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TL;DR:

  • The lyrics of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” are arguably about a jerk.
  • It’s way too melodramatic for a song about a man who doesn’t want to commit.
  • However, “Free Bird” is still a classic because the instrumental of the song is so powerful.
"Free Bird" band Lynyrd Skynyrd in black-and-white
Lynyrd Skynyrd | Gems / Contributor

Classic rock can get a little melodramatic. For example, the lyrics of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” don’t warrant the tune’s over the top instrumental. The song was a hit but it missed the No. 1 spot.

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Free Bird’ is a mammoth song with broad lyrics

Lynyrd Skynyrd released several famous albums, but they have two songs everyone knows: “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird.” The former is lyrically questionable and region-specific, so the latter might be the band’s most popular song today. It’s also the subject of an age-old meme where fans shout “Play ‘Free Bird'” at concerts by bands who aren’t Lynyrd Skynyrd. 

But the song is funny for reasons that extend beyond that meme. “Free Bird” is a Southern-fried attempt at progressive rock, with its distinct sections and incredible length. The version from (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd) is over 9 minutes long, and the version from the later album Skynyrd’s Innyrds is over 10 minutes long. 

Lynyrd Skynyrd didn’t need to be so dramatic for a song about sleeping around

“Free Bird” amps up the melodrama with a church organ, guitar solos, and rapid changes in tone and tempo. All this for a song whose message is basically “I can’t be tied down babe.” That’s not a very romantic or meaningful message. In fact, the protagonist of the track could be interpreted as a noncommittal jerk. The idea that the tune is about the concept of freedom as a whole is giving the track way too much credit.

Why does a song with a message like that need to be so over the top? The bombast is silly, but it’s also what makes the song endearing. Plus, a track with an instrumental that incredible would work no matter what the song was about!

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Lynyrd Skynyrd were not chart juggernauts, so “Free Bird” became one of the band’s biggest hits when it reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. The tune stayed on the chart for a total of 20 weeks. The tune’s parent album, (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd), hit No. 27 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 79 weeks. Notably, the band never released a No. 1 album. 

“Free Bird” went on to impact popular culture. For example, it appeared in the climax of Rob Zombie’s The Devil’s Rejects, introducing the song to a younger generation. The band Will to Power released a memorable cover of the song. Titled “Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley,” it combined the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic with Peter Frampton’s “Baby, I Love Your Way.” It’s one of the most unusual hits of the 1980s.

Lynyrd Skynyrd could be a little ridiculous but they were ridiculous in the best possible way.

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