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Free Bird........ughhh
- Thread starter Mikey F
- Start date
Agree 100%. One thing most bassists miss are the slides. It all sounds pretty basic until you try to play it correctly. I love Whiskey Rock-A-roller and it's a challenge to do it justice. If you're not doing some slides then you're not playing Skynrd Bass lines.
We opened for Skynyrd couple years ago. Only time we didn't have someone shout out "FreeBird".
I'd have to check the rules, but I'm pretty sure Skynyrd playing Freebird is considered a Good Thing.
I also have never seen an episode of FRIENDS. I know everyone says it's good, blah blah blah, but I also have only seen MAYBE 3 episodes of Seinfeld, too.
I've seen all the X-Files, though
.
But seriously, Freebird is actually pretty fun to play live. I was filling in for a Southern Rock gig that did 4 hours of 38 Special, Doobies, Ted Nugent, Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws, etc and it was one of THE most FUN times I've ever had. It also helped that the band I was helping out were all top notch players.
I've seen all the X-Files, though
. But seriously, Freebird is actually pretty fun to play live. I was filling in for a Southern Rock gig that did 4 hours of 38 Special, Doobies, Ted Nugent, Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws, etc and it was one of THE most FUN times I've ever had. It also helped that the band I was helping out were all top notch players.
I've heard it yelled in seriousness and I've heard it yelled in jest. But never so far out of genre as it was by a drunk patron at our regular Old Time fiddle jam last Tuesday. Even his drinking pals didn't appreciate it.
I guess you listen to music very critically... just like me. I love the little nuances. That's what "makes the song", IMO. That and a great feel/sense of dynamics.
I'm starting a new band with this setlist as a starter:
Free Bird
Brown Eyed Girl
Mustang Sally
Wagon Wheel
Sugar Sugar
Sweet Caroline
Achy Breaky Heart
Tennessee Whiskey
YYZ
Free Bird
Brown Eyed Girl
Mustang Sally
Wagon Wheel
Sugar Sugar
Sweet Caroline
Achy Breaky Heart
Tennessee Whiskey
YYZ
Long time soul, chart groove player but I would love to play it again, last played it 40 years ago in a prog rock outfit....To make it work the two guitarists have got to get that harmonic double act at the end dead right, the guys I played with had it nailed perfectly...huge fun...grt memories.
I always referred to "Free Bird" as the redneck's "Stairway to Heaven".
Not only do I like the song "Freebird", but I also happen to be a bonafide Lynyrd Skynyrd fan. In addition to their standard radio hits, there's a bunch of deep cuts on those older albums that are just awesome IMO. I've only bought two CD box-sets in my life, and one of them was Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Edit: I also meant to say that in my 32 years as a gigging bassist, I have never played "Freebird". I've played a bunch of others, but never that one.
Edit: I also meant to say that in my 32 years as a gigging bassist, I have never played "Freebird". I've played a bunch of others, but never that one.
not a big fan or a hater of Feebird either way. Skynyrd is definitely part of rock music history and Freebird is a legacy kind of tune from that genre.
One band I've been in for a long time is a (pretty much) all original jazz/fusion/world music thing which gigs pretty regularly for what it is.
At one point several years ago, an audience member did the stereotypical Free Bird shout .... and we broke into a fairly deranged, swinging version of it which the audience seemed to enjoy. So we keep it in our back pockets and have done it a few times over the years.
Of course, our typical audience has also been known to shout out Inner Mounting Flame (and gets it from the band if we're feeling it) ... so there's that too
One band I've been in for a long time is a (pretty much) all original jazz/fusion/world music thing which gigs pretty regularly for what it is.
At one point several years ago, an audience member did the stereotypical Free Bird shout .... and we broke into a fairly deranged, swinging version of it which the audience seemed to enjoy. So we keep it in our back pockets and have done it a few times over the years.
Of course, our typical audience has also been known to shout out Inner Mounting Flame (and gets it from the band if we're feeling it) ... so there's that too
My high school covers band did Free Bird, back in 1976-77. We had to change up the arrangement quite a bit as we were a two-guitars-bass-and-drums band with a lead vocalist who played a bit of electric piano. So we had piano in the intro (but no "organ" for those iconic opening chords), and were a guitar short, but we worked it up into a pretty decent version. Of course, nobody in New Zealand was shouting "Play Free Bird!" in the 1970s, although I have heard it in the last 20 odd years, mostly by people trying to be funny.
All that said, I don't understand why the song gets such a bad rap. It's a great rock ballad with a very high standard of playing on it. For bass players in particular, many Skynyrd bass lines are quite complex and melodic, and a joy to learn and play, which kind of surprised me in a three guitar band; I expected it might take mo re of a back seat with so much rhythm and lead action up front.
And that said, if you're in a band playing mostly original songs, good on you. Play what you want. I honestly hope you're having fun, building a fan base, playing out, getting a recording deal. Whatever you're in it for. But if you're in a covers band, it's not a vanity project; your job is to entertain. Bars and clubs are only paying you because they want you to bring in a crowd who will spend money on food and drink. So play what the crowd wants. And if the people in your area really want Free Bird or Mustang Sally, why would you not play them? Would you go to your day job, where you're paid to produce widgets, and tell your boss you're going to make doodads today.
All that said, I don't understand why the song gets such a bad rap. It's a great rock ballad with a very high standard of playing on it. For bass players in particular, many Skynyrd bass lines are quite complex and melodic, and a joy to learn and play, which kind of surprised me in a three guitar band; I expected it might take mo re of a back seat with so much rhythm and lead action up front.
And that said, if you're in a band playing mostly original songs, good on you. Play what you want. I honestly hope you're having fun, building a fan base, playing out, getting a recording deal. Whatever you're in it for. But if you're in a covers band, it's not a vanity project; your job is to entertain. Bars and clubs are only paying you because they want you to bring in a crowd who will spend money on food and drink. So play what the crowd wants. And if the people in your area really want Free Bird or Mustang Sally, why would you not play them? Would you go to your day job, where you're paid to produce widgets, and tell your boss you're going to make doodads today.
I guy I have filled in for on occasion sings a song he calls Stairway to Freebird. Freebird with Stairway lyrics. He feels it's revenge for being asked to play either of those.
I once got to play "Free Bird" with Artimus Pyle. I know he wasn't on the original recording but he has probably played it more times than any other drummer. It was at an annual benefit concert. On the left end of the stage was Artimus and on the right end was none other than Vinny "Mad Dog" Lopez. We alternated between Skynyrd and Springsteen songs. Over the years I have played with Vinny guesting with three different bands I was in.
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