"Simple Man" Lynyrd Skynyrd

What makes Lynyrd Skynyrd one of the most influential bands of all time is the timeless message they communicate through their music. Despite all their fame and fortune, the band remains as down to earth and as simple as the common man. Accordingly, they use language and structure to sing about the troubles and victories of the common man’s life. Their song simple man clearly displays this message:

Mama told me when I was young, Come sit beside me, my only son And listen closely to what I say. And if you do this It will help you some sunny day Take your time... dont live too fast,Troubles will come and they will pass. Go find a woman and youll find love, And dont forget son, There is someone up above.(chorus)And be a simple kind of man. Be something you love and understand.Be a simple kind of man.Wont you do this for me son,If you can? Forget your lust for the rich mans gold All that you need is in your soul,And you can do this if you try.All that I want for you my son, Is to be satisfied.(chorus)Boy, dont you worry... youll find yourself.Follow you heart and nothing else.And you can do this if you try.All I want for you my son,Is to be satisfied.

In a world and society so engulfed in consumerism and a desire to constantly get bigger and better, the message of “Simple Man” hits very close to home. The song talks about the importance of not filling our lives with meaningless junk, not only physically but emotionally. It says “Forget your lust for the rich man’s gold, all you need is in your soul” for in the end all those trivial things will not satisfy our hearts, they will only bring us further away from discovering our real selves. The artist uses short fragmented phrases with only four or five syllables “go find a woman, you’ll find love,” and adds pauses between them to slow down the pace of the song and draw the listener in on his message. However he hits a long note when he repeats the chorus, “be a simple kind of man,” to emphasize the words. He also chooses straightforward diction and employs rhyme “take your time don’t live too fast, troubles will come and they will pass.” to establish a lyrical sound that allows the song to flow with ease. We will never be satisfied until we clear out the clutter in our lives so that we can realize what is really important and find a purpose. “Boy don’t worry.. you’ll find yourself. Follow your heart and nothing else.” This timeless message proves Lynyrd Skynyrd not only to be one of the most talented music groups of all time, but also one of the most influential songwriters and positive examples of how we should live our lives.