Lynyrd Skynyrd compilations

As my signature, suggests I'm a Lynyrd Skynyrd fan. But there's one thing that bugs me: their enormous catologue of compilations. I know, many bands issue a lot of "greatest hits" or "best of" albums, but, unlike the people who issue Skynyrd's compilations albums (sometime the band themselves) they don't put the same songs on them over and over again. Examples: "Gold and Platinum", "Essential", "20th Century Masters", "Yesterday and Today", "Then & Now", "Lynyrd Skynyrd Collectybles", "All Time Greatest Hits", "Best of Lynyrd Skynyrd: Millenium", "One More From the Road", etc., etc. These same songs I'm describing are usually (and don't get me wrong these are all wonderfully great songs, but issuing them over and over again...) "Workin' For MCA", "Free Bird", "Saturday Night Special", "Gimme Three Steps", "Sweet Home Alabama", and "I Ain't the One."

They must need the cash.

Must be.

I'm also a Skynard fan, and I agree that they've overdone it with the "Best of's" although the reason for this may not be the band so much as the record company. Also, since they haven't made a successful album of original material since the plane crash that claimed the life of Ronnie Van Zant, it's easy to see how certain songs get issued over and over again. Collectybles and One More From the Road, however, are live albums so I wouldn't put them in the same category. One More From the Road, which was just reissued with extra tracks (hehe), documents their shows in Atlanta with Steve Gaines circa 1976 or 77 (not sure which year). Collectybles is well worth getting if you want to see how they developed live throughout the years (although it does contain different takes of some songs from OMFR). The best stuff from this album is the rare early stuff on disc one (before Muscle Shaols I believe) and a radio performance of songs from Second Helping (including everyone's favorite "Sweet Home Alabama") before the album was even released. Also, if you want to see how their performance of "Free Bird" evolved, this is the disc to get. As for the other "Best of" collections, I would say "Essential Skynrd" is the one to get if you want a proper introduction to the band.

But I do think even on their live albums, they put the same songs on them over and over...

Not that I'm defending Skynrd, but you have to remember that the only material in their catalogue that remains relevant to their fans is the material before the plane crash in '77, and obviously like most rock bands of that era, they are expected to play the popular songs from their repertoire. So of course, when they issue live albums you are going to get plenty of overlapping songs. This is no excuse for bombarding fans with the same material over and over again, but what else can they do. Die-hard fans will buy everything up and casual fans will have to decide which albums are worth getting and which aren't. With Pink Floyd, a casual fan might have to decide between DST and PULSE because some songs overlap. Most might tend to go with PULSE because of the complete performance of DSOM. With the Skynrd catalogue it's more complicated because there is more to choose from. It depends on what you want as a fan. If you want the best collection of live songs, I'd go with One More From the Road. If you're more interested in the evolution of the band's live sound, go with Collectybles.

Point well taken.

ive been into skynyrd for a while but i never got an album or a compilation until i recently picked up the essential lynyrd skynyrd and its great cuz it has all my fav songs and some songs i havent heard and both versions of free bird, live and studio.

peace