Lynyrd Skynyrd: Street Survivors - 1977

Tragically, three days after this album’s release, three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and several members of their management and road crew were killed in a plane crash. 

It would mark the end of the classic first Lynyrd Skynyrd line-up. It is an improvement on the previous album, both sonically and compositionally. However, it has a bit of a change in style and by the end it has gone decidedly country rock. 

What’s Your Name is a brassy rocker with a bit of a loose, easy edge to it. That Smell, horrible in its prescience, is a broody, bluesy number that tells that “the smell of death’s around you”. Check out the great guitar solo on it, however, despite its eerie coincidence it is a corker of a track. It was probably the first incarnation of the group’s last classic song. 

One More Time is a typical Skynyrd slow pace but powerful rock ballad. They specialised in this sort of thing and did it so well,  making these sort of songs very much their trademark. I Know A Little is a different sort of number for the band, being a lively boogie-woogie blues that rocks from beginning to end. 

You Got That Right is a stomping slice of bar-room boogie, while I Never Dreamed has a more subtle bass line and melody than the band usually used and a bit of a laid-back sort of country soul vocal. It is quite a departure from their usual material, almost Eagles-like. 

Even more country rock-ish is a cover of Merle Haggard’s Honky Tonk Night Time Man, enlivened by some excellent finger-pickin’ guitar. Solid rock is back for the final track, Ain’t No Good Life, which chugs along bluesily. Some fine piano enhances the song, together with pounding drums and impressive lead guitar. Sadly, this was to be the last track heard from this great rock band. These five albums were a great legacy and still sound good today, a fine testament to a fine band.