen from garage. They changed the cover to a photo without the flames the re- released 25 or 30 years later with the flames again originals have some value
Growing up in the 70's was different than now and it was a good time despite crippling inflation and crime. We had these songs to keep us together though and help us through any bad times.
Love your videos! And love Lynyrd Skynyrd! Ironically, this song, with its tone of death and darkness, was prophetic by the genius songwriter Ronnie Van Zant. He wrote of the downward spiral of excessive use of drugs and alcohol in the band. The irony...this song was released 3 days before their plane went down in the swamp in Mississippi. Oct 17th 1977, Oct 20th 1977. Did that give you chills??
Without of comments on the lyrics - I would like to say that it is one of a few bands that still play handmade music if I hear so far live in germany. Many gretings from hamburg and a healthy new year for you all
That sustaining guitar feedback at the end of this song still send chills. They were really trying to get clean towards the end. They had just got Steve Gaines (younger brother of back up singer Cassie Gaines) as their 3rd guitarist (replacing Ed King) and we're getting back on top of their game. So sad their career ended as tragically as it did.
It's so dope you guys are getting into classic rock and lots of just rock in general. I hope it gets listened to outside of these reactions. You guys are awesome. 🙌
Hello, my name is Eric and I'm 57 years old man. I discovered tonight while on UA-cam something called: "Reaction Music". I'm watching you two do what you do. As said I've been sitting here watching various videos you've done for a couple of hours now. I was born and raised in Detroit I don't know if you know much about Detroit but it's off the chain in every way you can imagine. I have to tell you both, this has been "My Sunshine on A Cloudy Day". Actually, more than that watching you two and your willingness to be open-minded gives me hope it's what I needed. My faith has been tested over the times. You think you can't take another step and you do. There's power in what you do I know it's music but it goes beyond that, it's a learning tool. I feel like I could write a book right now. The reason I'm saying these things is because I was the only white man and my neighborhood for most of my life. I don't see color I just see two Young People doing something amazing. Never lose your open-mindedness and always keep the faith..... Music has NO boundaries. Best Wishes two you Both.....
Watching your channel always makes me happy. You're so much fun and down to earth. All this from a pension age Brit who was buying all of this 70s stuff in my teens and early 20s. I think you'd like the Allman Brothers Band who came before Lynyrd Skynyrd. I watched your white privilege video today. It was brilliant. People are nice or they're not.
Back in the 70s musical artists worked hard at their craft - they learned and practiced their instruments. And groups typically wrote their own songs. The problem today is that songs are often written by committee and the artists are not truly dedicated to bettering their voices or musical instruments. Obviously that's not universally true, but it's become too easy these days to become famous as a packaged product. Most of the real talents out there don't get recording deals or hyped by the record companies. Check out Starcrawler (Bet My Brains or No More Pennies) for a talented recent rock band.
Back then, people wanted to form "bands" of multiple talented people, now days its about being a celebrity, its about ME. add in over-production, sounds pop is required to have, lack of tempo changes, etc. Beano has a video on "Why Boomers hate modern Pop".
This is it, Brad!! “Is this song about drugs?” Yup, this song is definitely about drugs. 😋 “Just one more fix, Lord, might do the trick. Hell of a way for you to get your kicks.” Best line.
“Oak tree you’re in the way” good story about one of the lead guitarist running into it. I’ve got two albums with the fire on it before they took it off after the plane crash.
Speaking of ending a party song Skynyrd ended their concerts in the 70s with FREEBIRD until the tiles fell off the ceiling of the auditorium. Great time to be a teenager.
Yea you are right about the originality of that era The 70s were free compared to the time up to mid 60s when the artist still were being told what to wear ...
This is about when the band was drinking and doing substances. One of the guitar players got wasted and hit an "Oak Tree", and almost died. He was pretty messed up from it. The small (I think) was when he hit the tree and all the smells in the car from the alcohol, drugs, to the engine smell from the crash. So Ronnie made a song about it. On the Hunt is amazing you gotta react to it!! Alson Needle and the Spoon is amazing as well!!!
That smell Ronnie’s singing about is the smell of death. “The smell that surrounds you” is referring to living on the edge and everything you do is one step away from killing you (car wrecks, drugs, drinking etc)
Thank you for reminding me of why I love music. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow...the use is the same...for today and tomorrow the addiction situation is much worse.
When he said "noooo". On the floor 😂 man I love being born 1970 I got to remember the 70s as well as the 80s. That was just a buck wild straight 20 years..... They partied like crazy in those two decades.....
I listened to Skynyrd so much in the seventies and very early eighties I quite frankly got burned out on them. Reviews like this remind me how great they were. Spent many a Friday night into the early morning hours slamming beers on the front porch of a tiny country store in the middle of the Arkansas Ozarks. And yeah it was a crazy time. The things that went on during our long bus rides to and from school will never be unseen. 🤣
This album came out just days before they crashed and lost three band members. That photo at the beginning was on the back of the album cover. The record label pulled that back and re-released without the band in flames photo. I saw them in Greensboro NC in July 1977, they crash in October.
Even though I’m a Metal Head I love Skynyrd. This is the lead singer Ronnie Van Zant’s attempt to straighten out the rest of his band after he had gone sober. One of the guitarist’s in the band had hit a tree with his car after a wild night of partying, the guitarist almost died. The horrible coincidence is a few weeks after the band released this album Street Survivors some of the band died in a plane crash on their way to play a concert. Lex, to answer your question about celebrities and rock stars and drug addiction, when your introduced to a lot of money all of a sudden, and your used to partying most people tend to overindulge, lots of money lots of drugs, almost always a bad combination. Stay Cool 😎 and… \m/ Stay Metal \m/
The guitarist using harmonics (i.e. squeaking and squealing) is Gary Rossington, the one playing with a lot of sustain is Allen Collins and the one who's playing rapid fire with string pulling is Steve Gaines.
The way Lex’s face lights up during guitar solos is everything…so genuine
Lex is such a headbanger 🤘😝🤘
Someone needs to buy her an electric guitar. I bet she would learn it quickly.
Lucky for her they had like 16 guitar players in the band.
She's a cutie alright and smart too.
She's beautiful!
This song was dedicated to Gary Rossington, one of the three guitarists. Gary wrecked his new 73 Ford Torino into an oaktree, his injuries caused a delay in the band's production. Ronnie really layed into him over that.
Ironically enough, Gary is the lone surviving original member of the band. There is another surviving member of the band, Artimus Pyle, who replaced the original drummer Bob Burns in 1975.
lead guitarist Allen Collens also became a paraplegic due an alcohol related car crash
@@matthunter983
Yes, that was in 1986, and his girlfriend died in that single car accident.
There is another guitar player that was an original member, his name escapes me right now. He left before they hit big. But he is in the band now.
Rickey Medlocke
@@bentindle9036
Medlocke was with Blackfoot. The other original guitarist along with Rossington and Collins was Ed King, who was with the band '72 - '75
King co-wrote "Sweet Home Alabama" and was the main guitarist on that classic.
The original LYNYRD SKYNYRD 73-77 was the absolute best band ever, so many classics pumped out of these guys in just a 4 year career and between the ages of 19 to 25 .....AMAZING BAND !!! My favorite of all.
Second best after The Allman Brothers Band. ;)
She gets it , southern rock kick ASS!
@@victorylane2377 Nope...but to each his own
Those 4 years Skynyrd were genius. I saw them a few times and they were amazing.
Excellent commentary.👍🏻
I'm 58 years old, the 60s were a decade of innocence, the 70s were about experimentation, the 80s were a full blown party, the 90s was the hangover and the 2000s a new beginning for me and hopefully everyone else, God bless you all. 😎✌🙏
This song was written after one of the band members got in a pretty bad car accident. Kinda realized they were going a little too hard.
The band member was Gary Rossington.
@@DanielFrost21 he is "Prince Charming"
@@DanielFrost21 It's crazy because then Bob Burns died in a car accident
Drove head on into an oak tree. Just like the song says
Ironic that Rossington is the only one left alive.
I think Brad & Lex are the best music reviewers on you tube, please keep it rocking 🎉
They should dive deeper into this band, so much talent. The deeper cuts that never got much airtime are awesome
Lex, you make me feel so ancient when you say ‘way back in the 70’s’! Truly though, it was a remarkable time to grow up, and I am so thankful I did.
I did so much stupid stuff in the 70s and there is no record of it on the internet at all... truly a special time to grow up...lol
LOL, man that was only yesterday!
we really were spoiled!
Totally agree! It's worth being old now to have been young then. Great music, keg parties, good weed, and natural girls. So much fun. I feel sorry for kids today - bad music, media addiction, anxiety... Ugh.
😎
Lex, you are sooooo smart. I'm 56 and grew up in the 70s, and you are so right in many things you say. brad...you have a treasure for a woman, or friend, or whatever she is to you. this is my favorite reaction channel.
"Hey, do you guys remember the 70s? I dont!" - Joe Walsh of The Eagles
Me either.
Very hazy
Saw these guys 3 times pre crash. I know I was there but it's all a little hazy!
Life's Been Good,,,,,👍😎
Love Joe! Huge talent!
People my age (63) do you remember that day we were waiting for Lynyrd Skynyrd to come to our city. When that plane crash happened I lived in Cleveland. They were on tour to come there in a couple weeks. It was weird to hear this song the week that they died. When I hear it, I still get the creeps
And if you want to listen to another Lynyrd Skynyrd song I suggest Gimme Three Steps I can't believe nobody has mentioned that song it's one of their greats
Or give me back my bullets.
Facts! To both!
and Ballad of Curtis Loew
"On the hunt" is another...
that's my favorite, that's the song that dude said i never heard a brother sing skynard, changed some lyrics blonde haired to bald headed mother,lmao
Call Me The Breeze
studio version.. The both of y'all will not be disappointed. From the era! Welcome to the Skynrd rabbit hole you guys
Orginal line up...
Lol. I told my wife about this song about 15 years ago and she's like "There's no song named that." I remind her every time it plays.
If you go back to the beginning of the song the lyrics are "Whiskey bottles, brand new cars, oak tree in my way" which refers to guitarist Garry Rossington driving under the influence and driving through a VW bug and then into a oak tree. That is when this song was written.
I agree with you Lex, my dad is the reason I don't drink or smoke. He smoked his whole life and was a alcoholic, I learned from him to not even try it. Addiction isn't anything to mess with and it runs deep in both sides of my family. My dad died last year just after turning 65, he drank every night till he passed out till the day he died.
I beg people not to drink or smoke, it's not a good way to die
if you go back to the beginning, it's one of the best song openings ever.
wow I did not know
My parents both had grandparents and siblings who were huge addicts. Nicotine, alcohol, and some of them drugs. These cautionary tales that my parents told me growing up taught me to be smart about what I put in my body. I do drink and very occasionally smoke cigars, but I am always aware of how much I am using and to avoid them becoming a crutch. I'm glad they made sure I knew this, the history of addiction in my family.
My brother would sing this to me as a kid he was 14 years older than me. We would be in his Camaro with an 8track player heading to the beach in NJ. Sadly my brother passed away 8 years ago from cancer.... every time I hear this song I think of him.
Nice story, thank you for sharing
Lost my two older brothers. When I want to share something, they aren't there. Miss them. Sorry for your loss.
What beach? I live in Seaside Heights
Man I miss the 70’s! RIP to your brother ☮️
From one old timer with Experience do not even try experimenting with drugs. You two have a fantastic life together, love your vibes.
This is pretty much a true story. The band had started partying so much that they were all losing control. But one of the guitarist, Gary Rossington ran into a tree one night while high, inspiring Ronnie Van Zant to write this song. The whole band was out of control on fame, fortune and drugs. 🤗🤔😎
Hence the second verse “Oak tree you’re in my way”.
Ironically Gary is the only original band member left along with Pyle who came along in 74
The song is genius because Gary would have to play this song every concert knowing it was written about him.
@@highline64 Ricky Medlocke was with them a short time also.
and they paid the price to get their kicks
Ronnie Van Zant was one of the best songwriters ever.... do you know that he never wrote a word down they were all in his head that's amazing
same as me haha
Back in the 70's there was no MTV and no internet, so people only saw the artists at concerts, on album covers, or in the rare TV appearance. What they wore wasn't nearly as contrived as it is now
@CEOofYTisPureEvil They also made the comment that bands didn't have agents and image consultants telling them what to wear, and my point is that that's because they weren't in the public eye the way celebrities and pseudo celebrities are today. The advents of MTV and the internet created an opening for a world of advisors and fashion gurus.
absolutely some bands i had no idea what they even looked like as I didn't have the album cover, no jokes man, so many bands, I didn't know till either MTV or the internet... lol, serious tho..
@Unholy Driver They did have actual A&R people who if they weren't the ones who signed the biggest acts on the label then they were in charge of all the things they couldn't ask for on the Ryder for the Bands which tells the venues what food they needed to have and alcohol but they couldn't ask venues for weed Coke and so on. Coke back in the late 70's and most of the 80's was just a standard thing like incense or water,
Lex, aka Lady Couch Gang, your relaxed and open mind is only matched by your straight up Beauty. Now you two keep things professional and neutral during the show as far as what I have seen, but I have seen Lex looking at Holmes like either you're concerned about his next words or you're getting ready to smash
"What they wore wasn't nearly as contrived as it is now." Kiss, David Bowie, and Elton John have all entered the conversation.
"you say you"ll be alright come tomorrow, but tomorrow might not be here for you: one of the best lines in ANY song
Yall gotta do THE NEEDLE AND THE SPOON BY LYNYRD SKYNYRD
@Derrick Goodwin HELL YEA Love that song too.
The live version 1976 at Winter Garden
Actually the better and older version from circa 68 - 69 , Needle and Spoon by Savoy Brown is so much better.Chris Youlden's vocals are haunting and Kim Simmonds is just such a great guitarist, incredible playing lead. A true Fretmaster.
Brad and Lex, please read this. I just found you guys and after listening to your warmly intuitive and perceptive reception of 'The Ballad of Curtis Lowe' and now this, there's so much I need to share with you 2. Also I just saw that you have over a quarter of a million subscribers. So congratulations and God Bless. Forgive me if I write too much and I can't thank you enough for reading this. OK so...
I am a guitarist/singer from the Bronx NYC. Currently I'm the singer in a Led Zeppelin tribute. But as they say 'first and foremost' I'm a guitarist. I was in one of thee first Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute bands to ever exist back in 1985. I know every molecule there is to know and love about this band. Plesse continue reading with my loving appreciation...
Lex, I need to thank YOU right away for saying, in your Curtis Lowe review, that you can't understand why people would say Lynyrd Skynyrd is racist. They are ignorant in the truest meaning of the word. Ronnie Van Zant and the band knew how richly the Blues (which is a distinctly original American music form directly resulting from the Black experience in our great but historically flawed country), inspired and informed their songwriting and guitar playing. ~ So people see photo's and draw conclusions. The band used to display a conferate flag as a backdrop at their concerts. They were proud of the good parts of southern culture and I'm sure they despised racism. They knew their history and they acknowledged the social context of the musical table at which they feasted. They had a song called 'Things Goin' On' in which they sang about how wrong it is to spend millions on going to the moon while people go hungry on American streets. They werent socialist's but they had things in PERSPECTIVE.
Ok, now THIS song. Brad, I think you nailed it about the prevalent use of alcohol and narcotics in those wild rock star days of the 70's, and the different ways one might smell death all around them. These lyrics however, were quite specifically inspired by one of the principal and founding guitarists in the band, Gary Rossington (ironically the only surviving member of the original band). One night, Gary went and got very badly intoxicated on everything and who knows what else, and proceeded to crash his car into the Oak tree mentioned in the song.
This inspired Ronnie Van Zant to quit all drink and substances but too late, he and several others were killed in the infamous plane crash that ended the band weeks before this song was released.
One more thing about your reactions, I was lovin' how you two didnt know it, but you were swaying left to right in perfect unison while you were diggin' the music. Noteworthy how Lex was smiling with joy but Brad was serious faced as if to say.."damn this stuff is for real".
Ronnie Van Zant wrote songs about everything from urban sprall to handguns to homelessness LONG before it was a virtue signal to do so. Ask me the songs.....PS Lexie, I saw you playin' air guitar on that last sustaining note of the song ...you go ahead girl...and keep shinin' that beautiful smile.
I love the story of Ronnie Van Zant taking the producer outside,sending him home saying "we will call you when the records ready". That's back when men were men and musicians could play their instruments.
Al Cooper was the producer you speak of.
Simple man was the song.
Epic!
True
Skynyrd was hands down one of the greatest to do it, Tuesday’s gone, Saturday night special, the ballad of curtis Lowe, gimme three steps so many good ones.
This is my favorite Skynyrd song. The guitar riffs, the atmosphere, everything about this song hits my soul. Oooooo That Smell!"
I agree 💯
Me, too!!
I think Brad pretty much nailed it when he said "all of it". All of it combined,
Next song you should check out by SKYNYRD is "give me back my bullets" badass riff
It's just got that funk sound to it. Great song
Cause we don't sing the blues.Baddest lyric.
I drink enough whiskey to float a battleship around.
I Know A Little
I love the pure enjoyment on Lex's face during the guitar leads. She has the greatest smile.
RIP Gary. One of the greatest guitarists ever. Ronnie would be happy you lived this long
Gary, Allen and Steve- immortal combo!
This song is haunting. The smell of death surrounds you. Like an aura. Slow down you’re not invincible was the message.
One of their best IMO. I love Southern Rock. The smell of death was the knowledge that people they knew were dying or almost dying because of their actions.
Yep. Their hard partying had put them on the brink of death!
"Angel of darkness is upon you,
stuck a needle in your arm!
(You fool you....)"
Ronnie was an incredible lyricist!
Maybe the best,.. in my book!
@@BST-lm4po Take a listen to Needle and The Spoon same story
being one' back in the day' people , lol. The southern rock bands would have their whole guitar players line up together during the solos , miss those days .This band was/ is legendary!
I love Lex's comment about originality. Very true.
That's because from the mid sixties to about the late seventies, the record company handled the business and let the artists alone to make the artistic decisions. Once they started pushing the artists around and brought in 'song doctors ' and everything became solely about the bottom line, musical originality was dead.
They played this song on the radio for decades! Believe me. I know!!
Outstanding band. You should check out "Saturday Night Special"
I came here to recommend the same thing! The slide guitar by Gary Rossington in that track is awesome.
This longtime fan's favorite Skynyrd song
I love your all's UA-cam channel first off. Lynyrd Skynyrd is the best American band to ever do it. They've touched so many hearts and souls through their music if you listen to the lyrics. I can remember being a young boy and always hearing this music as I grew up to it through my family playing it and the radio playing it. The tragedy of this all most of them died in an airplane crash back in the early '70s if I'm not mistaken they're playing run out of gas and they crashed in the swamps. There is a VH1 movie that you all need to watch about this that shows them actually leaving the on the airplane. And then the drummer there's only like two or three original band members that are still alive. Made a movie about the plane crash y'all need to watch this movie and realize the tragedy of this band the world's greatest band of all times. Their music still lives to this day and played on the radio in movies their music will never die.
Watching you two appreciate Skynard so much is awesome. Love Lex’s expressions during the solos. Can really see genuine enjoyment.
This band were Whiskey drinkers. Even had a song called "I'm a Whiskey Rock and Roller"
As a 1978 high school grad, I know a thing or two about the 70's. Awesome time to grow up in!! Bands like this give me SOOO many great memories. Great job you two!! Love from Alabama
I’m class of 84 and was a kid then, but agreed. Awesome era!
BRAD & LEX MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄 YOU ARE FUN AND BEAUTIFUL AND YOUR LOVE ❤️ EXUDES TO US!! MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
I was 14 in 1976 and my 20s in the 80's.... I called them the dark years because I didn't see many TV shows or movies during that time.
Life was one on going party, concerts music and work.
I've lived my youth in my youth. No regrets. The seventies eighties and early nineties were a blast.
I lived back then. Things were crazy, but we loved each other.
It's so awesome you both are loving this amazing band. Your terms "they come with the heat" and "they're songs slap" are spot on. You will not see any decline in the quality of music as you go deeper into their catalog.
DUDE.....Love this baby girl....because SHE makes ur show
I really love watching you 2. I feel like we would be good friends if we lived around each other. Keep up the great work.
It's insane that the frontman wrote it as a warning to his bandmate to not lose himself to drugs or he'd die, and in a few days, the frontman, and several others were killed in the plane crash.
"The smell of death surrounds you". It is an intervention.
Exactly, this was the intervention of the 70's before Betty Ford era.
You two are so sweet ~ love watching your reactions to some of the GREATEST music ever written. Thank you for being so adorable.
Nose candy, ludes, crank, the whole package was big during this time. Almost everyone knew someone who went down this path. Guess it is a miracle we all survived the 70's.
😎
Great reaction to and discussion of one of Skynyrd's deepest songs. And those GUITARS!!! I get goosebumps every time I hear the leads in this. Love y'all's reactions.
From Lynyrd Skynyrd’s best album. I bought Street Survivors on vinyl when it was released in UK. Within months a plane crash killed the singer, lead guitarist and one of the backing singers. Ironically the album cover has the band stood in flames. They really were a very special band back then.
Had the same original version signed by Gary, Allen ,Derk Hess,Dale Krantz -Noe Rossington other that formed Rossington Collins band gave it to me at a party Left in my Dad and Moms Garage for safe keeping the both passed 8 years ago cleaning out the house it and about 8 other albums had been stolen from garage. They changed the cover to a photo without the flames the re- released 25 or 30 years later with the flames again originals have some value
One of my favorite songs by skynyrd🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤
I know this entire album by heart.
Truly a classic.
You sure.....got that right!
As famous as LS is, they're still almost criminally underrated. An aboslute unit of a band.
Love when Lex plays air guitar 😎
I just love that Lex girl and Brad is coming around. Very thoughtful and enjoyable insightful.
" Call Me the Breeze"
Disclaimer I'm not responsible for any speeding ticket if this song is listened to while driving😲✌️♥️
Especially the version where Billy Powell solos on the piano. Does he ever spank those piano keys!! ua-cam.com/video/P9wBpmZn9nA/v-deo.html
@@suecook1326 yes ma'am he sure does ♥️
You got to mention that this wasn't originally by them god it kills me JJ Cale gets no recognition
Growing up in the 70's was different than now and it was a good time despite crippling inflation and crime. We had these songs to keep us together though and help us through any bad times.
Great reaction yall another great skynard song is the ballad of Curtis loew
Love your videos! And love Lynyrd Skynyrd! Ironically, this song, with its tone of death and darkness, was prophetic by the genius songwriter Ronnie Van Zant. He wrote of the downward spiral of excessive use of drugs and alcohol in the band. The irony...this song was released 3 days before their plane went down in the swamp in Mississippi. Oct 17th 1977, Oct 20th 1977. Did that give you chills??
Lynard skynyrd: Tuesdays gone
Is the best song to play when your leaving a party. Iconic really
... and so perfectly part of the soundtrack for the movie Dazed and Confused.
Growing up in the 70’s Lynard Skynard was playing everywhere we went and I loved them, but my fav was always a little ditty called “I Know A Little”
I've been playing guitar for 26 years, and this song was the impetus for my initial interest. Such tasty playing on this one!
Without of comments on the lyrics - I would like to say that it is one of a few bands that still play handmade music if I hear so far live in germany. Many gretings from hamburg and a healthy new year for you all
That sustaining guitar feedback at the end of this song still send chills. They were really trying to get clean towards the end. They had just got Steve Gaines (younger brother of back up singer Cassie Gaines) as their 3rd guitarist (replacing Ed King) and we're getting back on top of their game. So sad their career ended as tragically as it did.
Thank note bend and sustain was Gary Rossington,he was their funkiest guitarist
It's so dope you guys are getting into classic rock and lots of just rock in general. I hope it gets listened to outside of these reactions. You guys are awesome. 🙌
Yall should check out "On The Hunt" & "Needle and The Spoon" by them as well that whole second helping album is lit!!
Excellent choices!
Ballad of Curtis Lowe is a true story!
Two songs that displayed one of Skynard's major influences: Free.
Hello, my name is Eric and I'm 57 years old man. I discovered tonight while on UA-cam something called: "Reaction Music". I'm watching you two do what you do. As said I've been sitting here watching various videos you've done for a couple of hours now. I was born and raised in Detroit I don't know if you know much about Detroit but it's off the chain in every way you can imagine. I have to tell you both, this has been "My Sunshine on A Cloudy Day". Actually, more than that watching you two and your willingness to be open-minded gives me hope it's what I needed. My faith has been tested over the times. You think you can't take another step and you do. There's power in what you do I know it's music but it goes beyond that, it's a learning tool. I feel like I could write a book right now. The reason I'm saying these things is because I was the only white man and my neighborhood for most of my life. I don't see color I just see two Young People doing something amazing. Never lose your open-mindedness and always keep the faith..... Music has NO boundaries. Best Wishes two you Both.....
One of my favorites all time. Rich unique guitar tone, nice solos, great lyrics, awesome performance.
Saw them in concert before the plane crash. Amazing performance.
Watching your channel always makes me happy. You're so much fun and down to earth. All this from a pension age Brit who was buying all of this 70s stuff in my teens and early 20s. I think you'd like the Allman Brothers Band who came before Lynyrd Skynyrd. I watched your white privilege video today. It was brilliant. People are nice or they're not.
I think Skynyrd is the first band that I've seen Brad actually rock out on. It was worth the wait. LOL
Back in the 70s musical artists worked hard at their craft - they learned and practiced their instruments. And groups typically wrote their own songs. The problem today is that songs are often written by committee and the artists are not truly dedicated to bettering their voices or musical instruments. Obviously that's not universally true, but it's become too easy these days to become famous as a packaged product. Most of the real talents out there don't get recording deals or hyped by the record companies. Check out Starcrawler (Bet My Brains or No More Pennies) for a talented recent rock band.
Back then, people wanted to form "bands" of multiple talented people, now days its about being a celebrity, its about ME. add in over-production, sounds pop is required to have, lack of tempo changes, etc. Beano has a video on "Why Boomers hate modern Pop".
Thanks to young people. To keep the best rock going on. Much respect from Texas.
This is it, Brad!! “Is this song about drugs?” Yup, this song is definitely about drugs. 😋 “Just one more fix, Lord, might do the trick. Hell of a way for you to get your kicks.” Best line.
“Oak tree you’re in the way” good story about one of the lead guitarist running into it. I’ve got two albums with the fire on it before they took it off after the plane crash.
I love how ya'll just bop and groove to everything. Love Ya'll 💘
Love your stuff! Hard not to play next with a couple mintues left because you have so much awesome content I need to consume!!!
Speaking of ending a party song Skynyrd ended their concerts in the 70s with FREEBIRD until the tiles fell off the ceiling of the auditorium. Great time to be a teenager.
Johnny VZ still ends the concert with Freebird. Sounds just as good!
Imagine a song written with a wholesome message that rocks your ass off and doesn't require profanity. Glad I lived through it!
One of the best by them! Opening lines are fire 🔥
Yea you are right about the originality of that era The 70s were free compared to the time up to mid 60s when the artist still were being told what to wear ...
This is about when the band was drinking and doing substances. One of the guitar players got wasted and hit an "Oak Tree", and almost died. He was pretty messed up from it. The small (I think) was when he hit the tree and all the smells in the car from the alcohol, drugs, to the engine smell from the crash. So Ronnie made a song about it.
On the Hunt is amazing you gotta react to it!! Alson Needle and the Spoon is amazing as well!!!
That smell Ronnie’s singing about is the smell of death. “The smell that surrounds you” is referring to living on the edge and everything you do is one step away from killing you (car wrecks, drugs, drinking etc)
Netflix has a really good documentary on these guys right now. If you watch it you will understand so much about this band including this song.
If you want to see a good Lynyrd Skynyrd documentary checkout “If I Leave Here Tomorrow”
Thank you for reminding me of why I love music. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow...the use is the same...for today and tomorrow the addiction situation is much worse.
Just listen to entire "STREET SURVIVORS" album. Pretty much every song is awesome!!
When he said "noooo". On the floor 😂 man I love being born 1970 I got to remember the 70s as well as the 80s. That was just a buck wild straight 20 years..... They partied like crazy in those two decades.....
5:11 surprisingly this very very short guitar segment is my favorite part of the song.
I listened to Skynyrd so much in the seventies and very early eighties I quite frankly got burned out on them. Reviews like this remind me how great they were. Spent many a Friday night into the early morning hours slamming beers on the front porch of a tiny country store in the middle of the Arkansas Ozarks. And yeah it was a crazy time. The things that went on during our long bus rides to and from school will never be unseen. 🤣
We need of see Lex react to live Skynard... Freebird Live in Oakland. You will lose your mind! Enjoy your humor and happy vibes.
70's and 80's Ruled for Rock and Roll. I'm glad I lived it....and still do.
If you guys are liking the southern rock sound, be sure to check out The Black Crows and 38 Special. Both are amazing bands.
The Black Crows will knock you out
Lex, you're right...it was crazy...we all tried things...just like soda pop.
The Crows shake You Money Maker Awesome although some Otis Redding covers etc
They will forever be legends. They’d give the shirt off their backs to anybody. R.I.P. Ronnie, Steve, Cassie, Jojo, Leon, Allen, and Ed
LS was so damn good.
This album came out just days before they crashed and lost three band members. That photo at the beginning was on the back of the album cover. The record label pulled that back and re-released without the band in flames photo. I saw them in Greensboro NC in July 1977, they crash in October.
Even though I’m a Metal Head I love Skynyrd. This is the lead singer Ronnie Van Zant’s attempt to straighten out the rest of his band after he had gone sober. One of the guitarist’s in the band had hit a tree with his car after a wild night of partying, the guitarist almost died. The horrible coincidence is a few weeks after the band released this album Street Survivors some of the band died in a plane crash on their way to play a concert. Lex, to answer your question about celebrities and rock stars and drug addiction, when your introduced to a lot of money all of a sudden, and your used to partying most people tend to overindulge, lots of money lots of drugs, almost always a bad combination.
Stay Cool 😎 and…
\m/ Stay Metal \m/
This song was arguably the closest Skynard came to heavy metal.
Lynard Skynard is such an underrated and under appreciated band! The music is amazing, the lyrics are amazing and the performances are amazing!
You need to react to "call me the breeze " by them next
Fire,,,🔥🔥🔥👍😎
Yep Very Good JJ Cale Cover
The guitarist using harmonics (i.e. squeaking and squealing) is Gary Rossington, the one playing with a lot of sustain is Allen Collins and the one who's playing rapid fire with string pulling is Steve Gaines.