Second Helping

Untitled

Second Helping is the second studio album by Lynyrd Skynyrd, released April 15, 1974. It featured the band's biggest hit single, "Sweet Home Alabama," an answer song to Neil Young's "Alabama" and "Southern Man". The song reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in August 1974. This L.P. was the last to feature Bob Burns on drums.

The album reached #12 on the Billboard album charts. It was certified Gold on September 20, 1974, Platinum and 2x Platinum on July 21, 1987 by the RIAA.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Robert Christgau	A− link
Rolling Stone	(mixed) link

Background

After the success of debut (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd), Lynyrd Skynyrd's fan base continued to grow rapidly throughout 1973, largely due to their opening slot on the Who's Quadrophenia tour in the United States. Second Helping features King, Collins and Rossington all collaborating with Van Zant on the songwriting, and cemented the band's breakthrough.

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Sweet Home Alabama"	Ed King Gary Rossington Ronnie Van Zant	4:43
2.	"I Need You"	Rossington Van Zant	6:55
3.	"Don't Ask Me No Questions"	Rossington Van Zant	3:29
4.	"Workin' for MCA"	King Van Zant	4:49

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
5.	"The Ballad of Curtis Loew"	Allen Collins Van Zant	4:51
6.	"Swamp Music"	King Van Zant	3:31
7.	"The Needle and the Spoon"	Collins Van Zant	3:53
8.	"Call Me the Breeze"	J. J. Cale	5:09

1997 CD reissue bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
9.	"Don't Ask Me No Questions" (Single Version)	Rossington Van Zant	3:31
10.	"Was I Right or Wrong" (Demo)	Rossington Van Zant	5:33
11.	"Take Your Time" (Demo)	King Van Zant	7:29

• Tracks 9-11 are previously unreleased

Personnel

Lynyrd Skynyrd

• Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals
• Gary Rossington – guitar
• Allen Collins – guitar
• Ed King – guitar, backing vocals, bass on "I Need You" and "Don't Ask Me No Questions"
• Billy Powell – keyboards
• Leon Wilkeson – bass, backing vocals
• Bob Burns – drums, except "I Need You"

Additional personnel

• Mike Porter – drums on "I Need You"
• Merry Clayton, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews – background vocals on "Sweet Home Alabama"
• Bobby Keys, Trevor Lawrence and Steve Madaio – horns on "Don't Ask Me No Questions" and "Call Me the Breeze"
• Al Kooper – backing vocals, piano on "Don't Ask Me No Questions" and "The Ballad of Curtis Loew"

Charts

Chart (1974)	Peak position
US Billboard 200	12