Posted on 03/30/2005 4:35:33 AM PST by Chi-townChief
Maybe it was during the Grammy Awards, when an all-star band jammed to this song onstage, reminding us of a time when you had to play an instrument to be considered a musician. Maybe it was when I was at P.J. Clarke's on State Street on the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day, and green-clad revelers of all ages started dancing when the song came on the jukebox. I didn't see a man who danced with his wife, but I did see a girl who wasn't born when the song was released -- and she was singing along with every word, as if it had been her homecoming theme.
Maybe it was when I heard the song as the theme for a NASCAR video game.
Maybe it was when Hilary and Hailey Duff appeared at an event at the W Hotel City Center on Adams a couple of weeks ago, and the crowd went wild when DJ AM incorporated the song's famous opening riff into his mix.
Maybe it was when the song popped up during a screening of the upcoming Matthew McConaughey-Penelope Cruz movie "Sahara" -- just the latest of many, many, many films to use this tune on the soundtrack.
Maybe it was all those factors, building to a crescendo.
All I know is that somewhere along the way, it hit me.
"Sweet Home Alabama" is the greatest rock and roll song of all time.
Some Lynyrd Skynyrd purists will tell you that "Sweet Home Alabama" isn't even the greatest Skynyrd song of all time, that the honors should go to "Tuesday's Gone" or some lesser-known album cut. (But probably not the overrated "Freebird.") Still, no Lynyrd Skynyrd song, and few rock songs from any band, have cut such a wide and lasting swath through the popular culture, while somehow retaining power and freshness.
'Big wheels keep on turnin' '
When I hear the first notes of "Stairway to Heaven" or "Smoke on the Water," I lunge for the radio dial. Enough is enough. When I hear the first notes of "Sweet Home Alabama," well, I turn it up.
The opening guitar lick is one of the most recognizable and electrifying intros in the history of popular music, right up there with the first notes of "Ohio," "Layla," "Baba O'Reilly" and "Revolution."
The lead vocals are muscular and clear and unapologetic.
Everybody knows the first line: "Big wheels keep on turnin.' " Not everybody knows the second line ("Carry me home to see my kin"), but it doesn't matter, you can keep singing anyway and catch up with "And I think it's a sin, yeah."
The chorus is just about perfect. You cannot and should not resist singing along with it.
The guitar work is killer.
The chick-singer background work is heavenly.
The lyrics matter. Yes, they're a bit incendiary. The founding members of Lynyrd Skynyrd were from Florida, and they embraced the Confederate flag as a stage prop. "Sweet Home Alabama" was written in part as a response to Neil Young's "Southern Man," and it includes a line seemingly sympathetic to Gov. George Wallace. But Ronnie Van Zant and his bandmates in Skynyrd also recorded "The Ballad of Curtis Lowe," an important song that embraced black music and spoke of the young Van Zant's rebellion against institutional racism.
It's everywhere
Taken as a whole and in the context of the times, "Sweet Home Alabama" is not in any way a racist song. Neil Young understood that, and so did Jimmy Carter, a liberal who welcomed the band's support.
Enough with the defense. If I'm casting my vote for the song with the best message about tolerance and peace and love, I could come up with countless better selections, from "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the Byrds to "What's Going On?" by Marvin Gaye.
But we're talking pure rock. And as piece of pure rock, "Sweet Home Alabama" kicks ass.
It's also a pop culture touchstone, more so now than 30 years ago. "Sweet Home Alabama" has been featured in "Forrest Gump," "The Girl Next Door" and "To Die For," among other films. Of course there's also the movie "Sweet Home Alabama," with a cover version from Jewel.
In "Con Air," when the inmates take over the plane and party to the sounds of "Alabama," Steve Buscemi's Garland Greene character makes the immortal observation: "Define irony: a bunch of idiots dancing around on a plane to a song made famous by a band that died in a plane crash."
Then there's the scene in "8 Mile" when Eminem's B-Rabbit customizes the lyrics to reflect the sad state of his own life: "Cuz I live at home in a trailer/Mom I'm comin' home to you!"
Over the last five decades, there have been enough great rock and roll songs to make an iPod cry. Rolling Stone magazine recently listed its top 500, with Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" at the top. I could list 100 stronger contenders, from "Won't Get Fooled Again" to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to "Hey Jude" to "November Rain" -- but none surpasses "Sweet Home Alabama."
Turn it up.
My favorite song is on every Rush CD.
All the metal I listen to and I've never listened to Slayer. I'm kind of ashamed.
"Do you remember rock 'n' roll radio..." They were a lot of fun. At least they didn't take themselves too seriously, like the Clash. OTOH, if you distilled Sandinista down to 10 songs, you'd have an amazing album. At least they were mad, even if they came up with the wrong prescription.
Of New Wave, I still like some Blondie, particularly "Eat to the Beat," and Elvis from the "Armed Forces" era. I used to like the Talking Heads, but they seem too art-school, in retrospect.
I have to say that one of the coolest songs of the 80s was Split Enz' "I Got You," so weird it was great. It perfrctly conveyed the feeling of being with a babe you know you didn't belong with.
Best Rock Pick Me Up Songs:
Seventh Son: Johnny Rivers
Ramblin Gamblin Man: Bob Seger
Non Rock:
New York New York: The Chairman of the Board, Mr. Frank Sinatra
Hmmmmm,Led Zeppelin's "Achilles Last Stand" and "Ten Years Gone" have always been my top 1,2 of all time.
"Thunderstruck" by AC/DC (live).
If that don't get the blood pumping, nothing will.
Cheers!
Other great 80s music: almost anything by The Police, "So" by Peter Gabriel, the soundtrack from "The Breakfast Club" is also pretty cool. And the 80s saw the birth of U2 and REM, two of the best new bands of the last two decades, IMO.
I still listen to "Magic Man" by Heart which I think was their best song ever.
Richard Roeper is an imbecile.
I prefer ~
I prefer the opening to "Panama." Best drum intro: "Hot for Teacher"
After giving it careful consideration, I've come to my conclusion: the greatest rock and roll song of all time is "Won't Get Fooled Again" by the Who.
See Post 230 to see why I came to this decision... ;^)
"Magic Man" is awesome, even after 30 years. I still don't get tired of hearing their songs. Ann Wilson's voice is amazing. Good choice!
"okay post the rest of it. So I can get today's cry out of the way."
I may be taking my life into my own hands, but here it is:
" Honey "
See the Tree how big it's grown
But Friend it hasn't been too long
It wasn't big.
I laughed at her and she got mad
The first day that she planted it
Was just a Twig
Then the first Snow came
And she ran out to brush the Snow away
So it wouldn't die
Came runnin' in all excited
Slipped and almost hurt herself
And I laughed 'til I cried
She was always young at Heart
Kinda dumb and kinda smart
And I loved her so
And I surprised her with a Puppy
Kept me up all Christmas Eve
Some Years ago
And it would sure embarrass her
When I came home from workin' late
'Cause I would know
That she'd been sittin' there and cryin'
Over some sad and silly
Late, late Show
And Honey I miss you
And I'm being good
And I'd love to be with you
If only I could
She wrecked the Car and she was sad
And so afraid that I'd be mad
But what the heck
Though I pretended hard to be
Guess you could say she saw through me
And hugged my Neck
I came home unexpectedly
And caught her cryin' needlessly
In the middle of the day
And it was in the early Spring
When Flowers bloom and Robins sing
She went away
And Honey I miss you
And I'm being good
I'd love to be with you
If only I could
One day while I was not at Home
While she was there and all alone
The Angels came
Now all I have is Memories
Of Honey and I wake up Nights
And call her Name
Now my Life's an empty Stage
Where Honey lived and Honey played
And the Love grew up
And a small Cloud passes overhead
And cries down on the Flowerbed
That Honey loved
And see the Tree how big it's grown
But Friend, it hasn't been too long
It wasn't big
And I laughed at her and she got mad
The first day that she planted it
Was just a Twig
Slayer makes Metallica look like school boys.
Get these in this order:
1. Reign in Blood
2. Seasons of the Abyss
3. South of Heaven
4. Hell Awaits
5. Decade of Agression
6. GHUA
7. Divine Intervention
8. Dialobous
9. Live Undead
10. Show no Mercey
Slayer is Pro-America - Pro Rush - If you listen to South of Heaven, there is a strong anti-abortion song.
Did he go to Michigan Tech? That, and the "Engineer's Song" are pretty much the two (unofficial) school songs.
(And there are all kinds of fun "unsanctioned" verses to "In Heaven" too!)
The 80s certainly had peppy music. Who can forget "99 Luftballoons" or "Walking on Sunshine?" And yes, Prince beats Michael...heck, he could probably even beat UP Michael.
THANKS! I just got me a PIANO for Christmas and I am gonna go learn that one when I get home tonight
I also want to learn one of the sweetest piano solos - the one in "Tuesday's Gone" (also by Skynyrd)
The Beatles' "I Feel Fine" for best opening guitar lick.
Best rock song of all time? Really tough without looking through a list but I think I might choose "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang - a song that would make just about anyone feel good.
I've done Sweet Home Alabama on karaoke nights and it is a great song to do - well paced, easy rhythm.
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