Exactly why do bands hate playing "Free Bird"?

[Munjibunga]

Don't get me wrong, I hate it as much as anyone, but can't really articulate a specific reason. What are your reasons?

[Stinsok]

It's too long and you need 2 guitarist (and who wants that?)

[ninefingerbass]

Because they don't know how to play it. Have you heard of the band moe.? They learned how to play it for that reason. Well at least I think that's why. But check out there version, it's really good.

[stratovani]

Why? Because it's been played to death by just about every band in existence since the late 70s. It was even my daughter's class song when she graduated from high school a couple of years ago.

[Johnny Crab]

Originally Posted by Stinsok

It's too long and you need 2 guitarists (and who wants that?)

+1
At LEAST 2 guitarists, 3 would be better(for the song).

[MyUsernameHere]

I got nothing against covers, but if you can hear a song on the radio once every half hour for the last 15 years...well that's enough for me. I don't want to have to hear it at my shows or practices too.

As for disappointing anyone in the audience who requests it. Well it serves them right, the unimaginative pri#%$ that they are.

[bassbully]

I agree most bands cant play it right the slide part for sure...and didnt LS have 3 guitars in that sucker.

[rstansfield64]

I think for a lot of people Freebird just screams white trash, plain and simple. When your playing in a progressive metal band and some drunk from the back of the room screams "play some skynard god dammit" it can be absolutely infuriating. I know thats what it is with me and a lot of people I know.

[Rattman]

"Freebird" isn't even a song anymore.. it's nothing more than a parody of itself.. It has totally lost whatever charm(s) it may have had a very long time ago.. I won't even listen to it if it comes up on a playlist someplace.

[unclejam]

it needs to die and isnt that great of a song imho

[superbassman2000]

because people request it!

for the record I don't hate playing it

[Lesfunk]

I think it's a symbol. To many musicians it seems to represent a "lowest common denominator" in music. Skynyrd was actually a very good rock and roll band but much of their music has been heard so much that it has become totally cliche.
That and it's association with the "lower class" or " Hillbilly" element in society.

[kesslari]

Yeah, but if you get really drunk and cluck all the guitar parts out like a chicken, it's kind of fun...

[Bard2dbone]

I don't really hate it anymore. But I sure did by about 1988. I'd hate to play it in front of loud obnoxious drunks (Is there any other kind?) a few thousand times. It can still be a good song IF you have a good enough slide guitarist. And we did.

But it really did become somewhat of a parody of itself. And that's a shame. Lesfunk is right: Skynyrd was a really talented band. I still bring out some Skynyrd songs at jams, mostly 'I Know A Little'. It's a lot of fun to play.

[bryan bailey]

You can't butcher it and get away with it.

[baba]

The guitar wankfest at the end becomes unbearable.

It's request has become the ultimate annoying cliche yelled out by people who think they are funny.

[SuperDuck]

Because every yokel in every bar in every state of this great country thinks that it's hilarious to yell "Freebird!" as a request between songs.

To them it never gets old. To the rest of us it's annoying as hell.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

I've heard that tune played live here in Finland only once, by LS .

Unfortunately their drummer had shiny black, strange outfit and played guitar .

I've played Freebird with acoustic guitar, (well who haven't really) and it always brings smiles and memories to everyone, and I mean the good kind.

And as a sidenote.
I'm really, really happy that i live in a country where I can still listen LS every day if I like to, without being described something or other. It's a real shame what happened, but beats the OD that was lurking around the corner too.

Sam

[RED5]

Some drunk in the balcony yelled out "Freebird" at a Southside Johnny show. They didn't comply...PS? He called out Jethro Tull next.

[Barkless Dog]

PTD
:bass ist:: bassist::bassi st: