Free Bird Lyrics

[Intro]

[Verse 1]
If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?

For I must be traveling on, now
'Cause there's too many places I've got to see

[Pre-Chorus]
But if I stay here with you, girl
Things just couldn't be the same


[Chorus]
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now
And this bird you cannot change
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
And the bird you cannot change
And this bird you cannot change
Lord knows I can't change

[Instrumental Bridge]

[Verse 2]
Bye-bye, baby, it's been a sweet love, yeah-yeah
Though this feeling I can't change
But, please, don't take it so badly
'Cause Lord knows I'm to blame

[Pre-Chorus]
But, if I stay here with you, girl
Things just couldn't be the same


[Chorus]
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now
And this bird you cannot change
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
And the bird you cannot change
And this bird you cannot change
Lord knows I can't change
Lord, help me, I can't change

[Outro]
Lord, I can't change
Won't you fly high, free bird, yeah

[Guitar Solo]

How to Format Lyrics:

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  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
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  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
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About

Genius Annotation

“Free Bird” is a song by the American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, from the band’s first debut (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) (1973). Released as a single the following year, it managed to break the Top 40 in 1975, following the success of “Sweet Home Alabama.” The lyrics take inspiration from Allen Collins’s girlfriend, Kathy, and would later be dedicated to Duane Allman. It contains a famous 5-minute guitar solo closing the song.

Also, following the crowd chant in the live album One More from the Road, yelling “Free Bird!” in concerts of whatever artist or genre became a widespread habit.

The single version omits much of the solo.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Lynyrd Skynyrd say about "Free Bird"?
Genius Answer

Gary Rossington said the writing process was surprisingly easy once it got going:

Allen [Collins] had the chords for the beginning, pretty part for two full years and we kept asking Ronnie [Van Zant] to write something and he kept telling us to forget it; he said there were too many chords so he couldn’t find a melody. He thought that he had to change with every chord. Then one day we were at rehearsal and Allen started playing those chords again, and Ronnie said, ‘Those are pretty, play them again.’ He said, ‘I got it,’ and wrote the lyrics in three or four minutes, the whole damned thing!

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