‘Simple Man’ is a song by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released on their debut studio album, (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) (1973). The song is one of Lynyrd Skynyrd's most popular. 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. Like many Lynyrd Skynyrd classics, the song wasn't released as a single so it didn't chart. Skynyrd fans tended to buy the albums; Pronounced also got you the album cuts ‘Tuesday's Gone’ and ‘Things Goin' On’ in addition to the big hit, ‘Free Bird.’
Shortly after Ronnie Van Zant's grandmother and Gary Rossington's mother died, they got together in Van Zant's apartment and started telling stories about them. Rossington came up with a chord progression, and Van Zant wrote the lyrics based on advice the women had given them over the years. They wrote it in about an hour. "We just put down in a song what our mama or grandma had said to us," Rossington told Paul Ingles. "They really wrote it, we just played it." ‘Simple Man’ epitomized Ronnie Van Zant, who enjoyed friends, family, and a good time far more than anything money could buy. He held true to these values even after he found fame. Van Zant died in the 1977 plane crash that also claimed the lives of Skynyrd guitarist Steve Gaines and backup singer Cassie Gaines (brother and sister). When the band reunited and toured in 1987, they dedicated this song to him.
Even though the lyrics state, "Sit beside me, my only son," Ronnie was not the only son. He had two younger brothers along with one older sister and one younger sister. Those younger brothers are Donnie, who formed and fronted .38 Special; and Johnny, who took over as Skynyrd frontman after Ronnie's death.
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 favorite's 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."
Label – Sounds of the South
Songwriters – Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington
Producer – Al Kooper
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]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'll help you some sunny day, ah yeah"
[Break]
(Be a simple man)
[Verse 2]
Oh, take your time, don't live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
You'll find a woman, yeah, and you'll find love
And don't forget, son, there is someone up above
[Chorus]
And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can?
[Verse 3]
Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh, baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied
[Chorus]
And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can?
Oh, yes, I will
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 4]
Boy, don't you worry, you'll find yourself
Follow your heart and nothing else
And you can do this, oh, baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied
[Chorus]
And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can?
[Outro]
Baby, be a simple, be a simple man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man