The "Four Horseman of the music apocalypse ". Here is how the song works. Gary Rosington on lead slid guitar in the beginning. Allen Collins (in white) takes over lead and Gary goes to rhythm guitar. Steve Gaines who has been also been playing rhym up till now syncs with Allen playing duel lead. He inserts additional leads over Allen's leads during the song. At the same time. Leon Wilkinson is flying all over his bass guitar. You will never see talent on a stage like this again
The guitarist in white jamming at the end of Free Bird is Allen Collins. Allen and Ronnie Van Zant co-wrote Free Bird. Allen Collins was one of the greatest blues guitarist of that era.
Saddest thing about watching this is that all these original members are now gone, guitarist Gary Rossington having passed just a few months ago. Brilliant, historical performance.
@@andreadeamon6419 You are correct, Artimus Pyle (the drummer in this video) is still living. Founding drummer Bob Burns, who played drums on the original recording, is no longer with us. Thanks for catching my error.
Rickey Medlocke is an original member. That's why the band included him in the hall of fame induction ceremony. They started out with two drummers , Bob Burns, and Rickey Medlocke. Rick left prior to the recording of their debut album, but Gary and the rest of the band always considered him an original member.
@@Jaybird_67 Ricky isn’t an original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd - they formed in 1964 and he was only involved for about a year in 1971-1972 filling in for original drummer Bob Burns. He left in 19872 to reform his band Blackfoot and didn’t return to Lynyrd Skynyrd until 1996.
I was at this concert. Peter Frampton was the headliner but Skynyrd stole the show. We waited all day in the July sun to hear this song. It was their encore and 70,000 plus teens who had veen stoned and sun stroked came alive at the 12 minute guitar solo. Yeah we were blessed to have these bands. Don't try to hard to analyze, just let go and enjoy.
No, laurabartholomew was correct, you’re wrong. This is the Oakland ‘77 show headlined by Frampton. The ‘76 Winterland show was filmed in B&W, and appeared to be a nighttime show, you can find it on UA-cam as well.
I wasn't born yet, but man, I've loved this song ever since I first heard it just over 10 years ago. Anyway, your comment got a 'Like' from me from the time I read your very first sentence: "I was at this concert."....LOL
One afternoon in 1981, four of our small-town guys died in a car wreck. A bunch of us gathered at the pool hall to try to deal with it- in total shock. One of us rolled in and dumped five dollars worth of quarters in the juke box and played this on repeat- I've never listened to it on purpose since then. That is, until now. Somehow I knew watching you discover it would be worthwhile, and it was. Thank you!
This is one of best live performances of all time and we are blessed it was recorded for us to enjoy today. This was just before the tragic plane crash that devastated the band. These guys were in the prime of their career and makes you wonder what great music we missed out on because their lives were cut short.
They were in their 20s. Mind blowing. I couldn’t even attempt to create a masterpiece like this, even with unlimited time. They left us with many gems, god bless Lynyrd Skynyrd.
I only appreciate the music more as I get older. I understand the meaning more now than I did when I was young. Bob Seger "Against the Wind" is a prime example.
The biggest difference being everything back then was new, most of the pioneers were absolutely great but it was partly because there was less creative space being taken up. In todays world you can find tens of thousands of musicians capable of what only a few were back then, it almost forces new artists into "light shows and stage theatrics".. doesn't mean they arent just as good
In most of the world, there's an adage that says, "It isn't over until the fat lady sings" (an opera reference). . In the South, "It ain't over 'til Skynrd plays FREEBIRD!"
He was playing harmonics with his slide, but a slide not necessary to make that sound. Harmonics are natural places on the strings, where a very light touch of the string, without bringing it down to contact the fret, will ring out like that, at a very high pitch. There are harmonics at several places up and down the fretboard. They are located at the 5th, 7th, 12th and 19th(?), plus one more that isn't over the fretboard, closer to the bridge.
One of the great live performances ever ! Real musicians with no tricks or computers ! It's such a shame at what lots of young kids call music these day's ! What about that crowd ! Thanks for your review 😎✌
@aloneranger3980 By choice. No one said, " black people don't come. There were a few black folk out there brave enough to go against the cultural grain and listen to " white music," to probably realize as Gen X did, music is music. My communities choice is not to listen. Music is for everyone.
Gary’s bird sound that he made with his guitar is legendary. The way he expressed himself with his guitar, it sounded like a bird. One of the many reasons why this song is a Legend of a song. Btw your input of this song is amazing. I love sitting down and just closing my eyes to this song. So much is happening all at once and you were very descriptive ❤ loved this!
They are the pride of Jacksonville, Florida. Jacksonville was a really small town back then, it's hard to wrap your head around there being that much talent on the Westside, that could get together and create something magical.
Jacksonville was much smaller then, but later, to increase revenue, some of the surrounding counties were incorporated into Jacksonville, making it much larger.
@BrandonLeeBrown no, they didn't incorporate any other counties. They made the entire county, Duval, part of the city of Jacksonville. Jacksonville is the largest city in the country in land size.
He’s right Jacksonville encompasses the entire county. And the west side is the best side. Grew up and still live a mile from where most of them lived. Lake Shore/ Murray Hill.
The sounds you weren’t familiar to you on guitar were slide guitar where the guitar is tuned to an open chord and the slide (which can be metal or glass (in this case glass) is touched onto the strings and moved up and down the fretboard to different chords but the chords blend into each other. It’s the same idea as lap steel guitar basically, which you hear in country music and Hawian music. An absolutely iconic song from an amazing band, such a shame that they left us too soon 🥲😢 Nice reaction Rachael 🌹
@@jimspetdragons3737 Do you play guitar? I suspect not because I do and have done for a very long time and have played Freebird many times - that’s how I know how it’s done; the chirping sounds are harmonics, the slide is on the 12th fret where you get harmonics by touching the strings very lightly. What this is, is a live performance, whether it’s overdubbed or not that’s what’s being done in this performance by the player with the red Gibson SG!
@@DarrellW_UK That would be Gary Rossington. He died in march of 2023. He was the last of the musicians you see on stage here. They all died relatively young. Even Gary was only 71.
@@janpcs thanks, I got a bit annoyed by a stupid remark that seems to have disappeared, yeah, I had a bit of a memory glitch 😆 Yeah, it was a tragic thing to happen! I didn’t know that Gary was still alive until this year he was a great slide player!
You would love “Simple Man, Tuesday’s Gone, That’s Smell, Ballad of Curtis Lowe, etc etc etc. The live Concert at Knebworth 1976, opening for the Rolling Stones, who they blew away, was iconic in really propelling them to Super-Star status on the world stage!
They lost the lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitar player and vocalist Steve Gaines and his sister Cassie who sang backup, and assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick. The pilot and his 1st officer were also lost. 20 people survived. All because the plane ran out of fuel. That should never happen ever! Yesterday, today, or tomorrow. What a loss!
I was there...yes, Oakland Coliseum 1977. Went to Skyline High School in Oakland back in the day Class of '75' Went to every Day on the Green for years. Always had 3 to 5 bands at each one. Where else could you see the Grateful Dead and the Beach Boys at the same concert. They killed it !!!! Back then, it was Real Rock and Roll and it RULED the day !!!!
Well....compared the skills you see today, these guys, as wonderful as they were, are not even in the same league. Sorry but this boomer sees things VERY differently...
The piano player Billy Powell started out with them as a roadie. That is until one day during a break they heard him playing the piano and found out he was a classically trained pianist.. They hired him for the band and the rest as they say is history!!
Live at Knebworth opening for the Stones is cool as they were told to stay off the tongue and Ronnie said he would have pushed the piano down there as well. Badass.
@@antoinebrg6299 It was just like you saw here, plus being in a crowd crowd of 60,000. It was just great, so I went and saw them again two days later. Peter Frampton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Santana, and The Outlaws played.
All those girls you see in the audience are grandmothers now and great grandmothers. We didn’t know how good we had it back in the 70s and 80s relative to music.
Relative to just about everything really. Looking back at life how it was doesn't even seem possible. Kinda like a dream in the realest sense of the word
In the summer we hitched to their concerts and the Allman Bros concerts. We stayed sunburnt all summer long from the outdoor concerts. It was so worth it. This was the last concert I saw befire I joined the Air Force. The last of my hitchhicking hippie days. I was 21. God I miss thos summers in the late 60s early seventies clear to the end of the 70s. Life has bever been as free since for any of us.
Allen Collins is the incredible guitarist dressed in all white. He was co-author of this song along with Ronnie Van Zant. “These words were inspired by a real experience of Skynyrd guitarist and songwriter Allen Collins. His girlfriend Kathy Johns actually asked him the question, If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me? He wrote her words down and used them as inspiration for the song. 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 Despite the finality of the lyrics, Collins and Johns eventually got married in 1970.” From AMERICAN SONGWRITER by Kathleen Nolan
That was fun. You will probably hear this a lot in the comments but a really great next choice to check out by them is The Ballad Of Curtis Loew. It is just beautiful and warm and fantastic storytelling.
Great reaction! Speaking as an old fart that was around back then, as long as young people continue to experience the sheer joy that they shared, and the amazing skills, they will continue to live on...
Fantastic reaction. This is definitely one of the most iconic songs ever written. This was one of the bands last performances before their infamous plane crash, and one of the best performances of this song ever. Long live Lynyrd Skynyrd.
My Florida beach town wore out Sweet Home Alabama on the radio stations back then. Panama City Beach is Florida Lower Alabama! Fla. Jeff your comment is mine too, just put Florida in it for me.
Very sad indeed. This concert was their last before the tragic plane crash in October 77, 3 months after this concert. The Knebworh Concert in 76 in England supporting the Rolling Stones. That concert is considered the best ever LIVE PERFORMANCE EVER. A must watch
One of my favorite things is when young people watch this and it's dawns on them, through the video itself, or from a comment like mine, that all these audience members are their GRANDPARENTS now! We aren't so different after all!
This is classic southern fried rock. I am 62 and from Florida and the Van Zant family were family friends. I remember this music fondly. The music of my youth. As well as Molly Hatchet, .38 Special. God I miss it!! It was really funny when I played this for my youngest son when he was 15. His mouth hung open and he said "GEEZUS' when the guitar piece broke out. Huge hip hop and rap fan, grunge fan , and alt fan. This song inspired him to play guitar! LOVE IT!!!
Yes back when no one was offended..if you could play good rock and roll no matter where you are from you're in brother..people lived them southern boys with their southern rock in California !!! They had the biggest rebel flag that will ever be in California ..great reaction !!
I met Allen Collins once down in Sunrise Fla. After a Rossington - Collins band concert and I gotta tell ya he was one of the nicest guys I ever met. He signed an autograph for my girlfriend and it said God Bless you Joanna , Allen Collins. Now how cool is that.
I was at this concert. The lineup, in order of appearance, The Outlaws (Green Grass and High Tides, There Goes Another Love Song) Santana (Oye Como Va) Lynyrd Skynyrd (Sweet Home Alabama, Gimme Three Steps, Simple Man); Peter Frampton, (Do You Feel Like We Do) It was a great show, my first concert. Gary Rossington played lead slide guitar in the opening section, with Allen Collins shredding it in the closing.
Since this was filmed, I wonder if the whole show & maybe even the entire day was also filmed. What a killer first concert to attend! I think that's the best crowd I've ever seen, so much energy/synergy.
Wondering how a guitarist achieves all that speed and energy throughout a massive solo? It’s all in practice and constantly playing live for years. Nobody is born a guitar god, they are hard-working, hard-rocking musicians who perfect their craft through blood, sweat, and tears.
What else is melancholy about this video is I was about the same age as the crowd at this time. All these people are in their sixties now and their youth is long gone but what a great moment in time and wonderful memory to have in their golden years. We may be old but we got to see all the cool bands.
This is my favorite version of the tune. Great sound, everyone is on fire. The piano player used to be one of the crew, then he mentioned he wrote a piano intro to free bird and next thing you know, he is in the band. Nice!
I worked with them on a German tour about 10 years ago. Only 1 guitarist was the same as the gig you just watched, but I still considered it an honour to be there and they were still really good. (I was stage manager for an English band called 'The Brew' who supported them on that tour).
The best part of this was watching your reactions. Like a lot of us that are still here, we've lived through this. And it was frigging amazing, watching you melt into this performance. Wishing you were on the front row. Lol .I'm glad young folks are still listening and learning. Yeah it was a fantastic time. So much just raw damn talent 🎉
'Freebird' was not a hit originally from the 1st Lynyrd Skynyrd album in 1973... it was composed by Allen Collins (guitar) who was in the white pants and jumping onstage... lyrics by vocalist Ronnie Van Zant. It wasn't until 1976 when Skynyrd's double live album "One more from the road" became a platinum selling success that the live version of 'Freebird' became a massive hit single. It was tragic that the band was peaking in 1977 when the plane crash took the lives of vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister Cassie Gaines (backing vocals) and seriously injured all the members. The line-up in this clip was the same one in 1976: Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Allen Collins, Steve Gaines (guitars), Gary Rossington (slide guitar), Leon Wilkeson (bass), Billy Powell (piano) and Artimus Pyle (drums)... (Only Artimus Pyle is alive today, but not a member of Skynyrd) The studio version was recorded w/ Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, Gary Rossington... Ed King on bass and Bob Burns on drums (all of whom have passed away)
A cornerstone of Southern Rock....epic live performance. Glad you enjoyed this, have another live concert suggestion; Peter Frampton "Do You Feel Like We Do" from the Frampton Comes Alive tour & The Who "Who Are You", live at Shepperton Studios!!! You will love them🤟😎
This video can evoke a sadness as you watch knowing this was just a few weeks before the plane crash. I think this may have been the last time performed this song together as the original band, but I may be wrong on that. When you watch this from the perspective of knowing the future, it can be very emotional.
I can watch this video over and over again. I saw Skynyrd 2:54 05/30/76 at RFK Stadium in DC. They played w/Aerosmith, Nazareth and Ted Nugent. The concert lasted all day and Skynyrd blew everyone away. Freebird was the highlight of the day. The song takes you through every emotion culminating with guitars solos unmatched by anyone since. Van Zant was the leader of the band and he made sure that every band member had their moment to shine. I miss those days so much.
Classic! This song never gets old. Played this at a gig in Orewa (New Zealand) last year and was the highlight crowd favorite of the night! Thanks for the heartfelt reaction to this special song 🎸❤️
Saw them live in Birmingham, England not Alabama, in Aug 1977, "One More For The (^British) Road" Tour The best concert I've ever been to and they were joined on stage by Pete Haycock who lived in Stafford, for the encore including Freebird. An extra guest guitarist jamming on Freebird was a treat. They sincerely enjoyed what they did so much and the fans knew it. Sadly there was the plane crash shortly after in October.
They were in their late mid 20's ! If they all lived and stayed together, they could have have been the greatest band of all time! As it was, they have an AMAZING body of work ❤❤❤
It was intentionally melancholic as he is explaining his end to the relationship, and then erupts into him reveling in his freedom. The accelerating tempo is incredible in the last two thirds of the song (it's a lot like "Stairway to Heaven"), as is the resounding bass, which is hard to get on computer speakers. Equally important to the video is the response of the women to the music, particularly the lady with the black hair, yellow shirt and her hands on her head, she seems to find Cloud 9. One of the most incredible live performances of all time. Also "and this bird you cannot chain", not change. "Sweet Home Alabama" from 1976 Knebworth concert. Thanks a lot for the video.
This was truly a performance that words can barely describe. The raw energy, the massive crowd, the hot summer day. I was fortunate to be at their summer1976 show at outdoor RFK stadium in Washington, D.C., with Aerosmith and a few other bands when I was 16 years old. Listening to this review and hearing the live recording of this one took me right back there. Thanks for sharing such a great rendition!
Love your reaction! You were so surprised about how the guitars took off and played airborne rock. They had been playing this song at hundreds of concerts four or so years previously. That’s why they have everything down pat and were in total synch.
Fun little side note to this amazing song and performance. If you listen to their live album (One more from the road) Ronnie asks the crowd what song they want to hear and the crowd roars "Freebird!". For many years after that, people attending concerts of other artists would often hold up lighters during an encore and a segment of the crowd would be chanting "Freebird", kind of a fun tradition...
The reference that in guitar hero 2 as well lol . At the end of the “story” freebird is the final song you have to pass and the crowd chants “freebird freebird!!!”
In the mid-90s I saw the Skynyrd “Reunion Tour” with Jonnie van Zant as the vocalist. He sounded incredibly like his older brother. During the encore they started playing Freebird… Jonnie sang the first verse of the song…walked up to the microphone and set his hat on it ( looked just like Ronnie’s hat in this video). He said, “There’s only one man that can sing this song”, and stepped back. The remainder of the song was played as an instrumental…The crowd was jumping up and down as they are in this video…not a dry eye in the house
Even though some will argue that the concert in Knebworth England was a better concert, but for "Freebird" this is the best version. It shows Billy Powell's classical piano training and how the "3 Guitar Army" of Gary Rossington, Alan Collins, and Steve Gaines could jam and play in one accord, and don't forget Leon Wilkeson being amazing on bass. Artimus Pyle with that driving drum set is just unreal. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant is at the top of his game like never before. Other than Artimus, they are all gone now. He is still playing with his own band that does a lot of Skynyrd songs as a tribute to his fallen brethren.
Knebworth is longer and it has been recorded as the BEST LIVE VERSION IN THE HISTORY OF LS AND HOW LS SMOKED THE STONES AT KNEBWORTH AND PISSED MICK JAGGER OFF!! OAKLAND IS GREAT, A BETTER VIDEO THAN KNEBWORTH !!! AT ONE TIME UNLESS YOU WENT TO LIVE SHOWS OR SAW MUSIC ON TV , YOU LISTEN TO RADIO, 8-TRACKS,CASSETTES AND CD'S !! VIDEOS ARE NICE TO WATCH BUT FOR ME MUSIC SHOULD BE LISTENED TO!!
Your reaction was really cool to watch! Artimus Pyle the drummer is going to be on my radio station coming up this week. Thanks and check out the Allman Brothers from Filmore East!
Oakland Coliseum- site of some of the best rock concerts in the 70’s and 80’s. Saw many Day on the Greens there. Massive all day festivals. Saw Metallica, Scorpions, Ratt, Triumph, all the great ones!!!
Seen them live in WV back when they were alive ,when they started really jamming , more tube tops in the air and more titles in one place that I've ever seen in my life 😅
The "Four Horseman of the music apocalypse ". Here is how the song works. Gary Rosington on lead slid guitar in the beginning. Allen Collins (in white) takes over lead and Gary goes to rhythm guitar. Steve Gaines who has been also been playing rhym up till now syncs with Allen playing duel lead. He inserts additional leads over Allen's leads during the song. At the same time. Leon Wilkinson is flying all over his bass guitar. You will never see talent on a stage like this again
Correct. I have to explain to people all of the time that that’s not just Allen playing that by himself. 👍
Yes man this will never be repeated
Awesome Insights! Ty!
Correct! It's all about the Harmonics!
Allen helped write the song and music for this and many other songs. Probably one of the top 3 leads in history.
When she said, "I'm interested in what they do next," I just thought, man, buckle in. You're going on the ride of your life.
The guitarist jumping wrote this song in high school at 17 years old. That's incredible!
This is my first choice to be played at my funeral
The guitarist in white jamming at the end of Free Bird is Allen Collins. Allen and Ronnie Van Zant co-wrote Free Bird. Allen Collins was one of the greatest blues guitarist of that era.
It is indeed incredible...and even more so...many those nice looking ladies at the 5:30 mark are now grandmother
Saddest thing about watching this is that all these original members are now gone, guitarist Gary Rossington having passed just a few months ago. Brilliant, historical performance.
The drummer is still alive. Lives in Florida
@@andreadeamon6419 You are correct, Artimus Pyle (the drummer in this video) is still living. Founding drummer Bob Burns, who played drums on the original recording, is no longer with us. Thanks for catching my error.
Imagine what could’ve been.
Rickey Medlocke is an original member. That's why the band included him in the hall of fame induction ceremony. They started out with two drummers , Bob Burns, and Rickey Medlocke. Rick left prior to the recording of their debut album, but Gary and the rest of the band always considered him an original member.
@@Jaybird_67 Ricky isn’t an original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd - they formed in 1964 and he was only involved for about a year in 1971-1972 filling in for original drummer Bob Burns. He left in 19872 to reform his band Blackfoot and didn’t return to Lynyrd Skynyrd until 1996.
I was at this concert. Peter Frampton was the headliner but Skynyrd stole the show. We waited all day in the July sun to hear this song. It was their encore and 70,000 plus teens who had veen stoned and sun stroked came alive at the 12 minute guitar solo. Yeah we were blessed to have these bands. Don't try to hard to analyze, just let go and enjoy.
Amen
No, you weren't. That was Frampton Oakland 77 . This concert was in San Francisco, 76 Winter PARK.
No, laurabartholomew was correct, you’re wrong. This is the Oakland ‘77 show headlined by Frampton. The ‘76 Winterland show was filmed in B&W, and appeared to be a nighttime show, you can find it on UA-cam as well.
I wasn't born yet, but man, I've loved this song ever since I first heard it just over 10 years ago. Anyway, your comment got a 'Like' from me from the time I read your very first sentence: "I was at this concert."....LOL
Can't find music like that today 😮 That era produced so many good musicians.
One afternoon in 1981, four of our small-town guys died in a car wreck. A bunch of us gathered at the pool hall to try to deal with it- in total shock. One of us rolled in and dumped five dollars worth of quarters in the juke box and played this on repeat- I've never listened to it on purpose since then. That is, until now. Somehow I knew watching you discover it would be worthwhile, and it was. Thank you!
This was played at my nephew's funeral
I get that. I can watch people react to something that I wouldn't watch or listen to again on my own, for whatever reason.
We dedicated this song to my wife's granddaughter who passed away from suicide on Halloween of 2021. I've always loved this song and this performance
This song was played at a army friend's funeral. I used to associate the song with a guy leaving his woman.
This is one of best live performances of all time and we are blessed it was recorded for us to enjoy today. This was just before the tragic plane crash that devastated the band. These guys were in the prime of their career and makes you wonder what great music we missed out on because their lives were cut short.
Makes me sad to know they died after this.
My Lord you are right. Sweet Home and Gimme 3 steps are my favorite too.
Yeah, puts a new melancholy on the song when you realize that the crash was only a little less than four months after this performance.
*Amen*
Hard to take anyone seriously when they don't even have a stereo system or headphones to listen to it with
My man Leon be killing it on the base as always. He didnt get the lime light behind Ronnie and guys but his base lines were sublimne. RIP brother.
Yes Sir he was phenomenal
Yes he was.
YES. also, his role is the climax of the guitar solo is so underrated. his climbing line from 14:40 to 14:55 are integral to that energy shift
He played a fish, a bass
@@jefffredenburg7231
And that's why your music sucks.
This is what concerts used to be.....affordable and fun.
Exactly right
And safe
@@HankCherryyou are so envied by generations that came after. We only stand on the shoulders of the legends that came before
They were in their 20s. Mind blowing. I couldn’t even attempt to create a masterpiece like this, even with unlimited time. They left us with many gems, god bless Lynyrd Skynyrd.
All of those grandparents & and great-grandparents in the audience. That's right, we rock back then.
Daisy dukes and all...❤🎉😊
We STILL rock today!
I only appreciate the music more as I get older. I understand the meaning more now than I did when I was young. Bob Seger "Against the Wind" is a prime example.
Billy Powell was a roadie, trained in classical piano. They heard him messing around on the keys before a set and said, " Hey... wanna sit in?"
I like his can of Bud sitting on top of his grand piano.
@@michaeldonnan6767 I'd pay money for a can like that.
No fancy light show, no stage theatrics, and no autotune. Just pure talent front and center!
You got that right, you sho got that right! Pun intended.
Music we'll NEVER see again!!
No I phones or Botox either !
The biggest difference being everything back then was new, most of the pioneers were absolutely great but it was partly because there was less creative space being taken up. In todays world you can find tens of thousands of musicians capable of what only a few were back then, it almost forces new artists into "light shows and stage theatrics".. doesn't mean they arent just as good
Lol the complete opposite of a KISS show
In most of the world, there's an adage that says, "It isn't over until the fat lady sings" (an opera reference).
.
In the South, "It ain't over 'til Skynrd plays FREEBIRD!"
To answer your question yes Gary Rossington was making the whistling/bird sound with his guitar by using the end of his slide bottle on the strings
That takes a lot of talent
He was playing harmonics with his slide, but a slide not necessary to make that sound. Harmonics are natural places on the strings, where a very light touch of the string, without bringing it down to contact the fret, will ring out like that, at a very high pitch. There are harmonics at several places up and down the fretboard. They are located at the 5th, 7th, 12th and 19th(?), plus one more that isn't over the fretboard, closer to the bridge.
The reason he's making that sound is he's imitating Duane Allman, because the song is dedicated to his memory...
You are another dude that that thinks he knows everything just shut up and listen
Its hard to catch most cams miss it
One of the great live performances ever !
Real musicians with no tricks or computers !
It's such a shame at what lots of young kids call music these day's !
What about that crowd !
Thanks for your review 😎✌
That crowd is the best. Gave them honest love. All of them despite today's focus on the confederate flag.
That wuz a very WHITE crowd...
@aloneranger3980
By choice. No one said, " black people don't come. There were a few black folk out there brave enough to go against the cultural grain and listen to " white music," to probably realize as Gen X did, music is music. My communities choice is not to listen. Music is for everyone.
@@JaquelineGoodspeed true, I'm Asian but I enjoyed listening to Fortunate Son, Born In The USA & of course this song
Well done. I never get tired of watching newbies seeing it for the first time!
Agreed! When they begin to realize that the guitars aren't stopping, thats a great moment.
Aye
Gary Rossington was an awesome guitar player especially when he did the slide on Freebird. Rest in peace Gary fly free with your brothers.
Take a good look, folks, that America is gone forever.
😮💨
Yepper
Gary’s bird sound that he made with his guitar is legendary. The way he expressed himself with his guitar, it sounded like a bird. One of the many reasons why this song is a Legend of a song.
Btw your input of this song is amazing. I love sitting down and just closing my eyes to this song. So much is happening all at once and you were very descriptive ❤ loved this!
they have a sound that has never been duplicated, piano, numerous guitars, bass, drums, killer lyrics and vocals.
Country music?
This proves how great the 70's were for music!
The downside of the ‘70s was disco. I hated it.
Music is a pretty powerful thing isn't it!? Cool to see this iconic performance hit you the way it did.
They are the pride of Jacksonville, Florida. Jacksonville was a really small town back then, it's hard to wrap your head around there being that much talent on the Westside, that could get together and create something magical.
Jacksonville was much smaller then, but later, to increase revenue, some of the surrounding counties were incorporated into Jacksonville, making it much larger.
@BrandonLeeBrown no, they didn't incorporate any other counties. They made the entire county, Duval, part of the city of Jacksonville. Jacksonville is the largest city in the country in land size.
He’s right Jacksonville encompasses the entire county. And the west side is the best side. Grew up and still live a mile from where most of them lived. Lake Shore/ Murray Hill.
The sounds you weren’t familiar to you on guitar were slide guitar where the guitar is tuned to an open chord and the slide (which can be metal or glass (in this case glass) is touched onto the strings and moved up and down the fretboard to different chords but the chords blend into each other. It’s the same idea as lap steel guitar basically, which you hear in country music and Hawian music.
An absolutely iconic song from an amazing band, such a shame that they left us too soon 🥲😢
Nice reaction Rachael 🌹
@@jimspetdragons3737 Do you play guitar? I suspect not because I do and have done for a very long time and have played Freebird many times - that’s how I know how it’s done; the chirping sounds are harmonics, the slide is on the 12th fret where you get harmonics by touching the strings very lightly. What this is, is a live performance, whether it’s overdubbed or not that’s what’s being done in this performance by the player with the red Gibson SG!
@@DarrellW_UK That would be Gary Rossington. He died in march of 2023. He was the last of the musicians you see on stage here. They all died relatively young. Even Gary was only 71.
@@janpcs thanks, I got a bit annoyed by a stupid remark that seems to have disappeared, yeah, I had a bit of a memory glitch 😆
Yeah, it was a tragic thing to happen! I didn’t know that Gary was still alive until this year he was a great slide player!
@@janpcs Artimus the drummer is still alive.
@@DarrellW_UK Gary got that sound by putting fret wire behind the 1st fret.
You would love “Simple Man, Tuesday’s Gone, That’s Smell, Ballad of Curtis Lowe, etc etc etc. The live Concert at Knebworth 1976, opening for the Rolling Stones, who they blew away, was iconic in really propelling them to Super-Star status on the world stage!
Allen, Gary and Steve are three very underrated guitarist, very talented
They lost the lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitar player and vocalist Steve Gaines and his sister Cassie who sang backup, and assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick. The pilot and his 1st officer were also lost. 20 people survived. All because the plane ran out of fuel. That should never happen ever! Yesterday, today, or tomorrow. What a loss!
It ends like a freight train running at full speed down the tracks.
I was there...yes, Oakland Coliseum 1977. Went to Skyline High School in Oakland back in the day Class of '75' Went to every Day on the Green for years. Always had 3 to 5 bands at each one. Where else could you see the Grateful Dead and the Beach Boys at the same concert. They killed it !!!! Back then, it was Real Rock and Roll and it RULED the day !!!!
that was an AWESONE Concert! I was there as well, living north of the bay area I got to see *ALL* the great Rock Bands *LIVE & IN THEIR PRIME!*
Don't roll your eyes at boomers & GenX when they tell you how much better things were. They were. 💕
Just turned 60 born in 63 and I can def second that!!!!! Funny just clicked the thumbs up and was number 63!!!
Well....compared the skills you see today, these guys, as wonderful as they were, are not even in the same league. Sorry but this boomer sees things VERY differently...
These boys made real music without the tech crutches they use today
We were pretty good once. Might just be so today.
@@The2ndFirst
Well, some are dead, so..
One of the greatest guitar solos that has ever been recorded!!! By one of the greatest bands that there ever has been!!!
The piano player Billy Powell started out with them as a roadie. That is until one day during a break they heard him playing the piano and found out he was a classically trained pianist.. They hired him for the band and the rest as they say is history!!
Live at Knebworth opening for the Stones is cool as they were told to stay off the tongue and Ronnie said he would have pushed the piano down there as well. Badass.
Their '77 tour was awesome. The last tour as the plane crash happened. I went to this one in Oakland
how was it like ? tell us we that are too young to have known that ^^
I was only 10 - i knew the songs as it was all my babysitters listened to
@@antoinebrg6299 It was just like you saw here, plus being in a crowd crowd of 60,000. It was just great, so I went and saw them again two days later. Peter Frampton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Santana, and The Outlaws played.
@@andreadeamon6419now you wish you could've thanked her for getting you into our old American rock 🎸💙🙏🍺🗽🗽🗽
All those girls you see in the audience are grandmothers now and great grandmothers. We didn’t know how good we had it back in the 70s and 80s relative to music.
But God was it fun.
Relative to just about everything really. Looking back at life how it was doesn't even seem possible. Kinda like a dream in the realest sense of the word
In the summer we hitched to their concerts and the Allman Bros concerts. We stayed sunburnt all summer long from the outdoor concerts. It was so worth it. This was the last concert I saw befire I joined the Air Force. The last of my hitchhicking hippie days. I was 21. God I miss thos summers in the late 60s early seventies clear to the end of the 70s. Life has bever been as free since for any of us.
Allen Collins is the incredible guitarist dressed in all white. He was co-author of this song along with Ronnie Van Zant.
“These words were inspired by a real experience of Skynyrd guitarist and songwriter Allen Collins. His girlfriend Kathy Johns actually asked him the question, If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me? He wrote her words down and used them as inspiration for the song.
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
Despite the finality of the lyrics, Collins and Johns eventually got married in 1970.”
From AMERICAN SONGWRITER by Kathleen Nolan
I’m so blessed to have grown up in the sixties and seventies when the best bands were around. And getting to see most of them.
Thanks. I'm from Jacksonville same time. Saw last concert in Greenville sc. Before crash. Freebird was there last song. Thanks
That was fun. You will probably hear this a lot in the comments but a really great next choice to check out by them is The Ballad Of Curtis Loew. It is just beautiful and warm and fantastic storytelling.
THAT WAS MY EXACT THOUGHT!
Either that or Simple Man
Great reaction! Speaking as an old fart that was around back then, as long as young people continue to experience the sheer joy that they shared, and the amazing skills, they will continue to live on...
Fantastic reaction. This is definitely one of the most iconic songs ever written. This was one of the bands last performances before their infamous plane crash, and one of the best performances of this song ever. Long live Lynyrd Skynyrd.
😭😭😭👍
Growing up in Alabama in the 70s and 80s lynyrd skynyrd was /is a religion !
RIP my brothers ❤
Right next door to you brother in Mississippi
@@BullseyeForever24 Right next door to where LS originated. Alas, moved to Nashville just as they were starting and never saw them.
Amen!!! Same from us in texas!!!!
Religion? ALL religion crashes and burns. Following Jesus not religion. Religion is stale dead and boring.
My Florida beach town wore out Sweet Home Alabama on the radio stations back then. Panama City Beach is Florida Lower Alabama! Fla. Jeff your comment is mine too, just put Florida in it for me.
Very sad indeed. This concert was their last before the tragic plane crash in October 77, 3 months after this concert. The Knebworh Concert in 76 in England supporting the Rolling Stones. That concert is considered the best ever LIVE PERFORMANCE EVER. A must watch
One of my favorite things is when young people watch this and it's dawns on them, through the video itself, or from a comment like mine, that all these audience members are their GRANDPARENTS now! We aren't so different after all!
This is classic southern fried rock. I am 62 and from Florida and the Van Zant family were family friends. I remember this music fondly. The music of my youth. As well as Molly Hatchet, .38 Special. God I miss it!! It was really funny when I played this for my youngest son when he was 15. His mouth hung open and he said "GEEZUS' when the guitar piece broke out. Huge hip hop and rap fan, grunge fan , and alt fan. This song inspired him to play guitar! LOVE IT!!!
Best reaction yet. Heartfelt and real. The music I grew up on, and this song was our anthem.
Please react to I’d Love To Change The World by Ten Year’s After.
Yes back when no one was offended..if you could play good rock and roll no matter where you are from you're in brother..people lived them southern boys with their southern rock in California !!! They had the biggest rebel flag that will ever be in California ..great reaction !!
I met Allen Collins once down in Sunrise Fla. After a Rossington - Collins band concert and I gotta tell ya he was one of the nicest guys I ever met. He signed an autograph for my girlfriend and it said God Bless you Joanna , Allen Collins. Now how cool is that.
The live version shows you the intensity. The studio version allows you to hear the details and enjoy the mastery.
Sadly all original members are gone now but their music will live on forever. Peace!
I was at this concert. The lineup, in order of appearance, The Outlaws (Green Grass and High Tides, There Goes Another Love Song) Santana (Oye Como Va) Lynyrd Skynyrd (Sweet Home Alabama, Gimme Three Steps, Simple Man); Peter Frampton, (Do You Feel Like We Do)
It was a great show, my first concert.
Gary Rossington played lead slide guitar in the opening section, with Allen Collins shredding it in the closing.
Since this was filmed, I wonder if the whole show & maybe even the entire day was also filmed. What a killer first concert to attend! I think that's the best crowd I've ever seen, so much energy/synergy.
Damn! What a great line-up! Back when Rock was ROCK!
What a jaw dropping first concert to have been a part of👍👍👍
Wondering how a guitarist achieves all that speed and energy throughout a massive solo? It’s all in practice and constantly playing live for years. Nobody is born a guitar god, they are hard-working, hard-rocking musicians who perfect their craft through blood, sweat, and tears.
That was actually three guys on that solo. 👍
Crazy to think most of the people in the crowd are now in their late 60's early 70's
I was lucky enough to see them live
What else is melancholy about this video is I was about the same age as the crowd at this time. All these people are in their sixties now and their youth is long gone but what a great moment in time and wonderful memory to have in their golden years. We may be old but we got to see all the cool bands.
This is my favorite version of the tune. Great sound, everyone is on fire. The piano player used to be one of the crew, then he mentioned he wrote a piano intro to free bird and next thing you know, he is in the band. Nice!
I worked with them on a German tour about 10 years ago. Only 1 guitarist was the same as the gig you just watched, but I still considered it an honour to be there and they were still really good. (I was stage manager for an English band called 'The Brew' who supported them on that tour).
Yep, Gary Rossington, who just passed away March 5th of this year.
@@notablindliberal896 hope his old friends welcomed him up there, RIP
Yes Johnnie is good.
@antoinebrg6299 I bet there was one hell of a party that night.
The best part of this was watching your reactions. Like a lot of us that are still here, we've lived through this. And it was frigging amazing, watching you melt into this performance. Wishing you were on the front row. Lol .I'm glad young folks are still listening and learning. Yeah it was a fantastic time. So much just raw damn talent 🎉
'Freebird' was not a hit originally from the 1st Lynyrd Skynyrd album in 1973... it was composed by Allen Collins (guitar) who was in the white pants and jumping onstage... lyrics by vocalist Ronnie Van Zant. It wasn't until 1976 when Skynyrd's double live album "One more from the road" became a platinum selling success that the live version of 'Freebird' became a massive hit single. It was tragic that the band was peaking in 1977 when the plane crash took the lives of vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister Cassie Gaines (backing vocals) and seriously injured all the members.
The line-up in this clip was the same one in 1976: Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Allen Collins, Steve Gaines (guitars), Gary Rossington (slide guitar), Leon Wilkeson (bass), Billy Powell (piano) and Artimus Pyle (drums)... (Only Artimus Pyle is alive today, but not a member of Skynyrd)
The studio version was recorded w/ Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, Gary Rossington... Ed King on bass and Bob Burns on drums (all of whom have passed away)
Ronnie Van Zant was just 26 years old when he died
Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Columbus, OH, United States May 18, 1976. I was there. :) Your reaction is priceless.
simply amazing! this concert footage will never get old to me! God i wish i was there!
Hypnotic is the word that explains the feeling, from the slide guitar work.
A cornerstone of Southern Rock....epic live performance. Glad you enjoyed this, have another live concert suggestion; Peter Frampton "Do You Feel Like We Do" from the Frampton Comes Alive tour & The Who "Who Are You", live at Shepperton Studios!!! You will love them🤟😎
This video can evoke a sadness as you watch knowing this was just a few weeks before the plane crash. I think this may have been the last time performed this song together as the original band, but I may be wrong on that. When you watch this from the perspective of knowing the future, it can be very emotional.
Yes it is just like that. Sad but beautuful at the same time.
It was actually a few months before the crash. They played this Day On The Green then went east. It was a little over 3 months later
Making it look easy is a combination of talent, passion and a hell of a lot of hard work.
I can watch this video over and over again. I saw Skynyrd 2:54 05/30/76 at RFK Stadium in DC. They played w/Aerosmith, Nazareth and Ted Nugent. The concert lasted all day and Skynyrd blew everyone away. Freebird was the highlight of the day. The song takes you through every emotion culminating with guitars solos unmatched by anyone since. Van Zant was the leader of the band and he made sure that every band member had their moment to shine. I miss those days so much.
LS "Lord help me I can't Change"
Every groupie in the crowd "I can change him"
Classic!
This song never gets old. Played this at a gig in Orewa (New Zealand) last year and was the highlight crowd favorite of the night!
Thanks for the heartfelt reaction to this special song 🎸❤️
Allen Collins with the solo at the end is just legendary! Rip Allen ,Gary,Steve,Ronnie,Leon,Billy,Cassie
One of the best videos. The unity makes me just remember the times of love for each other. Its missed.
They did an even longer solo at their 1976 Knebworth performance. Like another solid minute of soloing
Saw them live in Birmingham, England not Alabama, in Aug 1977, "One More For The (^British) Road" Tour The best concert I've ever been to and they were joined on stage by Pete Haycock who lived in Stafford, for the encore including Freebird.
An extra guest guitarist jamming on Freebird was a treat.
They sincerely enjoyed what they did so much and the fans knew it.
Sadly there was the plane crash shortly after in October.
New subscriber here.I loved your reaction to Freebird one of most iconic songs in history.❤ Much love from Canada❤🇨🇦
They were in their late mid 20's ! If they all lived and stayed together, they could have have been the greatest band of all time! As it was, they have an AMAZING body of work ❤❤❤
It was intentionally melancholic as he is explaining his end to the relationship, and then erupts into him reveling in his freedom. The accelerating tempo is incredible in the last two thirds of the song (it's a lot like "Stairway to Heaven"), as is the resounding bass, which is hard to get on computer speakers. Equally important to the video is the response of the women to the music, particularly the lady with the black hair, yellow shirt and her hands on her head, she seems to find Cloud 9. One of the most incredible live performances of all time. Also "and this bird you cannot chain", not change. "Sweet Home Alabama" from 1976 Knebworth concert. Thanks a lot for the video.
This was truly a performance that words can barely describe. The raw energy, the massive crowd, the hot summer day. I was fortunate to be at their summer1976 show at outdoor RFK stadium in Washington, D.C., with Aerosmith and a few other bands when I was 16 years old. Listening to this review and hearing the live recording of this one took me right back there. Thanks for sharing such a great rendition!
Love your reaction! You were so surprised about how the guitars took off and played airborne rock. They had been playing this song at hundreds of concerts four or so years previously. That’s why they have everything down pat and were in total synch.
I've watched this video many times and your reaction is hands down the very best I've seen. Thank you for posting and R.I.P. Lynyrd Skynyrd!
This live performance is iconic
Great job on the reaction video. Very heartfelt and you can tell your love for music in it. Keep up the good work.
Fun little side note to this amazing song and performance. If you listen to their live album (One more from the road) Ronnie asks the crowd what song they want to hear and the crowd roars "Freebird!". For many years after that, people attending concerts of other artists would often hold up lighters during an encore and a segment of the crowd would be chanting "Freebird", kind of a fun tradition...
The reference that in guitar hero 2 as well lol . At the end of the “story” freebird is the final song you have to pass and the crowd chants “freebird freebird!!!”
Lol I’m guilty of that several times over
I found your Channel looking for Freebird reactions. I am 59 years old. I am so glad I grew up during the 70's and 80's during a Golden Era of Music.
Transcendental music, nothing more needs saying. Amen...❤
❤ beautiful piano music and magnificent guitars together, live Live people! , you can’t get any better than this!❤
In the mid-90s I saw the Skynyrd “Reunion Tour” with Jonnie van Zant as the vocalist. He sounded incredibly like his older brother. During the encore they started playing Freebird…
Jonnie sang the first verse of the song…walked up to the microphone and set his hat on it ( looked just like Ronnie’s hat in this video). He said, “There’s only one man that can sing this song”, and stepped back. The remainder of the song was played as an instrumental…The crowd was jumping up and down as they are in this video…not a dry eye in the house
Johnny sounds nothing like Ronnie
Is there a video by any chance?
@@jamestate5059No one sounds exactly like Ronnie…
Alan Collins survived the plane crash, but was never the same after. Think today we would call it PTSD. It is a sad story.
And that was compounded by the death of his wife Kathy just 3 years later, who was pregnant with what would have been their third child.
Nice reaction, Yup we had fun in the 70's. I could see you out there in a halter top, you would have loved the 70's.
Even though some will argue that the concert in Knebworth England was a better concert, but for "Freebird" this is the best version. It shows Billy Powell's classical piano training and how the "3 Guitar Army" of Gary Rossington, Alan Collins, and Steve Gaines could jam and play in one accord, and don't forget Leon Wilkeson being amazing on bass. Artimus Pyle with that driving drum set is just unreal. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant is at the top of his game like never before. Other than Artimus, they are all gone now. He is still playing with his own band that does a lot of Skynyrd songs as a tribute to his fallen brethren.
Knebworth is longer and it has been recorded as the BEST LIVE VERSION IN THE HISTORY OF LS AND HOW LS SMOKED THE STONES AT KNEBWORTH AND PISSED MICK JAGGER OFF!! OAKLAND IS GREAT, A BETTER VIDEO THAN KNEBWORTH !!! AT ONE TIME UNLESS YOU WENT TO LIVE SHOWS OR SAW MUSIC ON TV , YOU LISTEN TO RADIO, 8-TRACKS,CASSETTES AND CD'S !! VIDEOS ARE NICE TO WATCH BUT FOR ME MUSIC SHOULD BE LISTENED TO!!
Plus the crowd in Oakland was more exciting and into the band. Probably 90% of the Knebworth crowd didn’t know the band before they saw them.
@@Redwhiteblue-gr5em But they sure as heck knew them afterwards!
Your reaction was really cool to watch! Artimus Pyle the drummer is going to be on my radio station coming up this week. Thanks and check out the Allman Brothers from Filmore East!
They sure don’t make them like that anymore. What a band and what a song.
I read a comment about this song where it was suggested this should be our national anthem. I half agree!
One of the Greatest Bands of All Time.
Oakland Coliseum- site of some of the best rock concerts in the 70’s and 80’s. Saw many Day on the Greens there. Massive all day festivals. Saw Metallica, Scorpions, Ratt, Triumph, all the great ones!!!
Eagles’ Hotel California live performance is another iconic song with three lead guitars soloing together
Ahh the 70s what a cool and fabulous time to be a teenager, and this Southern girl loves Skynyrd ,Allen Collins my favorite guitarist ✝️💜🧂🪖🇺🇸
That's back when we enjoyed real talent and real songs
Seen them live in WV back when they were alive ,when they started really jamming , more tube tops in the air and more titles in one place that I've ever seen in my life 😅
Yes he was making that bird sound with his guitar.