Studio Album · No. 12

Vicious Cycle Songwriting Credits by Lynyrd Skynyrd

2003 Sanctuary 15 tracks 70:40

Produced by Ben Fowler, Lynyrd Skynyrd

Sanctuary Southern RockBlues RockCountry RockHard Rock
93%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 14 of 15 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 14 / 15 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 15 tracks with documented writers, by whether Lynyrd Skynyrd carries a lyricist or composer credit.

93%
14 trackswritten by Lynyrd Skynyrd 1 trackoutside writers
Lynyrd Skynyrd's roles on this album

Share of the 15 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist93%
Composer93%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

15
Tracks
18
Lyricists
2
Producers
2003
Released
Data Insight

The four-man core is on most of it, but almost every track adds a name from outside: Tom Hambridge on five, Jim Peterik on four, Blair Daly and Kevin Bowe on one each. "Mad Hatter" runs to ten writers, the longest credit in the catalogue.

The 2003 album, the band's biggest chart return since the seventies, carried by "Red, White, & Blue".

Track Listing & Credits 15 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
That's How I Like It
Blair DalyRickey MedlockeGary RossingtonHughie ThomassonJohnny Van Zant Blair DalyRickey MedlockeGary Robert RossingtonHugh Edward Thomasson Jr.John Roy Van Zant Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
2
Pick Em Up
Tom HambridgeRickey MedlockeJohnny Van Zant Tom HambridgeRickey MedlockeJohn Roy Van Zant Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
3
Dead Man Walkin'
Kevin BoweRickey MedlockeGary RossingtonHughie ThomassonJohnny Van Zant Kevin BoweRickey MedlockeGary Robert RossingtonHugh Edward Thomasson Jr.John Roy Van Zant Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
4
The Way
Rickey MedlockeGary RossingtonHughie ThomassonJohnny Van Zant Rickey MedlockeGary Robert RossingtonHugh Edward Thomasson Jr.John Roy Van Zant Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
5
Red, White, & Blue
Donnie Van ZantJohnny Van ZantBrad WarrenBrett Warren Donnie Van ZantJohn Roy Van ZantBrad WarrenBrett Warren Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
6
Sweet Mama
Tom HambridgeDonnie Van ZantRobert White Johnson Tom HambridgeDonnie Van ZantRobert White Johnson Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
7
All Funked Up
Rickey MedlockeJim PeterikGary RossingtonHughie ThomassonJohnny Van Zant Rickey MedlockeJim PeterikGary Robert RossingtonHugh Edward Thomasson Jr.John Roy Van Zant Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
8
Hell or Heaven
Rickey MedlockeJim PeterikGary RossingtonHughie ThomassonJohnny Van Zant Rickey MedlockeJim PeterikGary Robert RossingtonHugh Edward Thomasson Jr.John Roy Van Zant Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
9
Mad Hatter
Tom HambridgeRickey MedlockeGary RossingtonHughie ThomassonJohnny Van ZantMichael CartelloneEan EvansBilly PowellCarol ChaseDale Krantz-Rossington Tom HambridgeRickey MedlockeGary Robert RossingtonHugh Edward Thomasson Jr.John Roy Van ZantMichael CartelloneDonald EvansWilliam Norris PowellCarol ChaseDale Krantz-Rossington Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
10
Rockin' Little Town
Tom HambridgeRickey MedlockeGary RossingtonHughie ThomassonJohnny Van Zant Tom HambridgeRickey MedlockeGary Robert RossingtonHugh Edward Thomasson Jr.John Roy Van Zant Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
11
Crawl
Rickey MedlockeJim PeterikGary RossingtonHughie ThomassonJohnny Van Zant Rickey MedlockeJim PeterikGary Robert RossingtonHugh Edward Thomasson Jr.John Roy Van Zant Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
12
Jake
Tom HambridgeRickey MedlockeGary RossingtonHughie ThomassonJohnny Van Zant Tom HambridgeRickey MedlockeGary Robert RossingtonHugh Edward Thomasson Jr.John Roy Van Zant Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
13
Life's Lessons
Rickey MedlockeJim PeterikGary RossingtonHughie ThomassonJohnny Van Zant Rickey MedlockeJim PeterikGary Robert RossingtonHugh Edward Thomasson Jr.John Roy Van Zant Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
14
Lucky Man
Rickey MedlockeGary RossingtonHughie ThomassonJohnny Van Zant Rickey MedlockeGary Robert RossingtonHugh Edward Thomasson Jr.John Roy Van Zant Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)
15
Gimme Back My Bullets
Gary RossingtonRonnie Van Zant Gary Robert RossingtonRonald Wayne Van Zant Ben FowlerLynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd (Performer)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 26 contributors

JR
John Roy Van Zant
Writer
On this album13 written
JV
Johnny Van Zant
Writer
On this album13 written
GR
Gary Robert Rossington
Writer
On this album12 written
GR
Gary Rossington
Writer
On this album12 written
RM
Rickey Medlocke
Writer
On this album12 written
HE
Hugh Edward Thomasson Jr.
Writer
On this album11 written
HT
Hughie Thomasson
Writer
On this album11 written
TH
Tom Hambridge
Writer
On this album5 written
JP
Jim Peterik
Writer
On this album4 written
DV
Donnie Van Zant
Writer
On this album2 written
BP
Billy Powell
Writer
On this album1 written
BD
Blair Daly
Writer
On this album1 written

More from Lynyrd Skynyrd

1973 100%
(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)
MCA
8 tracksProd. Al Kooper
1974 88%
Second Helping
MCA
8 tracksProd. Al Kooper
1975 100%
Nuthin' Fancy
MCA
8 tracksProd. Al Kooper
1976 89%
Gimme Back My Bullets
MCA
9 tracksProd. Tom Dowd
1977 88%
Street Survivors
MCA
8 tracksProd. Tom Dowd
1991 100%
Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991
Atlantic
11 tracksProd. Tom Dowd
1993 100%
The Last Rebel
Atlantic
10 tracksProd. Barry Beckett
1994 92%
Endangered Species
Capricorn
13 tracksProd. Barry Beckett
1997 85%
Twenty
CMC International
13 tracksProd. Josh Leo
1999 100%
Edge of Forever
CMC International
12 tracksProd. Ron Nevison
2000 36%
Christmas Time Again
CMC International
11 tracksProd. Lynyrd Skynyrd
2009 92%
God & Guns
Roadrunner
12 tracksProd. Bob Marlette
2012 91%
Last of a Dyin' Breed
Roadrunner / Loud and Proud
11 tracksProd. Bob Marlette

Frequently Asked Questions Vicious Cycle

Who wrote the songs on Vicious Cycle?
Johnny Van Zant on thirteen of the fifteen, with Rickey Medlocke on twelve and Gary Rossington and Hughie Thomasson on eleven. Tom Hambridge and Jim Peterik are the most frequent outside co-writers.
Which track has the most writers?
"Mad Hatter", credited to ten people including the whole touring band.
How high did the single chart?
"Red White & Blue (Love It or Leave)" reached number 27 on the mainstream rock chart.
Who produced it?
Ben Fowler with the band.
How high did the album chart?
Number 30 on the Billboard 200.
How did it sell?
The article publishes no sales or certification figure for it.
How long is the album?
70:40 across fifteen tracks, the band's longest.

Sources

Wikipedia: Vicious Cycle Wikipedia: Lynyrd Skynyrd discography Cover Art Archive: Vicious Cycle by Lynyrd Skynyrd