Simple Man
Lynyrd Skynyrd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it'll help you some sunny day, ah yeah"
"Oh, take your time, don't live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
You'll find a woman, yeah, and you'll find loveAnd don't forget, son, there is someone up above"
"And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can"
"Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you my son, is to be satisfied"
"And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can"
Oh yes, I will
"Boy, don't you worry, you'll find yourself
Follow your heart and nothing else
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you my son, is to be satisfied"
"And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understandBaby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can"
Baby, be a simple, be a simple man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Lynyrd Skynyrd's song "Simple Man" is a heartfelt ballad about a mother's guidance to her son about how to live a fulfilling life. The opening verse sees the singer recounting his mother's advice to him as a young boy, urging him to take time in his life and not move too quickly, because troubles will come, but they will also pass. He is also told to find love but never forget there is someone "up above." The mother encourages her son to "be a simple kind of man," to be true to himself and only pursue what he loves and understands in life. The chorus emphasizes this idea with the same message, sweetly asking him to follow her advice, then eventually urging him to forget about striving for wealth and focus, instead, on finding satisfaction within his soul.
The verses following, once again, reinforce the mother's advice, telling the young man to worry not and follow his heart, and communicating once more the idea that living a simple life, full of love and truth, is the best way to find satisfaction.
Overall, the song is a poignant tribute to motherly wisdom that encourages the listener to live life on their terms, while remaining true to themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Mama told me when I was young
My mother had some wisdom to impart upon me when I was a youngster
"Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it'll help you some sunny day, ah yeah"
She wanted me to come sit with her and attentively hear what she had to say, and promised it would benefit me in the future
"Oh, take your time, don't live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
You'll find a woman, yeah, and you'll find love
And don't forget, son, there is someone up above"
She advised me to live at a measured pace, knowing that life will have its difficulties which will eventually disappear. She also reassured me that I would find true love in a partner, and reminded me to have faith in a higher power.
"And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can"
The key takeaway she wanted me to learn was to keep life uncomplicated and follow your passions. She requested that I take this message to heart and make it part of my life's philosophy.
"Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you my son, is to be satisfied"
She encouraged me to disregard the insatiable human desire for material wealth and to focus on what is inside oneself. She was emphatic that by making an effort, I could attain this perspective and lead a contented life.
"Boy, don't you worry, you'll find yourself
Follow your heart and nothing else
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you my son, is to be satisfied"
She wanted me to know that everything would eventually fall into place and that I would find my true identity. She also advised me to listen to my instincts and ignore external input. Once again, she emphasized that contentment was her main goal for me.
"Baby, be a simple, be a simple man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man"
Finally, she urged me to not overcomplicate things and instead lead a simple, fulfilling life by staying true to myself.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Robert Rossington
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sebastianring2214
Mama told me when I was young
"Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it'll help you
Some sunny day"
Oh, yeah
Oh, take your time, don't live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
You'll find a woman, yeah, and you'll find love
And don't forget son there is someone up above
And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?
Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh, baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied
And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?
Oh, yes, I will
Boy, don't you worry, you'll find yourself
Follow your heart and nothing else
And you can do this, oh, baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied
And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?
Baby, be a simple, be a simple man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
@TotalNightmaree
My polish teacher (I'm a Pole) played this song during a lesson about having a simple life. What a good teacher he is
@insightfulhistorian1861
Simple lives are the most fulfilling imo.
@TotalNightmaree
@@insightfulhistorian1861 It depeneds on how we understand the word
@pjl7592
🏴🇬🇧👍
@j-de2mb
@@pjl7592 glad to see someone else who likes metallica and lynyrd skynyrd
@TotalNightmaree
@@j-de2mb Oh yeah I love them both
@TomSwint
Picked this song for my wife and son for the groom and mother dance and his wedding Labor day 2023. The perfect song.
@annesheeler5296
My son wants us to dance to this at his wedding this fall.
@gaylaaucoin9667
❤❤❤❤❤❤
@PufferYT777
DIDDY PARTY?!