Customer Reviews

Skynyrd's First And...Last

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
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I bought this album new (though a cut-out) for $9.99 and it was the best $10 bucks I ever spent! This album is so good. It kicks off with the greatest hit 'Down South Jukin'', Followed by the Hard-Rockin 'Preachers Daughter'. Next in line is the slow "ballad" called 'White Dove', best "slow song" I ever heard! Next is another greatest hit, 'Was I Right or Wrong', followed by 'Lend a Helpin' Hand'. Next comes 'Wino', which is a great song, and 'Comin' Home', another greatest hit, comes after that. Lastly we have 'The Seasons', which is a very nice song, and last, but not least, is a rockier version of 'Things Goin' On', which was featured on "Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd"
This album was released in 1978 after the fatal Plane Crash that took th lives of Ronnie VanZant and Steve Gaines. Overall, this is a really great album and if you can find it new, get it.
[...]

After the tragic plane crash that killed a significant portion of Lynyrd Skynyrd the band decreed that they would never record another album again, as Lynyrd Skynyrd. This herby gave them the right to name the record SKYNYRDS LAST. However, the number of songs recorded were hardly enough to fill an album, so the remaining Skynyrd boys went into the vaults and pulled out some dusty Muscle Shoals recordings that hadn't surfaced since their first indie release (this is actually available for sale nowadays in its entirety as simply SKYNYRDS FIRST) and hence the title to this album was born. SKYNYRDS FIRST... and LAST.
I got this piece on vinyl years ago. I really like it. I like it a lot better than the over produced STREET SURVIVORS album that was released prior to the plane crash. Whats weird is that there are two songs sung and written by Rickey Medlocke. I'm not sure if he was in the band at the time or what, but they sound NOTHING like SKYNYRD songs. I'm not saying they are bad though, just weird. Anyhoo, this is a good record for fans of the great SKYNYRD. Ronnie Van was a cool frontman. Its to bad that in the eighties the band went against their cree and formed a new Skynyrd anyway, which has basically sucked pinecones ever since. As far as I'm concerned, this is still the last LYNYRD SKYNYRD record.

Well as time has past, this release was neither Skynyrds First or Last. As the years have gone by, more and more rare tracks have been discovered and packaged onto other releases. Then the band reformed with Johnny Van Zandt filling Ronnie's shoes. None the less, these nine tunes all add something special. The two Rickie Medlocke sung songs may not be from the same cloth as the Ronnie Van Zandt seven but those two are special in their own way. Was I Right Or Wrong is so eerie it sends chills down my spine. And Commin' Home is sung which so much passion. Billy Powell's only keyboard appearance is a good one. And the Honkettes make their presence felt on Down South Jukin' in a very delightful way. Skynyrd fans should not pass this one by.

Great, great cd! Every song on the cd is excellent! "White Dove" is an accoustic ballad written & sung by Ricky Medlocke and also the song "The Seasons". "Down South Jukin", "Preacher's Daughter", "Was I Right or Wrong", "Lend A Helpin' Hand", "Wino", "Comin' Home" and "Things Goin On" had Ronnie Van Zant's signature "hard-driving" vocals that came from the core of his being! An album you never hear songs played from on the radio, but "Classic" Skynyrd, nonetheless! I believe, "Things Going On", from their first album (Pronounced) was the only song on First & Last that had been previously recorded. The "chemistry" of the "original" Lynyrd Sknyrd was truly amazing! The guitar trio of Gary Rossington, Allen Collins & Ed King/Steve Gaines complimented & worked so well with each other and made them so memorable! The "classicly-trained" keyboards of the Great Billy Powell were unforgettable! The bass of Leon Wilkeson and drums of Bob Burns/Artemus Pyle were the "glue" that held it all together. And, the Lead Vocals of Ronnie Van Zant were the "driving force" that catapulted the band to "Legendary" status! For "true blue" Skynyrd fans, it's a must have cd!

As we know,this was released soon after the fatal plane crash. Skynyrd fans were still smarting from the loss and this helped ease the pain.
The songs are some of Ronnie's most personal,although less commercial,and the inclusion of the Rickey Medlocke tunes is such a sweet bonus. This is a must have for Skynyrd fan's looking to get into Ronnie, and Medlocke's,artistic honesty.
This is a very personal album, and I love it.

Awesome Skynyrd... Reminds me of the days when you needed Talent to be a Band and Originality to sell!!.. Great Stuff.