Ed King Is The MASTER Of Slide Guitar In Haunting “Mr. Banker” Demo

The Slide King

Recorded in ’73 at the “Studio One” Sessions, “Mr. Banker” represents the southern soul that the Jacksonville boys were capable of with Ronnie at the mic, and still are to this day. As the original demo, this track provides incredible vocal quality by the great Ronnie Van Zant with simple blues riffs and killer slide guitar work by Ed King; it is one of Skynyrd’s bluesiest tunes of all time.

Interesting Fact: Songs King wrote or co-wrote the music for include “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Poison Whiskey,” “Saturday Night Special,” “Mr. Banker,” “Swamp Music,” “Whiskey Rock-a-Roller,””Railroad Song,” “I Need You” and “Workin’ For MCA.”

From Legend released 14 years after its recording and the re-release of Pronounced Leh-nerd skin-nerd, “Mr. Banker” was a well- hidden secret of the southern rock legacy for quite some time. Written about a man pleading for the bank to help him take care of his father’s funeral, this unbelievably moving ballad is something that Skynyrd fans can all relate to: money.

The lengths people are willing to go to do the right thing can sometimes surprise us in great ways like the lines :

“I told you mister 
I ain’t got no house 
Ain’t got no car 
I got me a 1950 Les Paul guitar 
Won’t you take it mister banker 
Won’t you bury my papa for me 
Oh mister banker please”

Having experienced several struggles throughout the evolution of the band, Ronnie and King fabricated this story to tell a beautiful, sad tale about a struggling and loyal son trying to let his father rest in peace.

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd & Second Helping Live’ is available now on DVD, Blu-ray and digital formats – it’s the perfect gift for the Lynyrd Skynyrd fan in your life. Buy it here on Amazon!

+ Mr. Banker Lyrics +

Mister Banker
Mister please, how much does money mean
Won’t you reconsider Mister
Won’t you do this thing for me

Ain’t got no house
Ain’t got no car
All I got, lord, is my guitar
But you can have that Mister Banker

Won’t you bury my papa for me
Oh Mister Banker please
Listen to how that sound

I would not be here on my knees
But hey Mister Banker
It means so much to me
Oh won’t you reconsider Mister
Won’t you do this thing for me

I told you Mister
I ain’t got no house
Ain’t got no car

I got me a 1950 Les Paul guitar
Won’t you take it Mister Banker
Won’t you bury my papa for me
Oh Mister Banker please