Gifted Hands by Lynyrd Skynyrd Song Info
'Gifted Hands' is the 12th and final track from Lynyrd Skynyrd's 2009 album 'God & Guns'. The song was written by the band as a tribute to former keyboardist Billy Powell who died earlier in the year, on January the 28th at the age of 56 as a result of a suspected heart attack. The song was written in honour and memory of him. The song also bears a religious meaning, with the lyrics speaking of how God has shaped the world with his hands and has blessed all of us with our own 'gifted hands'. Johnny Van Zant mentioned in the track-by-track discussion of 'God & Guns' that he began writing the song as a very religious song, before he was approached by his fellow band members who wanted to change the song into a tribute to Billy: "I had started writing it as a really religious kinda song, and Gary listened to it, and I guess I had the words down, and Gary came back and said 'man, we're gonna call this Gifted Hands'. I was was kinda, like, fighting him a little bit, I was like 'no, no, I don't think so'. Then him, and Ricky, and Bob and everybody said 'let's try this'. So, we went riding around in a car in Nashville, went and had a coffee, and before you know it we came up with this great, great song. And it still has the religious tend." The song was written by Bob Marlette, Gary Rossington, John 5, Johnny Van Zant and Rickey Medlocke. The track runs for 5 minutes and 22 seconds, making it the second longest track on the 'God & Guns' record.
