Things Goin' On

Album: Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd (1973)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is Ronnie Van Zant's protest song. Instead of writing from the perspective of the war, it is written from the perspective of the government.
  • An acoustic version of this song is featured on the album Endangered Species sung by Johnny Van Zant. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Aaron - Twin Cities, MN, for above 2
  • This song, track one, side two, of their debut album (pronounced 'l?h-'nérd 'skin-'nérd), was part of Lynyrd Skynyrd's initial audition tapes. Then-producer Al Kooper brought them all into the studio to record every original song they knew to live-to-two-track, so he could then pick and choose from that to make the first album. However, it turned out that all 14 songs were top-notch, so Kooper used everything that didn't go on the first album for either B-sides for single's releases or on later albums.
    Kooper's initial work with the band was sometimes a power struggle. In his memoir, Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards, Kooper mentions how they broke in Billy Powell, a keyboardist with training in classical music. While the classical music training gave him a rich, textured sound, he tended to play too much with his left hand, drowning out the guitars. Kooper got so frustrated trying to break him of this habit that he took to tying Powell's left hand to the piano bench during takes!

Comments: 6

  • Joe from Plant City, Florida Probably the most underrated song of the album. For that matter that they released. Great tune!
  • Downforce from Atlanta, GaLove this song and so much of the band's work. Does anyone know what bass instrument is used in this song? It has the most interesting tone, something I discovered after using some new headphones. It almost sounds like a wind instrument...
  • Jeff from Panama City , Flif you want to know what set lynyrd skynyrd apart from other bands...listen to that double time change up in the middle of this song...they were the masters of taking a 3 chord song and making it difficult for others to copy because of those tempo/beat changes..."I aint the one"...has 3 different styles/rhythms in it....they were so talented...Im glad I got to see the original lineup of skynyrd in 1977...bout 3 months before the crash....it was artimus pyle, steve gains, billy powell, alan collins, leon wilkerson, ronnie van zant, and gary rossington...on stage in dothan alabama...what a show!...they were so tight with every note!...
  • Oldpink from New Castle, InGreat bit of guitar and bass work.
    VERY southern.
  • Clarissa from Martinsburg, WvHeck yeah Ronnie was right! I mean seriously, what is Bush smoking?
  • Jeanette from Mcgrady, NcThis song should get more airplay. It applies to many of the situations that are going on today in our government and society. "I think they just sit up there and get high." I think Ronnie was right.
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