.38 Special – “If I’d Been the One” – 7″ Single

The last 7″ Single I found this Summer was for a Southern Rock Band that did really well in the early 80’s. A lot of smash hits including this one from their 1983 album ‘Tour de Force’. I said last week that this week’s single was special. And that is because the band was .38 Special and the song was “If I’d Been the One”. The album went to #22 thanks in part to this Top 40 song which went to #19 and #1 on the Mainstream Rock Chart. The version I have is a standard U.S. version and the B-Side was also from the album, so sadly, no non-album track which I love to get as the B-Side, but at least we got another great track from the album.

“If I’d Been the One” was credited to Don Barnes, Larry Steele, Jeff Carlisi and Donnie Van Zant. The song is about Donnie and his relationship with his older brother Ronnie Van Zandt who was killed in the notorious plane crash that killed several members and crew of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Donnie asks the question, what if he was the one on that plane? Donnie was definitely hurting and seem to be suffering from survivor’s guilt even though he wasn’t on the plane. It was a chance for him to express his love for his brother and his battle with all the emotions he felt about his death. It is really a sad song.

A-SIDE:

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Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute – Tour Program

Here is something a little different for you from my site.  I received a bag of old guitar magazines from my mother-in-law.  The magazines were her son’s and she thought I might enjoy them.  The cool thing about the magazines is they were all featuring the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan.  Not bad at all.  But there was something out of place in the bag.  It was a Tour Program from the 1987 Tour of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute.

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My brother-in-law is originally from Atlanta, like I am, so the tour book must be from either the October 14th or the 15th show as they played two shows on that tour in Atlanta at the Omni.  Actually, the 2nd leg played Atlanta on June 5th as well at Atlanta/Fulton County Stadium home of the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Falcons.  So, it could be that show.

The Tour was to pay tribute to the members of the band that were lost 10 years earlier in a tragic plane crash.  Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines (Steve’s older sister), assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary, and co-pilot William Gray were all killed in the plane crash. Continue reading “Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute – Tour Program”