This wouldn't be a Southern blog if certain things of reverence south of the Mason-Dixon were not noticed.
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| You smile when you call 'em 'hippies'! |
Today in 1977, the band Lynyrd Skynyrd's plane went down in Gillsburg, MS. Band members Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, and their pilots were killed on impact; the other band members suffered serious injuries.
They had messages that were typically Baptist culture God-fearing warnings ("That Smell") and almost leftist anti-good ole boy condemnations against things held dear to us down here ("Saturday Night Special"). The band is noted for being the fathers of the "Southern Rock" genre. Stand out songs are "Free Bird", "Gimme Two Steps", "Tuesday's Gone" and the one ode to our neighbors next door and the home of the band, "Sweet Home Alabama". In my opinion, this is one of the BEST Southern pop songs ever written.
Where most Mississippi songs are about people who want to come home again or remember their home, the boys from Skynyrd made no bones about it. Alabama was where they hung their gimme caps and it was home. If you didn't like it, then Southern Man don't want you around anyhow.
In memory, here's a song that has perhaps the most mind-searing guitar solo that you'll have burned into your brain forever. And like it. It was so good, it showed up in one of those bands you crazy college kids like these days.
Turn it up and hold your lighter high:
Turn it up and hold your lighter high:
