Now broadly accepted as a southern rock traditional, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s third album Nuthin’ Fancy peaked contained in the Prime 10 of the Billboard 200 on launch, however its success was exhausting gained. Certainly, the album’s creation examined the band to the very restrict.
Issues started to go fallacious when Skynyrd’s authentic drummer Bob Burns stop simply weeks earlier than the album classes have been as a consequence of begin in January 1975. He was changed by Kentucky-born sticksman Artimus Pyle, however negativity nonetheless dogged the classes, with the band resenting producer Al Kooper’s want to dictate the route the music was taking.
“He tried to tell us what to do, but we wouldn’t let him,” guitarist Allen Collins instructed Crawdaddy! Journal in a 1975 interview. “He once brought up the idea to do a Grand Funk-like song, but we said we didn’t do that s_t. There’s good and bad parts to everybody and I’m not saying anything against him, but we ain’t gonna use him anymore.”
Even after the tracks went down, issues persevered, with the band disliking Kooper’s preliminary combine and nominating guitarist Ed King to remix it. Finally, although, the group’s doggedness paid off, for whereas chaos reigned throughout its making, Nuthin’ Fancy arguably delivered Lynyrd Skynyrd’s strongest – and most constant – set of songs thus far.
The album’s go-to reduce was its spin-off hit “Saturday Night Special,” which adopted the group’s earlier hits “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Freebird” into the Prime 30 of the Billboard Sizzling 100. Nonetheless, whereas this infectiously boisterous rocker was preferrred for radio, its message has typically been misconstrued. Its subject material was the use (and abuse) of handguns, however regardless of what Skynyrd’s critics mentioned, “Saturday Night Special” was completely not some sort of gung-ho redneck manifesto. In truth, Ronnie Van Zant’s lyric (“They ain’t good for nothin’/but put a man six feet in a hole”) railed angrily in opposition to using such weapons.
Elsewhere, Skynyrd was again on extra acquainted floor, with angular blues-tinged rockers “Cheatin’ Woman,” “On The Hunt” and the proud blue collar anthem “I’m A Country Boy” displaying off the band’s dynamic, three-pronged guitar assault and revealing Pyle to be a greater than ready alternative for Burns behind the equipment. Nonetheless, Nuthin’ Fancy additionally mirrored the Floridian rockers’ gentler aspect, with each the musicians and vocalist Van Zant excelling on extra plaintive materials such because the semi-acoustic heart-to-heart “Am I Losin’” and the laid-back but potent blues exercise “Made In The Shade.”
Certainly, regardless of the travails involving its recording, Nuthin’ Fancy greater than delivered for Lynyrd Skynyrd because it not solely went Prime 10 within the U.S. (the place it was later licensed platinum), nevertheless it introduced the band some worldwide recognition and solely simply missed out on a primary Prime 40 putting on the U.Okay. album chart. Its making chronicled a tricky interval within the band’s historical past, nevertheless it resulted in rock music that also stands the take a look at of time at this time.
“Nuthin’ Fancy maintains the feel, sonically and stylistically of [the band]’s first two albums” Rolling Stone declared in its assessment of the album. “Tracks such as “On The Hunt” and “Cheatin’ Woman” are nearly as good as something the group has placed on document. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a vital group with a future.”
Hearken to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Nuthin Fancy now.
