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.