American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd had a hit single in 1974 with the song "Sweet Home...what"?

"Sweet Home Alabama" is a song by the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd that first appeared in 1974 on their second album, "Second Helping". The song was released as the band's second single, reaching number 8 on the US chart in 1974, becoming the band's highest-charting single.

The song was written in response to Neil Young's "Southern Man", which was released in 1970, because it took the entire South to task for the bloody history of slavery and its aftermath. Young is name-checked in the lyrics to "Sweet Home Alabama".

Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The group originally comprised Ronnie Van Zant (January 15, 1948 – October 20, 1977) (lead vocalist), Gary Rossington (born December 4, 1951) (guitar), Allen Collins (July 19, 1952 – January 23, 1990) (guitar), Larry Junstrom (June 22, 1949 – October 5, 2019) (bass guitar) and Bob Burns (November 24, 1950 – April 3, 2015) (drums). At the height of their fame in the 1970s, the band popularized the Southern rock genre with songs such as "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird". After releasing five studio albums and one live album, the band's career was abruptly halted on October 20, 1977, when their chartered airplane crashed, killing Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines, and seriously injuring the rest of the band.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

Test your knowledge

What are your thoughts on this subject?

16 Comments

Vance Duncan

“I hope Neil Young will remember, a southern man don’t need him around anyhow!”

adamzdad

One of the best bands ever!!

Akeel1701

Went down south on a number of occasions, on the way home we'd see the sign Welcome To Scotland and we'd sing that song but re-word the lyrics to: "Sweet Home Caledonia, Where the Skies are Grey, Sweet Home Caledonia, Glad we're coming home today."

Denise Currie

My best friend was a huge fan of this group, and I had to listen to them a lot

Lynne Zeman

Free Bird was my favorite. Loved that song!

Susan McInnis Paradis

my favorite Skynyrd song!

kpkennedy

I better get this right since I live in Alabama.

rnelson

Can you please make a little easier. That was super tough.

Sandy

“Sweet Home Alabama” was originally intended as a response to Neil Young. Ronnie Van Zant, the lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd, was a big fan of Young's music, but he was taken aback by Young's early 70's songs “Southern Man” and “Alabama,” which attacked the south for its backwards, racist past.

Joanne Serin

Hey, 2 state songs in a row!

Thomas Lumpkin

I went to high school with Alan Collins and Bob Burns, N. B. Forrest High School. As a young teenager, I would listen to their High School performance at a close by Teen Club, called the Sugar Bowl. The name of their band at that time was the "One Percent". They were all nice guys who were just trying to find a way to grow up and make a few dollars along the way. And oh yeah! they loved to Party. I broke free from some of the rowdy crowd and got into Sports programs in High School and later entered the USAF, after High School. I was stationed in the Middle East when I first saw their Album in the PX. I told a few of my buddy soldiers that I had went to school with several of the Band Members, but I do not believe they were convinced. It's a "Small World Afterall" Thanks for listening, TL

Dave Weaver

Huge Skynyrd fan! Listen to the lyrics of their songs and you will see how great of a songwriter Ronnie Van Zant was, Rest In Peace.

JohnnyRoulette

Vance Duncan, That was kind of funny. There are many pics of Ronnie wearing a Neil Young shirt on stage all through the following tour. That song has been massively misinterpreted by some. They weren’t fromAlabama, nor were they saying positive things about what was going on there.