Nuthin' Fancy
| Nuthin' Fancy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 24, 1975 | |||
| Recorded | January 1975 (except for track 1, August 1974) | |||
| Studio | WEBB IV Studios, Atlanta (except for track 1, Studio One, Doraville, Georgia) | |||
| Genre | Southern rock, blues rock, boogie rock, hard rock | |||
| Length | 37:34 | |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Producer | Al Kooper | |||
| Lynyrd Skynyrd chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Nuthin' Fancy | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   link |
| Christgau's Record Guide | A−[1] |
| Rolling Stone | (mixed) link |
| The Daily Vault | B+[2] |
Nuthin' Fancy is the third studio album by the
RIAA.[3] This was the band's first record with new drummer Artimus Pyle. In late May 1975, guitarist Ed King
left the band in the middle of their "Torture Tour." The album is best known for its only single, "Saturday Night Special," an anti-gun song that peaked at #27 on the U.S. Billboard chart.
Critical reception
Robert Christgau gave the album a positive review, stating: "On the one hand, two or three cuts here sound like heavy-metal-under-funk--check out 'Saturday Night Special,' a real killer. But on the other, Ronnie Van Zant has never deployed his limited, husky baritone with such subtlety. Where Gregg Allman (to choose a purely random example) is always straight, shuttling his voice between languor and high emotion, Van Zant feints and dodges, sly one moment and sleepy the next, turning boastful or indignant or admonitory with the barest shifts in timbre. I mean, dumb he ain't."[4]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Saturday Night Special" | 5:08 | |
| 2. | "Cheatin' Woman" |
| 4:38 |
| 3. | "Railroad Song" |
| 4:14 |
| 4. | "I'm a Country Boy" |
| 4:24 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "On the Hunt" |
| 5:25 |
| 2. | "Am I Losin'" |
| 4:32 |
| 3. | "Made in the Shade" | Van Zant | 4:40 |
| 4. | "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller" |
| 4:15 |
- Sides one and two were combined as tracks 1–8 on CD reissues.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Railroad Song" (Live at the Winterland in San Francisco, CA, April 27, 1975) |
| 5:27 |
| 10. | "On the Hunt" (Live at the Winterland in San Francisco, CA, April 27, 1975) |
| 6:10 |
- Tracks 9 and 10 are previously unreleased
Personnel
Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals
- Gary Rossington – guitar
- Allen Collins – guitar
- Ed King – guitar
- Leon Wilkeson – bass guitar
- Artimus Pyle – drums, percussion
- Billy Powell – keyboards
Additional personnel
- Barry Harwood – dobro, mandolin
- Jimmy Hall – harmonica
- David Foster – piano
- Bobbye Hall – percussion
Charts
| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[5] | 91 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[6] | 17 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[7] | 43 |
| US Billboard 200[8] | 9 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[3] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ISBN 0-89919-026-X. Retrieved March 1, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Thelen, Christopher (2019). "The Daily Vault Music Reviews : Nuthin' Fancy". dailyvault.com. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^ a b "American album certifications – Lynyrd Skynyrd – Nuthin' Fancy". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
- ^ Robert Christgau: CG: Lynyrd Skynyrd
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6136a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
- ^ "Lynyrd Skynyrd Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
