"Gimme Three Steps" is a song by American

southern rock Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music and a genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitars and vocals. History 1950s and 1960s: origin ...

band

Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (, ) is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1964. The group originally formed as My Backyard and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom ...

, released from the band's debut album, ''

(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) Pronunciation is the way in which a word or a language is spoken. To This may refer to generally agreed-upon sequences of sounds used in speaking a given word or all language in a specific dialect—"correct" or "standard" pronunciation—or si ...

'' (1973). It was written by bandmates Allen Collins and

Ronnie Van Zant Ronald Wayne Van Zant (January 15, 1948 – October 20, 1977) was an American singer, best known as the founding lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. He was the older brother of Johnny Van Zant, the cu ...

. The single release contains the song " Mr. Banker" as a B-side.

Background

Band member Gary Rossington based the lyrics on a real-life experience Ronnie Van Zant had at a bar in

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...

, having a gun pulled on him for dancing with another man's woman. While the narrator dances with a girl named Linda Lou at a bar called The Jug, a man (either the girl's boyfriend or husband) armed with a .44 revolver enters and catches them, angrily believing her to be cheating and threatening the narrator's life. The narrator protests that he has not even kissed Linda Lou and begs the man to give him a head start out of the bar: "Won't you give me three steps / Gimme three steps, mister / Gimme three steps towards the door? / Gimme three steps / Gimme three steps, mister / And you'll never see me no more." When the man turns to shout at Linda Lou, the narrator takes advantage of the distraction and runs out. Of the live single released in 1977, ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' said it is "a traditional rock and roller, featuring some tight harmony vocals and the obligatory high-distortion guitar solo." ''

Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of three major weekly music industry trade magazines in the United States, with ''Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 as ''Music Vendor''. In 1964, it was changed to ''Record World'' under the ...

'' said that "the triple pronged guitar attack and Ronnie Van Zant's vocal have never sounded better."

Personnel

Lynyrd Skynyrd

- vocals *

Gary Rossington Gary Robert Rossington (December 4, 1951 – March 5, 2023) was an American musician best known as a founding guitarist of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, with whom he performed until his death. Rossington was also a founding member of the ...

- lead guitar * Allen Collins - guitar * Ed King - bass * Bob Burns - drums * Billy Powell - keyboards

Notes

{{authority control 1973 songs Lynyrd Skynyrd songs Song recordings produced by Al Kooper Songs written by Allen Collins Songs written by Ronnie Van Zant Songs based on actual events 1973 singles MCA Records singles