What is it about "Free Bird"?

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― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 September 2005 14:07 (twenty years ago)

Apparently, it cannot change.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 12 September 2005 14:09 (twenty years ago)

at the Slint show in Toronto someone shouted out "Free Bird!"

Hi-fuckin-larious!

― Andrzej B. (Andrzej B.), Monday, 12 September 2005 15:52 (twenty years ago)

it's a fucking dirge.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Monday, 12 September 2005 15:55 (twenty years ago)

It's a humorless paean to not honoring one's committments.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 12 September 2005 16:06 (twenty years ago)

Tuesday's Gone >>> Free Bird

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Monday, 12 September 2005 16:07 (twenty years ago)

"one's commitments"? he never said he was gonna marry her, alex! but he's kinda sad about it, which is why it's "humorless."

HI DERE I AM STNADING UP FOR FRE EBIRD ON THE INTERNTES

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Monday, 12 September 2005 16:40 (twenty years ago)

Because it concludes with a four-minute bitchin' triple-threat guitar solo?

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Monday, 12 September 2005 17:01 (twenty years ago)

I don't really like Lynyrd Skynyrd (or any "southern rock") much, but "Free Bird" is undeniably and unironically awesome.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Monday, 12 September 2005 17:05 (twenty years ago)

radio dj piss break

― Old School (sexyDancer), Monday, 12 September 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

http://www.songlyricscollection.com/lyrics/b/the-beatles/free-as-a-bird/free-as-a-bird.jpg

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 12 September 2005 17:08 (twenty years ago)

I gather Rob Zombie stages a cinematic blood bath in his latest film, "The Devil's Rejects" that lasts for the entirety of the song. That's a lot of death.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 12 September 2005 17:16 (twenty years ago)

One of the great rock songs ever recorded. Beautiful into unbelievably rocked out. Indescribaly soulful/alive guitar solo/instrumental outro.

Not hard to figure out.

― Chris O., Monday, 12 September 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

I like the kids who say bands should play it every time someone calls for it, thinking that this will get people to stop calling for it, as if most of the people yelling Free Bird aren't serious. I'd yell it more often if I thought it'd get played.

― JKex (JKex), Monday, 12 September 2005 20:56 (twenty years ago)

I really really hate this song. (Everyone's shocked, I know.)

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Monday, 12 September 2005 21:01 (twenty years ago)

I'm pretty sure I read a story about the guy who invented the joke of shouting "Free Bird." Some radio DJ, late-70s. He intended it to be shouted at lame bands. It was done in the belief (fairly common at the time, I'm told) that "Free Bird" was an awesome song.

Which is, well, debatable.

― A|ex P@reene (Pareene), Monday, 12 September 2005 21:01 (twenty years ago)

That's debatable.

― JKex (JKex), Monday, 12 September 2005 21:06 (twenty years ago)

It's no "Sedan Delivery."

― A|ex P@reene (Pareene), Monday, 12 September 2005 21:08 (twenty years ago)

"Free Bird" is phenomenal. The guitar solo is fucking AWESOME!!

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Monday, 12 September 2005 21:25 (twenty years ago)

Surely the only proof required is Skynnyrd on the Old Grey Whistle Test. Waaay longer than even the extended album cut, almost falling apart at times, but just so totally fucking genuine. It's possibly my favourite TV performance of a song ever. Anyone unfazed by it has serious issues (man).

― myopic_void (myopic_void), Monday, 12 September 2005 21:35 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, myopic echoes what were my thoughts on the whole thing. Is that performance on the OGWT DVD?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 September 2005 21:38 (twenty years ago)

Hell yeah! 1st volume. Worth the price of admission alone. It's just one of the greatest performances ever, of a band simply going for it. That studio seemed to bring out the best in a lot of acts. And the sound on those shows was invariably awesome too.

― myopic_void (myopic_void), Monday, 12 September 2005 21:47 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't it in memory of Duane Allman?

This might be a dumb question but was that chord progression common in pop/rock songs before this song came out? "Tears in Heaven" is basically the identical progression in a different key, right?

All that stuff in the solo (trio?) where it sounds like there are two guitars playing almost the exact same fast twiddly licks, is that just double-tracked or did two of them actually pull that off live? That's pretty impressive if the latter. Also, during the 'song' part, there are three distinct guitar lines: the slide part, the ringy 12-string, and another arpeggiated line (maybe on a Tele?). Are there any effects on this third line, like slight phasing or anything, or is it just the twang of the instrument?

It's definitely classic in any case. Is there anyone on the radio now who would do something with three guitar lines like that (and I'm not talking about the solo even, just the accompaniment to the song)? The bass and drums add a lot too. In fact, they're probably what keep the solo interesting, when it could easily sound like flashy and repetitive twiddle (which is what it probably already sounds like to some people including Kim Thayil IIRC).

― Sundar (sundar), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 04:13 (twenty years ago)

In all honesty, I think it's partly because it sums up how a certain generation would like to think of themselves.

― Hurting (Hurting), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 04:17 (twenty years ago)

It's great, and I never want to hear it again. I like almost all their other songs, though, and will always regard "What's Your Name" as the pinnacle of their art.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 04:19 (twenty years ago)

t/s : Free Bird, Whipping Post

― M. V. (M.V.), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 04:21 (twenty years ago)

xpost (to self) You know, as in "this bird you cannot change!" It's like the hippie "My Way," with the added bonus of also being a break-up song.

― Hurting (Hurting), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 04:23 (twenty years ago)

Oh, well, "Whipping Post" would win in a standoff.

Weirdly, something about "Free Bird" makes me think of Bill Frisell and GYBE (and some other post-rock) but maybe it's just the country-ness.

― Sundar (sundar), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 04:33 (twenty years ago)

"What song is it you wanna hear?"

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 04:36 (twenty years ago)

Pavement - Tuesday's Gone (live)

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 05:34 (twenty years ago)

this is what it sounds like when rednecks cry

― Ronnie Van Zant, Tuesday, 13 September 2005 06:49 (twenty years ago)

G, D, Em, F, C, D

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 07:00 (twenty years ago)

Right, so if shimura curves are here, there's the chords for when someone shouts for it.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 07:10 (twenty years ago)

"Anything the hand can do, the machine can do better."

Yes, the more I think of "Freebird", the more I'm convinced that Ralf, Florian and Lester Bangs were right.

― rock off!, Tuesday, 13 September 2005 07:42 (twenty years ago)

That's one hell of a Kraftwerk lineup!

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 07:56 (twenty years ago)

Is there an electronica cover of "Free Bird" anywhere?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 11:24 (twenty years ago)

"Wenn ich hier morgen an Willen lasse
Den Sie sich jedoch erinnern
Daß ich ich an reisen muß jetzt dort, also bin
Viele Plätze ich sehen muß"

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 12:32 (twenty years ago)

'It's great, and I never want to hear it again' - yet another quotable quote from Mr Hurt! Keep 'em coming. Actually, I think I like "Freebird"s slide-guitar part more than any of Duane Allman's.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 13:16 (twenty years ago)

G, D, E-minor, F and C, one four five, slide, whoaohwhoahohwhoah, crash.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

ten years pass...

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/06/watch-bob-dylan-cover-the-lynyrd-skynyrd-classic-f.html

― Brad C., Tuesday, 14 June 2016 03:07 (nine years ago)

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