Greatest Rock n' Roll Myths: Lynyrd Skynyrd predicting their own fate

I was very pleased with the comments that you (my readers) left on my “27 Club post,” and it is clear to me that you all found the story quite compelling. So guess what? I have yet another famous rock n’ roll myth to share with you.

October 20^th 1977 was a catastrophic day of rock n’ roll music. The legendary southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, the group responsible for radio sensations such as “Sweet Home Alabama,” was in a ferocious plane crash that killed three of its members (lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gains, and backup singer Cassie Gains) and left the rest of the group severely injured.

Legend has it that Lynyrd Skynyrd predicted its own fate through the record cover of “Street Survivors,” their last studio album that was released three days before the tragic plane crash.

I can already feel myself shivering in fright--be ready to be a little creeped out guys.

                                             (The original cover of "Street Survivors" )

The album cover featured the members of the band standing together on a dark street, and around the seven members of the band is engulfed in flames. The flames are especially high around both Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gains, the two members who died in the plane crash. It literally looks like Steve’s legs are burning on the cover, which, yes, is rather superstitious. What typically happens when a plane crashes? It catches fire. In fact, the members of the band who died suffered third -degree burns.  Don’t forget now, the record cover was released only three days before that fatal plane crash, and that’s where the myth steps in.

For years, hardcore fans of Skynyrd have believed that the group predicted its band member’s fate through this cover. It is spooky, and I can understand why people may be superstitious enough to believe it. It’s similar to “The 27 Club” in that sense; people are just so overwhelmed with curiosity, it eventually evolves into an urban myth.

After the plane crash, the surviving band members felt that this cover was inappropriate, so it rereleased the album with just a normal black cover of the band standing on the street. Needless to say, finding an original copy of “Street Survivors” on vinyl with the fire cover is very difficult.

                                              (The revised cover of "Street Survivors") 

Today, many fans of the group still believe that Skynyrd did predict its fate, and it has become one of the most controversial myths in rock music.

I have a few questions for you guys: do you think it is merely a coincidence, or do you feel a little superstitious about the cover of the album? I personally think it is just a load of crap, but this myth has become so rampant that I Just couldn’t help sharing it. Besides, it is still interesting and I can’t deny that I find it pretty damn creepy. The controversy surrounding this myth has earned it a valuable place in rock history, and I just needed to share it.

Information found at the following sites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_Survivors

http://www.wcsx.com/gmi/classicrocknews/2013/10/25/top-5-creepy-rock-and-roll-myths

Images found at the following sites: 

http://www.wcsx.com/gmi/classicrocknews/2013/10/25/top-5-creepy-rock-and-roll-myths

http://www.feelnumb.com/2010/10/21/ronnie-van-zandts-neil-young-shirt-on-street-survivors-album-cover/

http://www.feelnumb.com/2009/03/24/lynyrd-skynyrd-street-survivors-album-eerie-cover/