Photo: MCA Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Our top 10 Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads list presents ten great ballads released by one of the most loved rock bands in classic rock history. This article will focus mainly on the output released by the band’s original lineup up until and including the Street Survivors album. However, we felt it was very important not to ignore the music that band continued to release after the band regrouped in the wake of the tragic plane crash of 1977. These aren’t love songs, although some may qualify a bit, these are rock ballads done Lynyrd Skynyrd style and the best way to define what we mean by that is to just ask you to take as listen to these 10 incredible Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads.
# 10 – Red White & Blue
We open up our top 10 Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads list with the fabulous song entitled “Red White & Blue.” This is the first of two songs on this Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads list that comes from the post Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines era. The band has continued on for many years since the 1970s releasing more albums than the original group and constantly touring keeping the music the group released in the 197os very much alive while giving fans the choice to also hear new music. Some have accepted it, some have not. We have been overjoyed that the group decided to continue and keep the music of Lynyrd Skynyrd very much alive for the past forty plus years. The song Red White & Blues was released on the 2003 Vicious Cycle album.
# 9 -Tomorrow’s Goodbye
Continuing with our top 10 Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads list we take a listen to the beautiful ballad entitled “Tomorrow’s Goodbye.” This is as modern as Lynyrd Skynyrd has ever sounded and in many ways it’s great to showcase what happened to the band and the directions they took at times in continuing the band’s legacy. Its in one of the lyrical lines of the song that speaks the truth in why it was important for the band to continue and how brave it was for Johnny Van Zant to step up to that microphone and sing the words “Like my brother before me all I can do is write this song.” The song was released on the album entitled Edge of Forever. The album was released in 1999.
# 8 – Coming Home
In the number eight spot on our top 10 Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads list we present the song entitled “Coming Home.” The song was released a little over year after Ronnie Van Zant and Steve and Cassie Gaines were killed in the tragic plane crash. The song was released on the album entitled Skynyrd’s First and…Last. The album was released in 1978. It’s a tune that starts out slow and then builds in tempo until it reaches a sort of “Free Bird,” style ending. It’s one of the best songs from the old band that was released after the band’s tragic accident.
# 7 – The Ballad Of Curtis Loew
In the number seven position on our top 10 Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads list is the killer song entitled “The Ballad Of Curtis Loew.” This is the definition of a pure southern rock ballad. The sound of the early 1970s is very much present here as you can hear snippets of Elton John’s Tumbleweed Connection and the sound of The Band on this track The song was released on the album entitled Second Helping. The album was released in 1974. This very cool tune was not often performed by the band live., It was covered many years later by the great jam group we know as Phish.
# 6 – Am I Losing
Landing in the number six spot on our top 10 Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads list we present the song entitled “Am I Losing.” This is a bit of an upbeat song for a ballad, but it still fits the requirement in our book. The song’s bridge is stunning. There is a bit of an Allman Brothers feel on this one. Its just got such a great mid tempo southern groove that is so incredibly addictive. The song asks some deep questions. “Am I Losing,” was composed by Gary Rossington and Ronnie Van Zant. It was released on the album Nothing Fancy.
# 5 – Every Mother’s Son
At the halfway point on our top 10 Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads list we take a listen to the great track entitled “Every Mother’s Son.” The acoustic guitars open this one up setting the scene for that magical voice of Ronnie Van Zant. This simmering ballad was released on the band’s album entitled Gimme Back My Bullets. The album was released in 1976. The song was composed by Allen Collins and Ronnie Van Zant. The album featured the legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup of Ronnie Van Zant on lead vocals, Gary Rossington and Allen Collins on guitars, Leon Wilkeson on bass, Artimus Pyle on drums and the spectacular Billy Powell one piano.
# 4 – One More Time
Sometimes it really hurts to listen to this album because it was just so good and the band seemed like they were on the verge of really taking another step to who knows where. The record was just so magical. And of course, we all know what happened when the record was released. The album is filled mostly with rockers but the one ballad that always stood out was the slow groovin number “One More Time.” This one just really hits home. The song was composed by Gary Rossington and Ronnie Van Zant. It was placed as the third track on the album right after “That Smell,” which is our favorite track on the album but a song that we just didn’t consider a ballad.
# 3 – Simple Man
Moving along on our top 10 Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads list we present the song entitled “Simple Man.” Hands down, this is a huge favorite among the millions of fans who have loved this band since the 1970s. The song speaks to so many people in a deep heartfelt way. The sound of Ronnie’s voice singing those words I’m A Simple Kind Of Man just never gets old. The song was released on the album entitled (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd). The song was composed by Gary Rossington and Ronnie Van Zant.
# 2 – Free Bird (First half)
Just of the top spot on our top 10 Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads list we celebrate the legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd song entitled “Freebird.” We weren’t really sure what to do with this one because the first half of the song is one of the most emotionally charged and stunning rock ballads ever written. Yet, the second half explodes into perhaps the most legendary southern rock jam of all time outside of “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed.” So, how could we leave “Free Bird,”out? The answer is we could not. So let’s celebrate the extraordinary first half of this song in the number two spot. And if your wondering which version the live or the studio, well you you should know the answer to that one.
# 1 – Tuesday’s Gone
We close out our top 10 Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads list with the outstanding song entitled “Tuesday’s Gone.” Every single Lynyrd Skynyrd fan fell in love with this song the first time they heard it. The song was released on the album entitled (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd). It was Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut album. The album was released in 1973. The band’s first record was produced by the brilliant Al Kooper who was a founding member of his own band Blood Sweat & Tears a few years earlier.
Top 10 Lynyrd Skynyrd Ballads article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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