3 Southern Rock Songs From the 1970s That Sound Like a Bar Fight at Closing Time

Southern rock tunes, particularly songs from the 1970s, are usually hard-hitting, high-energy, and a bit aggressive. That’s what makes the genre so fun. Personally, I think the following 1970s Southern rock songs would be perfect for a cinematic bar fight. Though, I don’t recommend starting one for the sake of a playlist. Let’s take a look at a few songs that would be perfect for a punch-throwing playlist, shall we?

“Uneasy Rider” by Charlie Daniels from ‘Honey In The Rock’ (1973)

This entry on our list of Southern rock songs from the 1970s that are perfect for a bar fight is a real shoo-in. The narrator of “Uneasy Rider” is your typical long-haired, p*t-smoking 70s hippie type who enters a “redneck” bar in Mississippi, where the unease of the locals comes close to starting a bar fight. The narrator hilariously spins a yarn and accuses one of the locals of being an FBI agent. It’s a very unique song, one with Charlie Daniels’ unforgettable storytelling talents on full display. 

“Uneasy Rider” leans more toward talking blues and bluegrass than Southern rock, but I think this No. 9 Hot 100 hit still deserves a spot on this list.

“La Grange” by ZZ Top from ‘Tres Hombres’ (1974)

This ZZ Top jam isn’t exactly about a bar fight, but the overall sound of the song would be perfect for a scene in a movie in which a tumultuous bar fight takes place. That introduction, that explosive second half of the song… “La Grange” is a top-notch punch-throwing song if I’ve ever heard one. It’s definitely a Southern rock gem, one with a heavy dose of boogie blues, particularly in the song’s rhythm. “La Grange” was surprisingly only a minor hit in 1974, peaking at No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“Gimme Three Steps” by Lynyrd Skynyrd from ‘(Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd)’ (1973)

“Gimme Three Steps” is another shoo-in for this list, considering it’s an actual bar fight song about an actual bar fight that once involved songwriter Ronnie Van Zant.

The story goes that Van Zant went to a bar in Florida. There, a gun was pulled on him by an angry patron after Van Zant danced with the perpetrator’s wife. In the song, the gun-wielding jealous husband gives the narrator a head start before he starts shooting, hence the title of the song. This classic Southern rock tune, surprisingly, didn’t chart in 1973 or 1976 when its live version was released.

Photo by Tom Hill/WireImage

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