Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd song)

"Simple Man"
Song by Lynyrd Skynyrd from the album (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)
Released	1973
Recorded	April 30, 1973 at Studio One, Doraville, Georgia, U.S.
Genre	Southern rock
Length	5:57 (album version) 6:39 (live version)
Label	Sounds of the South
Writer(s)	Ronnie Van Zant Gary Rossington
Producer(s)	Al Kooper

"Simple Man" is the last track on Side 1 of Lynyrd Skynyrd's debut album, (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd).

The song is one of Lynyrd Skynyrd's most popular songs. Since the song became available for digital download, it has become Lynyrd Skynyrd's third best-selling digital song after "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird". It has sold 1,333,000 copies in the U.S. as of November 2013.

Frontman Johnny Van Zant discussed this song in a track-by-track commentary to promote the band's 2010 CD/DVD Live From Freedom Hall. He said: "Well that's a great song and something that I think we all live by. I think anybody out there needs to respect their mother, and the words of their mother. It's mama talking to you in that song and I think it's probably one of my favorites if not my favorite to do live. It's just a great song and that one stays in the set and the crowd always goes crazy on that one."

Simple man is written in the key of A minor/C major. The song begins with an acoustic arpeggiated chord sequence made up of the chords C major, G major and A minor. This intro is accompanied by a bass line and cymbals before the drums and vocals come in for the verse. Lyrically the song is about a mother talking to her child about life, inspired by the passing of Ronnie Van Zant's grandmother. The chorus of the song includes electric guitars imitating sections of the arpeggiated intro progression. The guitar solo is performed by Gary Rossington and is regarded as one of the bands' best solos.

The intro of the song was used in The Sopranos episode Cold Stones.

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