For most guitarists, musicians, and just about everybody else, the term “southern rock” instantly makes you think of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd. It is usually also true that when individuals consider the band Lynyrd Skynyrd, they hear that famous Sweet Home Alabama guitar hook, that the band became popular for. Sweet Home Alabama changed rock ‘n roll, and has be a southern rock guitar anthem.
In 1974 when Sweet Home Alabama was written, Lynyrd Skynyrd was just beginning to get people’s attention. Throughout the previous year the band had opened for that Who on its Quadrophenia tour across the Usa, and their first big single Free Bird really was taking flight, as they say.
Bass player Ed King had begun to learn guitar for that band, joining guitarist Gary Rossington in the six-string department. Inspired by a guitar riff he’d heard Rossington playing at rehearsal, King actually had a dream exactly the same night about a full song based on the riff. The following day, King sat down to learn guitar parts along with other sounds he heard in his dream, and then presented the idea to the band. Little did he know, the Sweet Home Alabama guitar part that found him inside a dream would become a huge hit song for Lynyrd Skynyrd.
As it became popular, musicians everywhere were inspired to understand Lynyrd Skynyrd guitar riffs because they were practically an instrument lesson in a totally new sound. Using Sweet Home Alabama guitar tabs and video guitar lessons, pickers still seek to learn guitar from the song today. Featuring aspects of blues, country, and rock guitar, it molds a variety of musical styles and techniques together. A few of the guitar licks even take cues from bluegrass, using the “boogie” rhythm heard during the song’s chorus sections. For guitar players, the song provides a great illustration of useful techniques like ghost notes, interesting chord tones and pentatonic lead playing that may be deconstructed with good guitar tabs.
Lyrically, Sweet Home Alabama has strong references to “Southern Man” and “Alabama” by folk/rock guitar player Neil Young. Although this type of lyrical back and forth is commonplace today, in 1974 it was quite revolutionary.
Regardless of the song being released over thirty years ago, still it remains very relevant today. In 2007 your Alabama announced that it could be while using song title and music in advertising campaigns for tourism in the state, and it is even printed on all Alabama license plates. Even today beginning guitarists often start out by trying to learn Sweet Home Alabama guitar lessons or use online guitar tabs for that song, because it teaches not only basic guitar chords but the style and methods of southern rock.