Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” has been named one of the greatest classic rock songs that never reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The 1973 rock classic ranked No. 7 on a recent list of 10 classic rock songs that never topped the chart.
Collider’s ranking places “Free Bird” alongside famous songs such as Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun,” Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son.”
Despite its place in rock history, “Free Bird” peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its long running time may have been one reason it never reached the top spot.
The song runs for nine minutes and seven seconds on Spotify, according to the supplied streaming data, and has more than 957 million streams. Its combination of Ronnie Van Zant’s vocals and the extended guitar ending helped turn it into Lynyrd Skynyrd’s signature song.
American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1975.Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The track was released on the band’s 1973 debut album, Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd. It was later released as a single in November 1974.
“Free Bird” was not an ordinary radio single. The song grew from a guitar idea written by Allen Collins during the band’s early rehearsal days.
Gary Rossington recalled that Collins initially had trouble convincing Ronnie Van Zant to work with the song because of its many chord changes. Eventually, Van Zant asked Collins to play it again and began developing the melody and lyrics.
The song continued to change as Lynyrd Skynyrd performed it live.
According to Louder Sound, the band first performed only the slower section. The guitar ending was added later and gradually became longer. The extended ending also gave Van Zant a chance to rest his voice during performances.
Pianist Billy Powell later added the song’s recognizable piano introduction.
By the time the band recorded the song for its debut album, “Free Bird” had developed into a much longer piece. The band eventually refined it to around nine minutes for the studio recording.
The length became a concern when the song was considered for release as a single. Record executives reportedly believed it was too long for radio and wanted it shortened. The band refused.
Rossington recalled that the record company wanted the song reduced to about three or three-and-a-half minutes for radio. The band chose to keep the song as it was.
That decision did not stop “Free Bird” from becoming a hit.
The single entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 87 in November 1974 before eventually reaching No. 19 in January 1975. A live version later returned to the chart and reached No. 38 in 1977.
The song became Lynyrd Skynyrd’s signature track and a regular finale at the band’s live shows. The live performances could also run much longer than the studio version, with one famous performance stretching beyond 14 minutes.
The song’s guitar solos became one of its defining features. It ranked No. 3 on Guitar World’s list of the greatest guitar solos in 2010 and 2016 before placing No. 8 in the magazine’s 2022 ranking.
“Free Bird” also received major recognition outside the charts. The 1973 recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. It was also included among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.
Related: 1970 Black Sabbath Rock Song, Lasting Nearly 11 Minutes, Is Still a Powerful Hit 56 Years Later
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