WCSX Classic Cuts : Simple Man

WCSX Classic Cuts

Lynyrd Skynyrd: "Simple Man"

The Hook: Their producer didn't want them to do the song, so they kicked him out of the studio and recorded it themselves.

Album: (Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd)

Year: 1973

Writers: Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossington

Stats: Though never released as a single, it's reported to be the third most downloaded Skynyrd song, behind "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird."

Background: Ed King -- who played both bass and guitar during his time with the band -- played bass on it and says it stands out from the other cuts on their debut album because of something that happened with the band's producer, Al Kooper.

Former Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist and bassist Ed King on the band’s producer Al Kooper and the recording of “Simple Man.” OC:…he did. :08

“’Simple Man’ is a special song because it was the one song Al Kooper didn’t want us to do and we asked Al Kooper to please leave the studio so we could do it, and so he did.”