Vicious Cycle is the twelfth studio album by Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 2003. It was the first album recorded by the band following the death of original bassist Leon Wilkeson, who appears on two songs, "The Way" and "Lucky Man", and the song "Mad Hatter" is a tribute to him. The album is the first to feature bassist Ean Evans, the first mainstream album with Michael Cartellone on drums (who had previously appeared on Christmas Time Again), and the last album that guitarist Hughie Thomasson played on before he died. It included the single "Red, White & Blue" which peaked at number 27 on the US Mainstream Rock charts.

Vicious Cycle
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 20, 2003
RecordedNovember 2002 – January 2003 at Cartee Day Studios, except 15
Genre
Length70:40
LabelSanctuary
ProducerBen Fowler and Lynyrd Skynyrd, except 15
Lynyrd Skynyrd chronology
Then and Now
(2000)
Vicious Cycle
(2003)
Lynyrd Skynyrd Lyve: The Vicious Cycle Tour
(2003)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Rolling Stone[2]

Track listing

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  1. "That's How I Like It" (Blair Daly, Rickey Medlocke, Gary Rossington, Hughie Thomasson, Johnny Van Zant) – 4:33
  2. "Pick Em Up" (Tom Hambridge, Medlocke, J. Van Zant) – 4:20
  3. "Dead Man Walkin'" (Kevin Bowe, Medlocke, Rossington, Thomasson, J. Van Zant) – 4:30
  4. "The Way" (Medlocke, Rossington, Thomasson, J. Van Zant) – 5:32
  5. "Red, White, & Blue" (Donnie Van Zant, J. Van Zant, Brad Warren, Brett Warren) – 5:31
  6. "Sweet Mama" (Hambridge, D. Van Zant, Robert White Johnson) – 3:59
  7. "All Funked Up" (Medlocke, Jim Peterik, Rossington, Thomasson, J. Van Zant) – 3:33
  8. "Hell or Heaven" (Medlocke, Peterik, Rossington, Thomasson, J. Van Zant) – 5:14
  9. "Mad Hatter" (Hambridge, Medlocke, Rossington, Thomasson, J. Van Zant, Cartellone, Evans, Powell, Chase, Krantz) – 5:38
  10. "Rockin' Little Town" (Hambridge, Medlocke, Rossington, Thomasson, J. Van Zant) – 3:36
  11. "Crawl" (Medlocke, Peterik, Rossington, Thomasson, J. Van Zant) – 5:09
  12. "Jake" (Hambridge, Medlocke, Rossington, Thomasson, J. Van Zant) – 3:41
  13. "Life's Lessons" (Medlocke, Peterik, Rossington, Thomasson, J. Van Zant) – 5:59
  14. "Lucky Man" (Medlocke, Rossington, Thomasson, J. Van Zant) – 5:35
  15. "Gimme Back My Bullets" (Bonus Track featuring Kid Rock) (Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant) – 3:41

Personnel

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Lynyrd Skynyrd
Additional personnel

Charts

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Chart (2003) Peak
position
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[3] 30
French Albums (SNEP)[4] 150
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[5] 44
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[6] 47
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[7] 39
US Billboard 200[8] 30

References

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  1. ^ Theakston, Rob (2011). "Vicious Cycle - Lynyrd Skynyrd". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 August 2011. Rob Theakston
  2. ^ Abowitz, Richard (2011). "Lynyrd Skynyrd: Vicious Cycle : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  3. ^ "Lynyrd Skynyrd: Vicious Cycle" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  4. ^ "Lescharts.com – Lynyrd Skynyrd – Vicious Cycle". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  5. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Lynyrd Skynyrd – Vicious Cycle" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  6. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  7. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  8. ^ "Lynyrd Skynyrd Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2024.