“Simple Man” was written by band members Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossington. Van Zant’s grandmother and Rossington’s mother passed away around the same time, so the two got together at Van Zant’s apartment to share memories of them. As they talked, the stories they passed back and forth suddenly began to form into a song.

Rossington grabbed a guitar and started playing a chord progression. Van Zant took the advice that these influential women passed down to them and worked it into the lyrics. They had “Simple Man” written within an hour.