Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd was released in 1973 on Pronounced ’Lĕh-’nérd ’Skin-’nérd and grew into a giant over time. Ronnie Van Zant wrote the lyrics after a question about freedom, while Allen Collins shaped the melody and the legendary closing solo. The song wasn’t an immediate hit—radio edits cut it down—but live it became unstoppable. The long guitar outro was stretched and reshaped night to night, often partly improvised. Audiences learned the moment when shouting “Free Bird” meant the li

Released in 1973, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd was Lynyrd Skynyrd’s hard-charging debut that lit the fuse on Southern rock. With gritty vocals, triple guitars, and working-man swagger, the album introduced the world to Ronnie Van Zant’s storytelling and anthems like “Gimme Three Steps,” “Tuesday’s Gone,” and “Simple Man.” But it was the epic closing track, “Free Bird,” that sealed their legend—9 minutes of slow burn turned full-throttle farewell. Produced by Al Kooper, the album mixed Muscle Sh