I Know A Little Lynyrd Skynyrd

I Know A Little Album: Street Survivors (1977)
by Lynyrd Skynyrd

You won't find diatribes on the complexities of interpersonal relationships in the Skynyrd catalog, but you will find simple explanations. I Know A Little is a great example.

Why to people get the blues? From digging what they can't use. And if you want to hold on to a man, a good way to do it is through commitment. You only need to know a little about love - the rest you can guess.

I Know A Little is a great example of Skynyrd guitarist Steve Gaines' contributions to the band. He wrote the song himself, and also wrote or co-wrote three other songs on the album. Gaines replaced Ed King as the band's guitarist in 1976, but died in the 1977 plane crash that also claimed the lives of lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and Gaines' sister Cassie, who was a backup singer for the group. This song provides a glimpse of his clever songwriting, as Van Zant sings about a guy who has a strong feeling that his girl is cheating on him.

Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington told Guitar School magazine, July 1993, that he'd never heard anybody, including the current guitarists in the band, play the picking on this song quite right - the way Steve Gaines did.

This is one of many Skynyrd songs that was never released as a single but endured as a classic track in their catalog. It earned lots of airplay on Classic Rock radio and became one of their most popular live songs, performed at most of their shows when they re-organized after the plane crash.

Yes sir

Well the bigger the city, well the brighter the lights
The bigger the dog, well the harder the bite
I don't know where you been last night
But I think mama, you ain't doin' right

Say I know a little
I know a little about it
I know a little
I know a little 'bout it
I know a little 'bout love
And baby I can guess the rest

Well now I don't read that daily news
'Cause it ain't hard to figure
Where people get the blues
They can't dig what they can't use
If they stick to themselves
They'd be much less abused

Say I know a little
Lord I do know a little about it
I know a little
I know a little 'bout it
I know a little 'bout love
Baby I can guess the rest
Play me a little, oh yeah
Yeah

Well if you want me to be your only man
Said listen up mama, teach you all I can
Do right baby, by your man
Don't worry mama, teach you all I can

Say I know a little
Lord I do know a little about it
I know a little
I know a little 'bout it
I know a little 'bout love
Baby I can guess the rest
Well I know a little 'bout love
Baby I want your best