LYNYRD SKYNYRD - SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL

LYNYRD SKYNYRD

SONGWRITER: EDWARD CALHOUN KING & RONALD WAYNE VAN ZANT

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: NUTHIN’ FANCY

LABEL: MCA

GENRE: SOUTHERN ROCK

YEAR: 1975

Lynyrd Skynyrd (/ˌlɛnərdˈskɪnərd/LEN-ərd SKIN-ərd) is an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The group originally formed as My Backyard in 1964 and comprised Ronnie Van Zant(lead vocalist), Gary Rossington(guitar), Allen Collins(guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass guitar) and Bob Burns(drums). The band spent five years touring small venues under various names and with several lineup changes before deciding on "Lynyrd Skynyrd" in 1969. The band released their first album in 1973, having settled on a lineup that included bassist Leon Wilkeson, keyboardist Billy Powell and guitarist Ed King. Burns left and was replaced by Artimus Pyle in 1974. King left in 1975 and was replaced by Steve Gaines in 1976. 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 by tragedy on October 20, 1977, when their chartered airplane crashed, killing Van Zant, Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines, and seriously injuring the rest of the band.

Lynyrd Skynyrd reformed in 1987 for a reunion tour with Ronnie's brother Johnny Van Zant as lead vocalist. They continue to tour and record with co-founder Rossington (the band's sole continuous member), Johnny Van Zant, and Rickey Medlocke, who first wrote and recorded with the band from 1971 to 1972 before his return in 1996. In January 2018, Lynyrd Skynyrd announced its farewell tour, and continue touring as of October 2019. Members are also working on their fifteenth album.

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Lynyrd Skynyrd Nº. 95 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Lynyrd Skynyrd was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 13, 2006. To date, the band has sold 28 million records in the United States.

"Saturday Night Special" is a song by Lynyrd Skynyrd. It is the opening track on their álbum Nuthin' Fancy. The song addresses the issue of gun control.

Two feet they come a-creeping

Like a black cat do

And two bodies laying naked

Creeper think he got nothing to lose

So he creeps into this house

And unlocks the door

And as a man's reaching for his trousers

He shoots him full of .38 holes

Mister Saturday-Night-Special

You got a barrel that's a-blue and cold

So ain't good for nothin'

But put a man six a-feet in a hole

Big Jim's been drinkin' whiskey

Playing poker on a losin' night

And pretty soon old Jim starts to thinkin'

Somebody's been cheatin' and lyin'

So Big Jim commence to fightin'

I wouldn't tell you no lie

And Big Jim done pulled his pistol

And shot his friend right between the eyes

Mister Saturday-Night-Special

You got a barrel that's a-blue and cold

So ain't good for nothin'

But put a man six a-feet in a hole

Hand guns are made for killin'

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 old fool come around here

And wanna shoot either you or me

Mister Saturday-Night-Special

Got a barrel that's a-blue and cold

So ain't good for nothin'

But put a man six a-feet in a hole

Mister Saturday-Night-Special

Ain't good for nothin'

But put a man six a-feet in a hole

The old ... do

Ain't no good.