Whiskey Rock-A-Roller

Album: Nuthin' Fancy (1975)
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Songfacts®:

  • Written by Billy Powell, Edward King, and Ronnie Van Zant, this song is about Lynyrd Skynyrd's time on the road while touring from town to town. Ronnie Van Zant came across a "stupid writer" who asked him "what are you man?" Ronnie Van Zant responded to the writer, saying he is a "Whiskey Rock a Roller."
  • This song was released on the Nuthin' Fancy album on March 24, 1975. There are also two other recordings of this song that are on Skynyrd's live album One More From the Road. In one if these recordings, Ronnie Van Zant forgets the song, and has to ask the back up singers (the Honketts) what the song is. On the other live version. Ronnie changes the opening lyrics to "I'm traveling down a highway, got a blue sky on my head, movin' down this highway 500 miles away." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    kevin - Boston, MA, for above 2

Comments: 3

  • Topher from Indianapolis, InOn ‘One More From the Road’, when Donnie says “I forgot the song”, is that Cassie that laughs and says “whiskey baby”? That part has always given me chills…
  • John from Greenville, Txhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=K33CrRWY0mE
    I Love this song! On this tube video from '75, a month after the album released, you can see him looking down at intervals between vocal-lines as if he's reading it. It seems that he may have had trouble with these lyrics for a time. Seeing this video for the first, and then reading the bits of trivia on here make it all more interesting.
  • Alan from Rochester, Nythat "stupid writer" was also referenced in a live Travelin' Man which I believe was from One More From The Road. Makes sense considering the similarities in lyrical theme. This song seems to add some comment on Ronnie's enthusiasm for his work.
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