Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd is widely considered one of the longest songs in rock music history. The full, unedited version of the song lasts for over 13 minutes, making it an epic jam that showcases some of the band’s finest musicianship.
Intro and History
Free Bird first appeared on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut album (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd) in 1973. The song instantly became a concert staple and fan favorite thanks to its memorable guitar melodies and lyrics about a failed relationship. While the studio version clocked in at 9 minutes, the band would often extend the song during live shows, adding long, improvised guitar solos and jams that could stretch the song out to over 15 minutes.
The idea for Free Bird supposedly came from a comment that a drunk fan shouted at one of the band’s shows: “Play Free Bird!” Amused by the random request, guitarist Allen Collins and vocalist Ronnie Van Zant decided to actually write a song called “Free Bird.”
The track features Lynyrd Skynyrd’s famous three-guitar attack, with Gary Rossington and Allen Collins trading solos alongside slide guitarist Ed King. The piano intro and outro were composed by guitarist Billy Powell and help make the song instantly recognizable after just a few notes.
Studio Version Length
The original studio recording of Free Bird released on the band’s debut album in 1973 has a run time of 9 minutes and 8 seconds. This version features:
- A 2 minute piano ballad intro
- 3 minutes of verses and chorus featuring Ronnie Van Zant’s vocals
- A 2 minute guitar solo by Allen Collins
- A 3 minute guitar solo by Gary Rossington
- A 1 minute piano outro reprising the intro melody
So while just over 9 minutes long, the studio version of Free Bird contains almost 6 minutes of instrumental solos – nearly two-thirds of the runtime! This established the template for the even longer live versions.
Average Live Version Length
During Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1970s live shows, Free Bird became a centerpiece for extended guitar improvisations and often exceeded 13 minutes in length. Some particularly legendary concert versions stretched over 15 minutes. While lengths varied from night to night, a typical 1970s live version of Free Bird contained:
- 2 minute piano intro
- 3 minutes of verses and chorus
- 8+ minutes of guitar jamming and solos
- 1 minute piano outro
So the average live Free Bird during Lynyrd Skynyrd’s peak touring years clocked in around 13-15 minutes – much longer than the studio original. The length enabled each guitarist to take multiple solos and let the band improvise new riffs and melodies within the song’s basic structure.
Length Over the Years
Over Lynyrd Skynyrd’s multiple decades of live shows and tours, the length of Free Bird varied as the band’s lineup and sound evolved:
- 1970s – Generally 12-15 minutes during original lineup’s tours
- 1980s – Shorter around 8-10 minutes with new post-crash lineup
- 1990s – Expanded again to 10-14 minutes during reunion shows
- 2000s/2010s – Typical versions ranged from 10-14 minutes
Today, with guitarist Gary Rossington as the sole remaining original member, the current incarnation of Lynyrd Skynyrd usually performs Free Bird in the 10-12 minute range for most shows. The song remains a crowd pleaser and reliable showstopper decades after its creation.
Longest Known Version
The longest known concert performance of Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd occurred on July 13, 1977 at the Oakland Coliseum in California. This epic version lasted for 16 minutes and 37 seconds. It featured extended jams between the three guitarists and remains the longest verified version of Free Bird ever recorded live.
Shortest Known Version
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s shortest concert rendition of Free Bird happened on October 2, 1999 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California. Perhaps due to time constraints or the band’s mood that night, the song clocked in at just 5 minutes and 17 seconds – less than half the running time of a typical 1970s version!
Acoustic Versions
Lynyrd Skynyrd has occasionally performed all-acoustic versions of Free Bird in concert over the years. Without electric guitars, these renditions are naturally shorter, usually running 5-8 minutes. The focus becomes the song’s lyrics and vocal harmonies rather than instrumental soloing.
Covers by Other Artists
Free Bird remains hugely popular for cover versions by other bands in various genres. Lengths can vary widely depending on each group’s stylistic interpretation. Some examples:
- Jimmy Buffett – 6 minutes
- Neil Young – 15 minutes
- Widespread Panic – 25+ minutes
- Elton John – 4 minutes
- Alvin and the Chipmunks – 3 minutes
The Long and Short of It
While originally under 10 minutes in its studio version, over decades of concerts and countless cover versions, Free Bird has proven to be an incredibly flexible song with no standard length. At its essence, it showcases Lynyrd Skynyrd’s southern rock guitar prowess and Ronnie Van Zant’s soulful lyrics. The improvised solos can be expanded, contracted, or reimagined depending on the band and setting, ranging anywhere from 3 minutes to 25+ minutes. Its status as one of the longest classic rock songs rests in the many epic 15+ minute live versions by the original band during their peak in the 1970s. The fluid structure and lack of length boundaries has enabled Free Bird to become legend over the years.
Conclusion
To summarize key length information:
- Studio version: 9:08
- Average 70s live version: 13-15 minutes
- Length over the years: 5-25+ minutes
- Longest version: 16:37 (Oakland 1977)
- Shortest version: 5:17 (Shoreline 1999)
So while there is no definitive answer for how long Free Bird goes for, the song remains an epic classic rock ballad closely tied to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s identity and musical legacy. Its varying lengths simply provide more opportunities for guitarists to pay tribute to the original’s famous solos during live shows and recordings.