What's Your Name

Album

Street Survivors

Label

MCA Records

Genre

Southern Rock

Media Type

45s

Composer(s)

Gary Rossington;Ronnie Van Zant

Entered Chart

Dec 3, 1977

Peak Date

Mar 11, 1978

Released

November 1977

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

MCA 40819

B-Side

I Know A Little

"What's Your Name" is based on a true story. One night while they were on tour, the band was drinking at their hotel bar when one of the roadies got in a fight. They all got kicked out, went to a room, ordered champagne and continued the party. The incident in this song did not happen in Boise, Idaho. The first line was originally, "It's 8 o'clock and boys it's time to go," but lead singer Ronnie Van Zant changed it when he found out his brother, Donnie, was opening his first national tour with his band .38 Special in Boise. The first line became "It's 8 o'clock in Boise, Idaho." According to Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington (in an interview with Paul Ingles), he and Ronnie Van Zant wrote this one night when they were in Miami with Steve Cropper and producer Tom Dowd. Cropper, the guitarist for the legendary Stax Records band Booker T. & the MG's, gave them some ideas. Three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd died in a plane crash just three days after this album was released. The album had to be given a new cover, because the original one portrayed the group surrounded by flames. This was released as a single in January 1978, a few months after the plane crash that killed Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gaines. The B-52s reached #74 in 1980 with "Private Idaho," but "What's Your Name" is the biggest hit song to mention the state in the lyric.

Well, its 8 o'clock in Boise, Idaho
I'll find my limo driver
Mister, take us to the show
I done made some plans for later on tonight
I'll find a little queen
And I know I can treat her right.

[Chorus]
What's your name, little girl?
What's your name?
Shootin' you straight, little girl?
Won't you do the same?.

Back at the hotel
Lord we got such a mess
It seems that one of the crew
Had a go with one of the guests, oh yes
Well, the police said we can't drink in the bar
What a shame
Won't you come upstairs girl
And have a drink of champagne

What's your name, little girl?
What's your name?
Shootin' you straight, little girl?
For there ain't no shame.

[Chorus]

[Chorus]

9 o'clock the next day
And I'm ready to go
I got six hundred miles to ride
To do one more show, oh no
Can I get you a taxi home
It sure was grand
When I come back here next year
I wanna see you again

What was your name, little girl?
What's your name?
Shootin' you straight, little girl?
Well there ain't no shame
What was your name, little girl?
What's your name?
Shootin' you straight, little girl?
Won't you do the same?