A 1973 Lynyrd Skynyrd track that opens as a slide-guitar ballad and closes with an extended three-guitar instrumental jam, a defining Southern rock recording.
Composition
Free Bird was written by Allen Collins and Ronnie Van Zant. The song opens with a slow ballad section featuring slide guitar and piano before shifting to an extended instrumental section that closes the track.
Recording
The recording features a three-guitar lineup of Collins, Gary Rossington, and Ed King. The instrumental coda runs for several minutes and became a defining feature of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s live shows, sometimes stretched well past ten minutes in concert.
Legacy
Free Bird has become emblematic of Southern rock and the long instrumental tradition in rock music. Following the 1977 plane crash that killed Van Zant and several bandmates, the song has often been performed as a memorial.
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Free Bird starts with F and ends with D. Browse other songs along the same letter.
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