|
The '''[[2003]] [[Austrian Grand Prix]]''' was a [[Formula One]] race held on [[May 18]], [[2003]] at the [[A1-Ring]]. It was the last F1 Grand Prix to be held in this track.
{{Cleanup|date=May 2006}}
__FORCETOC__
{{Infobox Single |
| Name = Sweet Home Alabama
| Cover = Skynyrd-Sweet-Home-Alabama.jpg
| Artist = [[Lynyrd Skynyrd]]
| from Album = [[Second Helping]]
| B-side =
| Released = [[1974]]
| Format =
| Recorded =
| Genre = [[Southern Rock]]
| Length = 04:45
| Label =
| Writer = [[Ed King]], [[Gary Rossington]], [[Ronnie Van Zant]]
| Producer = [[Al Kooper]]
| Certification =
| Chart position = * #8 <small>([[United States|US]])</small> (1974)
| Last single = "[[Don't Ask Me No Questions]]"
| This single = "Sweet Home Alabama"<br />(1974)
| Next single = "[[Free Bird]]" (reissue)<br />(1975)
}}
"'''Sweet Home Alabama'''" is a song by [[Southern rock]] band [[Lynyrd Skynyrd]] that first appeared in 1974 on their second album, ''[[Second Helping]]''.
== Classification ==
A tribute to [[Muscle Shoals]], a popular recording ___location in Alabama, "Sweet Home Alabama" was also an [[answer song|answer]] to two controversial songs, "[[Southern Man]]" and "[[Alabama (Neil Young song)|Alabama]]" by [[Neil Young]], which were critical of social conditions in the South. "We thought Neil was shooting all the ducks in order to kill one or two," said Ronnie Van Zant at the time (Dupree 1974).<br>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
Van Zant's musical response, however, was equally controversial, with references to [[Alabama]] Governor [[George Wallace]] and the [[Watergate scandal]]. Despite (or perhaps because of) the debate, the song has become one of the most popular examples of [[Southern Rock|Southern rock]]. It reached the top ten of the US charts in 1974 and was the band's second hit single. [http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1702]
|-
! Pos !! No !! Driver !! Team !! Laps !! Time/Retired !! Grid !! Points
|-
! 1
| 1
| {{flagicon|Germany}} '''[[Michael Schumacher]]'''
| '''[[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]'''
| 69
| 1:24'04.888
| 1
| '''10'''
|-
! 2
| 6
| {{flagicon|Finland}} '''[[Kimi Räikkönen]]'''
| '''[[Team McLaren|McLaren]]-[[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]]'''
| 69
| +3.362 secs
| 2
| '''8'''
|-
! 3
| 2
| {{flagicon|Brazil}} '''[[Rubens Barrichello]]'''
| '''[[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]'''
| 69
| +3.951 secs
| 5
| '''6'''
|-
! 4
| 17
| {{flagicon|UK}} '''[[Jenson Button]]'''
| '''[[British American Racing|BAR]]-[[Honda Racing F1|Honda]]'''
| 69
| +42.243 secs
| 7
| '''5'''
|-
! 5
| 5
| {{flagicon|UK}} '''[[David Coulthard]]'''
| '''[[Team McLaren|McLaren]]-[[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]]'''
| 69
| +59.740 secs
| 14
| '''4'''
|-
! 6
| 4
| {{flagicon|Germany}} '''[[Ralf Schumacher]]'''
| '''[[WilliamsF1|Williams]]-[[BMW]]'''
| 68
| +1 Lap
| 10
| '''3'''
|-
! 7
| 14
| {{flagicon|Australia}} '''[[Mark Webber]]'''
| '''[[Jaguar Racing|Jaguar]]-[[Cosworth]]'''
| 68
| +1 Lap
| 17
| '''2'''
|-
! 8
| 7
| {{flagicon|Italy}} '''[[Jarno Trulli]]'''
| '''[[Renault F1|Renault]]'''
| 68
| +1 Lap
| 6
| '''1'''
|-
! 9
| 15
| {{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Antônio Pizzonia]]
| [[Jaguar Racing|Jaguar]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 68
| +1 Lap
| 8
|
|-
! 10
| 21
| {{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Cristiano da Matta]]
| [[Toyota F1|Toyota]]
| 68
| +1 Lap
| 13
|
|-
! 11
| 12
| {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Ralph Firman]]
| [[Jordan Grand Prix|Jordan]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 68
| +1 Lap
| 16
|
|-
! 12
| 16
| {{flagicon|Canada}} [[Jacques Villeneuve]]
| [[British American Racing|BAR]]-[[Honda Racing F1|Honda]]
| 68
| +1 Lap
| 12
|
|-
! 13
| 18
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Justin Wilson]]
| [[Minardi]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 67
| +2 Laps
| 18
|
|-
! Ret
| 11
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Giancarlo Fisichella]]
| [[Jordan Grand Prix|Jordan]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 60
| Fuel system
| 9
|
|-
! Ret
| 9
| {{flagicon|Germany}} [[Nick Heidfeld]]
| [[Sauber]]-[[Petronas]]
| 46
| Engine
| 4
|
|-
! Ret
| 8
| {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Fernando Alonso]]
| [[Renault F1|Renault]]
| 44
| Engine
| 19
|
|-
! Ret
| 3
| {{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Juan Pablo Montoya]]
| [[WilliamsF1|Williams]]-[[BMW]]
| 32
| Engine
| 3
|
|-
! Ret
| 20
| {{flagicon|France}} [[Olivier Panis]]
| [[Toyota F1|Toyota]]
| 6
| Suspension
| 11
|
|-
! Ret
| 19
| {{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Jos Verstappen]]
| [[Minardi]]-[[Cosworth]]
| 0
| Clutch
| 20
|
|-
! DNS
| 10
| {{flagicon|Germany}} [[Heinz-Harald Frentzen]]
| [[Sauber]]-[[Petronas]]
| 0
| Clutch
| 15
|
|}
== Notes ==
== The Song and the Band's Career ==
*Fastest Lap: Michael Schumacher 1'08.337
"Sweet Home Alabama" was a major chart hit for a band whose previous singles had "lazily sauntered out into release with no particular intent." The hit led to two TV rock-show offers, which the band turned down. (Dupree 1974)
*Micheal Schumacher took pole position in this race despite a huge slide on his qualifying lap.
*Heinz Harald Frentzen did not take part in the race start, as the field set off on the final parade lap, the Sauber driver was left behind. He rushed off to get the T-car but there was not enough time to get everything switched over from Nick Heidfeld's settings and so Frentzen's day was over.
*During Michael Schumacher's pit stop, his [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] car somehow caught fire. Due to this incident Schumacher lost around half a minute in the pits. Usually pit stops would only take 8 seconds, so this performance by Schumacher to go on and win a race was spectacular by his own standards.
{{F1 race report|
== Creation and recording ==
Name_of_race = [[Austrian Grand Prix]] |
At a band practice shortly after bassist Ed King had switched to guitar, King heard fellow guitarist Rossington playing a guitar riff that inspired him (in fact, this riff is still heard in the final version of the song and is played during the verses as a counterpoint to the main D-C+9-G chord progression). In interviews, Ed King has said that, during the night following the practice session, the chords and two main guitar solos came to him in a dream, note for note. King then introduced the song to the band the next day, and a hit was born. Also written at this session was the track that would follow "Alabama" on the [[Second Helping]] album, "I Need You."
Year_of_race = 2003 |
Previous_race_in_season = [[2003 Spanish Grand Prix]] |
A live version of the track on the compilation album "Collectybles" places the writing the song during the late summer of 1973, as the live set available on the album is dated October 30, 1973.
Next_race_in_season = [[2003 Monaco Grand Prix]] |
Previous_year's_race = [[2002 Austrian Grand Prix]] |
The track was recorded at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia, using just King, bassist Wilkeson, and drummer Burns to lay down the basic backing track. Ed King used a Marshall amp belonging to Allen Collins. The guitar used on the track was a late-1960's Fender Stratocaster. However, King has said that guitar was a pretty poor model and had bad pickups, forcing him to turn the amp up all the way to get decent volume out of it. This guitar is now displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.
Next_year's_race = ''none''
}}
Interesting to note is that the famous "Turn it up" line uttered by Van Zant in the beginning was not intended to be in the song. Ronnie was just asking producer [[Al Kooper]] and engineer [[Rodney Mills]] to turn up the volume in his headphones so that he could hear the track better.
Following the two "woo's" at the start of the piano solo, Van Zant can be heard ad-libbing "My, Montgomery's got the answer." The duplicate "my" was produced by Kooper turning off one of the two vocal takes.
There is also a semi-hidden vocal line in the second verse after the "Well, I heard Mr. Young sing about her" line. In the left channel, you can hear the phrase "Southern Man" being sung lightly. This was producer Al Kooper doing a Neil Young impression and was just another incident of the band members messing around in the studio while being recorded.
The count-in heard in the beginning of the track is spoken by Ed King. The count-in to the first song on an album was a signature touch that producer Kooper usually put on albums that he made.
Ironically, none of the three writers of the song were originally from [[Alabama]]. [[Ronnie Van Zant]] and [[Gary Rossington]] were both born in [[Jacksonville, Florida]]. Ed King was from [[Glendale, California]].
== Political references ==
In conjunction with the defense of the South, the song contains political references which have caused controversy, particularly this verse:
{{quotation|In Birmingham they love the governor <br> Now we all did what we could do <br> Now Watergate does not bother me<br>Does your conscience bother you? <br> Tell the truth}}
Some deny the song expresses support for Wallace's politics, interpreting the lyrics as saying that the band did all they could do to keep Wallace out of office. They argue that a jeer "Boo, boo, boo!" can be heard after the line "In Birmingham, they love the governor" and they interpret this as an attack on Wallace. In 1975, Van Zant said: "The lyrics about the governor of Alabama were misunderstood. The general public didn't notice the words 'Boo! Boo! Boo!' after that particular line, and the media picked up only on the reference to the people loving the governor" (Ballinger 2002:78).
Footage of concerts where they performed the song also confirms the presence of this line (Lyve from Steeltown).
Various band members have denied that the song endorses segregation; in a recent radio interview, surviving members stated the last line "Montgomery got the answer" was a reference to the [[Selma to Montgomery marches|Selma to Montgomery civil rights marches]] led by [[Martin Luther King, Jr.]]
Fans (and music historians alike) also argue that the band was clearly sympathetic to African-Americans during the Civil Rights movement, citing the songs "[[Things Goin' On]]", and "The Ballad of Curtis Loew", in addition to their obvious admiration for the [[Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section]] (which recorded numerous Soul and R&B classics) as prime examples of the group's true political leanings.
Another claim often made is that the third line of the above verse is in defense of the [[Watergate scandal]]. Again, many fans disagree, interpreting the line as either a reminder to critics that the South is not alone in having scandals or as a statement that corruption in politics is nothing exceptional and that it was Americans' own guilty consciences that were truly bothering them during the crisis.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Another theory is that Van Zant was simply saying that the Watergate scandal was nothing that concerned him because he (and the South) had their own problems.
The general consensus today regarding the song (and the band's) political leanings is that the group was actually more "liberal" in their social/political beliefs than they were given credit for during their heyday. In fact, one can argue that because the band was proudly Southern, this indicated to many "Yankee" listeners that the group must surely be conservative. This, of course, is the very thing that Lynyrd Skynyrd strived to dispell in many of their songs (many of which were pro-equality, anti-gun, etc). Their message, typically was one of "just because I am from the South, does not indicate that I am a racist nor a close minded fool". The lyrics of "Sweet Home Alabama" are often hotly debated for this very reason.
[[Muscle Shoals, Alabama]] based [[Drive-By Truckers]] also use similar, pro-Southern themes in their recordings, influenced by Lynyrd Skynyrd in this regard. Like Lynyrd Skynyrd, they are also critically praised.
== Muscle Shoals ==
One verse of the song includes the line "Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers/And they've been known to pick a song or two." This refers to the Alabama town [[Muscle Shoals, Alabama]], a legendary ___location for recording popular music due to the "sound" crafted by local recording studios and back-up musicians. "The Swampers" referred to in the lyrics included (among others) [[Jimmy Johnson]], [[David Hood]], [[Barry Beckett]], [[Roger Hawkins]], [[Eddie Hinton]], [[Pete Carr]] and [[Spooner Oldham]] who crafted the "Muscle Shoals Sound". Sometimes recording under the identity of the [[Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section]], these musicians included [[Jimmy Johnson (musician)|Jimmy Johnson]] ([[guitar]]), [[Roger Hawkins]] ([[drums]]), [[David Hood]] ([[electric bass|bass]]), and [[Barry Beckett]] ([[Keyboard instrument|keyboards]]), and they were inducted into the Alabama Hall of Fame in 1995 for a "Lifework Award for Non-Performing Achievement." The nickname "The Swampers" was given to the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section by singer/songwriter Leon Russell.
Part of the reference comes from the 1971-1972 demo reels that Lynyrd Skynyrd had recorded in Muscle Shoals with Johnson as a producer/recording engineer. Johnson helped refine many of the songs first heard publicly on the "Pronounced" album, and it was Van Zant's "tip of the hat" to Johnson for helping out the band in the early years and essentially giving the band its first break.
Lynyrd Skynyrd remains connected to Muscle Shoals having since recorded a number of works in the city and making it a regular stop on their concert tours.
== Versions ==
* [[Hank Williams, Jr.]] performs this song on his [[1987 in country music|1987]] live album, ''[[Hank Live]].''
* In addition to the original appearance on ''Second Helping'', the song has appeared on numerous Lynyrd Skynyrd collections and live albums. The song also appeared on the famous late night talk show ''[[The Tonight Show]]''. A few covers have appeared, notably a slowed-down rock version by [[Big Head Todd and the Monsters]], as well as a more faithful version by the [[Charlie Daniels Band]] and an altered version by the country group [[Alabama (band)|Alabama]] (who changed the lyrics involving the [[Watergate]] scandal with a verse talking about Alabama football). The song even spawned a 2004 [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] version by Alabama-based rap/hip-hop group [[Boyz After Money Always]], which was performed at the Comedy Central Roast of Jeff Foxworthy. Former [[Saturday Night Live]] band leader [[G.E. Smith]] led the backing band for this performance.
* [[Eminem]] performs a pseudo-rap version of this song in the film ''[[8 Mile (film)|8 Mile]]'' with one of his co-stars.
* Perhaps the most unusual rendition of the song is by the surrealist Finnish rock group [[Leningrad Cowboys]], featuring the [[Red Army Choir]] on the choruses.
* Argentine rock singer [[Javier Calamaro]] realeased a song in Spanish called "Sweet Home Buenos Aires", with the music of this song. Later, argentine rock icon [[Charly García]], released the song in his album "Demasiado ego" with Calamaro as a guest. He usually performs this song after playing "Encuentro con el diablo", from his former band [[Serú Girán]], which has a strong likeness to the Lynyrd Skynyrd song.
== In the Media and Popular Culture ==
"Sweet Home Alabama" has appeared in many commercials, movies, and subsequent recordings by other bands. It remains a popular request on [[classic rock]] radio stations and has been featured in many [[Film|movie]]s, including ''[[To Die For]]'', [[The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 film)|''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'' (2003)]], ''[[Con Air]]'', ''[[8 Mile (film)|8 Mile]]'', ''[[Forrest Gump]]'', ''[[Joe Dirt]]'', ''[[The Girl Next Door]]'', '' [[Sweet Home Alabama (film)|Sweet Home Alabama]]'' and ''[[Sahara (2005 film)|Sahara]]''. The song also remains popular as a celebration piece at sporting events. It has become an icon in American popular culture.
<br>
In ''[[Con Air]]'', the song plays over a scene in which [[Steve Buscemi]]'s character, Garland Greene, defines irony as "a bunch of idiots dancing around on a plane to a song made famous by a band that died in a plane crash." A cover of this song was featured in the HBO movie [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0255851/ Boycott] about the Montgomery Bus Boycott that was a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement.
<br>
The song has become a favorite among [[University of Alabama]] students and alumni. [[Shaun Alexander]], the [[Seattle Seahawks]] MVP running back and University of Alabama alumnus, has the song played after each home game touchdown. The song's reach extends also to "virtual" sporting events. It was featured on the [[PS2]] and [[Xbox]] version of [[NASCAR Thunder 2002]] because the game creators, [[EA Sports]], had just announced sponsorship of the fall race at [[Talladega Superspeedway]], which is located in Alabama.
The band's tragic end is also well known in American popular culture. Singer-songwriter [[Warren Zevon]]'s song "Play It All Night Long" references "Sweet Home Alabama" and the 1977 plane crash:
{{quotation|"Sweet home Alabama"<br><br>Play that dead band's song<br>Turn those speakers up full blast<br>Play it all night long}}
== Recognition and Awards ==
* In May 2006, [[National Review]] ranked the song #4 on its list of "50 greatest conservative rock songs."
* In July 2006, [[Country Music Television|CMT]] ranked it #1 of the "20 Greatest Southern Rock songs."
* In 2004, the song was ranked #398 on [[Rolling Stone]]'s list of [[the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time]].
* In 2007, [[Nascar]] used portions of the song mixed with rap music for an ad.
== Personnel ==
* Ronnie Van Zant - Double-Tracked Lead Vocals
* Ed King - Lead guitar, Solo guitar, backing vocals (first "woo" at the end of the last chorus)
* Leon Wilkeson - Bass guitar, backing vocals (second "woo" at the end of the last chorus)
* Bob Burns - Drums
* Billy Powell - Piano
* Allen Collins - Rhythm Guitar (left channel)
* Gary Rossington - Rhythm guitar (right channel), Acoustic guitar (left channel)
* [[Al Kooper]] - Producer, backing vocals (left channel)
* [[Clydie King]], background vocals <!-- citation: Dupree 1974-->
* [[Merry Clayton]], background vocals <!-- citation: Dupree 1974-->
==See Also==
*[[Muscle Shoals, Alabama]]
*[[Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section]]
== References ==
* Ballinger, Lee. (2002). ''Lynyrd Skynyrd - An Oral History''. Los Angeles: XT377 Publishing.
* Tom Dupree, [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/alkooper/articles/story/9437632/lynyrd_skynyrd_in_sweet_home_atlanta Lynyrd Skynyrd in Sweet Home Atlanta], ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', October 24, 1974. Accessed online 17 September 2006.
{{F1GP}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.thrasherswheat.org/jammin/lynyrd.htm Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young: Friends or Foes? - An Analysis of "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Southern Man"]
* [http://www.lynyrdskynyrdhistory.com/lyrics/70-77/sechelp/soni.html Sweet Home Alabama lyrics on lynyrdskynyrdhistory.com]
* [http://www.guitarchordsmagic.com/guitar-song-chords/sweet-home-alabama.html Sweet Home Alabama guitar chords]
* [http://www.lynyrdskynyrd.com/ Official Lynyrd Skynyrd web site]
* [http://www.edking.net Official web site of Ed King]
[[Category:Alabama2003 cultureFormula One race reports|Austrian Grand Prix]]
[[Category:1974Austrian songsGrand Prix race reports]]
[[Category:Lynyrd Skynyrd songs]]
[[Category:Songs about the United States]]
[[Category:Diss songs]]
[[decs:SweetGrand HomePrix AlabamaRakouska 2003]]
[[es:Anexo:Gran Premio de Austria de 2003]]
[[sk:Sweet Home Alabama (pieseň)]]
[[fiid:SweetGrand HomePrix AlabamaF1 Austria 2003]]
[[pt:Grande Prêmio da Áustria de 2003 (Fórmula 1)]]
[[ru:Гран-при Австрии 2003 года]]
[[sl:Velika nagrada Avstrije 2003]]
[[sv:Österrikes Grand Prix 2003]]
| 