That Smell – Lynyrd Skynyrd | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#5); 1978
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
In 1977, burnt out from years of hard touring and hard living, Lynyrd Skynyrd took a long-needed rest, and set about recording their next album. The previous studio effort, Gimme Back My Bullets had stalled at #20, so Ronnie Van Zant and the boys gave their all to the tracks that would make up Street Survivors.
The ominous cover art symbolically depicted the band members triumphantly emerging from the flames of a hell they had created for themselves. The designated single, That Smell, dealt unflinchingly with the odor of death that previously surrounded the band. Street Survivors shipped gold upon its October 7th release, and LS kicked off their supporting tour on the 13th.
On the evening of October 20th, the small plane carrying the LS family crashed near Gillsburg, Mississippi, killing Ronnie Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, and road manager Dean Kilpatrick, and seriously injured the others. Street Survivors carried on the band’s legacy, becoming their highest charting album.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Tom Dowd
Lyrics Written by:
- Allen Collins
- Ronnie Van Zant
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).