The Essential Lynyrd Skynyrd, is a two-disc compilation of Lynyrd Skynyrd in the peak years of its classic lineup (1971–1977). The double album was remastered and re-released in 2006 as part of Universal's Gold series.
Track listing
Disc one
"Sweet Home Alabama" (Ed King, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant) – 4:45
"I Ain't the One" (Rossington, Van Zant) – 3:54
"Was I Right or Wrong?" (Rossington, Van Zant) – 5:24
"Gimme Three Steps" (Allen Collins, Van Zant) – 4:31
"Workin' for MCA" (King, Van Zant) – 4:48
"Simple Man" (Rossington, Van Zant) – 5:58
"Swamp Music" (King, Van Zant) – 3:32
"The Ballad of Curtis Loew" (Collins, Van Zant) – 4:52
"Saturday Night Special" (King, Van Zant) – 5:12
"Mr. Banker" (King, Rossington, Van Zant) – 5:22
"Comin' Home" (Original version) (Collins, Van Zant) – 5:30
"Call Me the Breeze" (J.J. Cale) – 5:09
"Free Bird" (Collins, Van Zant) – 9:10
Disc two
"What's Your Name?" (Rossington, Van Zant) – 3:33
"Whiskey Rock-a-Roller" (Live) (King, Billy Powell, Van Zant) – 4:16
"Tuesday's Gone" (Collins, Van Zant) – 7:34
"Double Trouble" (Collins, Van Zant) – 2:50
"I Know a Little" (Steve Gaines) – 3:28
"Four Walls of Raiford" (Undubbed demo) (Jeff Carlisi, Van Zant) – 4:14
"I Never Dreamed" (Gaines, Van Zant) – 5:21
"Gimme Back My Bullets" (Live) (Rossington, Van Zant) – 3:42
"You Got That Right" (Gaines, Van Zant) – 3:47
"All I Can Do Is Write About It" (Acoustic version) (Collins, Van Zant) – 4:24
"That Smell" (Collins, Van Zant) – 5:51
"Free Bird" (Live)" (Collins, Van Zant) – 13:41
Disc 1, Tracks 1, 5, 7-8, 12 from Second Helping (1974) Disc 1, Tracks 2, 4, 6, and 13 and Disc 2, Track 3 from (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) (1973) Disc 1, Track 3 from Skynyrd's First and... Last (1978) Disc 1, Track 9 from Nuthin' Fancy (1975) Disc 1, Track 10 from Legend (1987) Disc 2, Tracks 1, 5, 7, 9, and 11 from Street Survivors (1977) Disc 2, Tracks 2 and 12 from One More from the Road (1976) Disc 2, Track 4 from Gimme Back My Bullets (1976) Disc 2, Tracks 6, 8, and 10 from the Lynyrd Skynyrd Box Set (1991) Disc 1, Track 11 is previously unreleased (1998)