Tuesday October 5, 2021 “Simple Man” Lynyrd Skynyrd

Continuing our quest for rock & roll advice today.

Shortly after Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer and primary songwriter Ronnie Van Zant's grandmother passed away and Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington lost his mother, they got together in Van Zant's apartment and started telling stories about those matriarchs. Rossington came up with a chord progression, and Van Zant wrote the lyrics based on the advice the women had given them over the years. They wrote “Simple Man”  in about an hour.

"We just put down in a song what our mama or grandma had said to us," Rossington said. "They really wrote it, we just played it."

I recently watched a documentary on Lynyrd Skynyrd and although never a big fan of the band I came away with a new respect for their commitment and musicianship.  Sure they had their faults like Ronnie’s drinking and penchant for fighting when he got drunk, the band wrecking hotel rooms and definitely for forcing “Free Bird” on us.  But songs like “Simple Man” almost make all of that forgivable.

"Simple Man" is part of the band's first album, which came with a helpful pronunciation guide as a title: Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd. Like many Lynyrd Skynyrd classics, this song wasn't released as a single so it didn't chart.

Stay safe and well...and Skynyrd’s (grandmotherly/motherly) solid advice for us: ‘follow your heart if nothing else’.

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'll help you some sunny day, ah yeah"

"Oh, take your time, don't live too fast

Troubles will come and they will pass

You'll find a woman, yeah, and you'll find love

And don't forget, son, there is someone up above"

"And be a simple kind of man

Oh, be something you love and understand

Baby, be a simple kind of man

Oh, 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, oh baby, if you try

All that I want for you my son, is to be satisfied"

"And be a simple kind of man

Oh, be something you love and understand

Baby, be a simple kind of man

Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can"

Oh yes, I will

"Boy, don't you worry, you'll find yourself

Follow your heart and nothing else

And you can do this, oh baby, if you try

All that I want for you my son, is to be satisfied"

"And be a simple kind of man

Oh, be something you love and understand

Baby, be a simple kind of man

Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can"

Baby, be a simple, be a simple man

Oh, be something you love and understand

Baby, be a simple kind of man