Lynyrd Skynyrd – Free Bird

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If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me
For I must be travelin' on now
There's too many places I got to see

If I stay here with you girl
Things just couldn't be the same
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now
And this bird you cannot change
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
And the bird you cannot change
And this bird you cannot change
Lord knows, I can't change

Bye and bye baby, it's been sweet love, yeah yeah
Though this feelin' I can't change
Please don't take it so badly
'Cause Lord knows, I'm to blame

And if I stay here with you girl
Things just couldn't even be the same
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now
And this bird you cannot change
Oh 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
Lord I can't change
Won't you fly high free bird yeah

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Lyrics submitted by GUITARGOD612

Track duration: 09:06

"Free Bird" as written by Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Free Bird song meanings
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165 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Serious, Skynyrd Fans, Ronnie tells us exactly what the song is about. It is not about a girl, ironically it is about life. Read the liner notes in the The Definative collection box set. Rock Skynyrd, we love you.
    Flagged copy2johnon June 16, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song can have different meanings for different people. The guitar solo at the end was added after the song was originally recorded as a dedication to Duane Allman from the Allman Brothers band after he was killed in a motorcycle accident. To me the meaning behind it is simple. I ride motorcycles. I love to ride. I even ride cross country. So, to me the meaning is saying goodbye to a woman because she won't let you ride. I also feel it's saying I can't be with you because I enjoy my freedom too much and don't want to be nailed down. I hate it when I ask my buddies if they want to go camping, go grab some beers, or go to a concert and they have to ask thier wife or girlfriend first. That's what this song means. It also has a darker meaning saying if I were to die tomorrow would you remember me 3, 5, 10, 20 years from now.
    Flagged sigsauer82on December 14, 2011   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation:For me, this song reminds me of the relationship between myself and my mother. She worries so much about me almost all of the time. Also, I have no problem in saying that I "seek the world"; such a traveller at heart!! My mam isn't the best traveller when it comes to flying, so it's a real kick in the teeth for her.

    "I must be travelling on now, 'cause there's too many places I've got to see".

    Me, I can relate to this line sooooo much. My mam must accept that, one day, whether she likes it or not, she is going to have to let me go and do the things and see the things that I want to do and see.

    Me being an only child doesn't help, I suppose... but that's my two cents for this amazing song.

    FREE BIRD!!!!
    Flag CARNLOUon September 07, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Freebird is about the times. I was 21 when this albumn was released ( have the original record ) and believe me it is about a guy who wants to get high and go places and do things they couldn't do together due to certain circumstances and she doesn't necessarily agree yet he needs to tell her he has to do it regardless (and she knows it). He realizes that he needs to do it on his own and feels some remorse and is trying to explain it would be better him doing it on his own (to avoid hurting his love). He tells her she was a sweet love but he just can't change his feelings about needing to venture and so instead of dragging her through all of that he tells her he feels the need to fly and he can't change that. Oh Lord he can't change his habbits, his need to move on.
    The albumn came out in 1973 and the plane crash was in October 1977 (I cried my eyes out)
    fortunatley there were some "Street Survivors" and the band continued on. Got to see them live in Toledo before Billy died....one of the greatest nights of my life. (was with one of my siblings)
    I am the middle of nine siblings scattered throughout the country and when they are out and about and Freebird is played where they are I am always blessed with a phone message....and the only thing I hear is Freebird.
    The band was friends with Neil Young and visa versa.
    Freebird was originally written as an almost balad....no intro as we know it and no solo and the end. Ronnie changed all that up with the group and out of it is what we know today.
    Stairway to heaven is a different type of song and deserves to be recongnized as such.
    The two are equal in their own regards.
    As for a memory of lost friends, just play Tuesday Gone from the same albumn....It brings me to tears remembering my wife of 1970 whom I lost in 1994.
    My children and grandchildren love the 70's music as much as their dad and papa.
    Flag ThomG1867on March 15, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I had the pleasure of seeing Lynyrd Skynyrd in concert 3 days before the plane crash. I believe Ronnie Van Zant once stated that he would not see his thirtieth birthday. He was correct. What a sad day that was.
    Flag boneric22on February 17, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Is it "this bird you cannot "change" or "chain"? I think chain makes much more metaphorical sense, but it says change on most lyrics pages, such as this?

    Anyway - this song is goddamn awsome when you're driving! Should be on every road-mix :)
    Flag lukasjenkoon September 02, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:best guatar solo ever.
    Flag theunknownmindon August 15, 2010   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning:It's been mentioned previously but I want to put this to bed once and for all... Allan Collins girlfriend asked him one day "if I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?" That became the opening line of the song (the music was written a few years earlier) - there are no connections to Duane Allman - or to anybody dying. If they dedicated the song to Allman during a live gig then I can't comment on that but when the song was released, it wasn't dedicated to anyone - It was just a song about having to leave his Gf because he can't be held down (and this bird you cannot chain).
    Flag MarkCox11on July 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:perhaps he's dying or he's in denial that someone could ever love him, it's really sad/beautiful. such a classic song. :)
    Flag dark_eyez_666on June 02, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is so long..The lyrics are short! That makes me smile. :)
    Flag TheCranberriesLoveron April 25, 2010   Link

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