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Free Bird
Lynyrd Skynyrd
All chords ½ measure (2 beats) unless otherwise noted.
Intro: / G - D - / Em - - - / F - C - / D - - - /
/ G - D - / Em - - - / F - C - / D - - - /
/ G - D - / Em - - - / F - C - / D - - - /
/ G - D - / Em - - - / F - C - / D - - - /
G D Em (1) F C D (1)
If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?
G D Em (1) F C D (1)
For I must be traveling on, now, 'cause there's too many places I've got to see
G D Em (1) F C D (1)
But, if I stay here with you, girl, things just couldn't be the same
G D Em (1) F C D (1)
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now, and this bird you cannot change, oh, oh, oh, oh
F C D (1)
Oh, and this bird you cannot change
F C D (1)
And this bird you cannot change
F C D (1)
Lord knows, I can't change
Interlude: / G - D - / Em - - - / F - C - / D - - - /
/ G - D - / Em - - - / F - C - / D - - - /
G D Em (1) F C D (1)
Bye, bye, baby, it's been a sweet love, yeah, yeah, though this feeling I can't change
G D Em (1) F C D (1)
But please don't take it so badly, 'cause Lord knows I'm to blame
G D Em (1) F C D (1)
But, if I stay here with you, girl, things just couldn't be the same
G D Em (1) F C D (1)
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now, and this bird you cannot change, oh, oh, oh, oh
F C D (1)
Oh, and the bird you cannot change
F C D (1)
And this bird you cannot change
F C D (1)
Lord knows, I can't change
F C D (1)
Lord help me, I can't chayayayayayayayange
Double Time:
G (1) Bb (1) C (2)
Lord, I can't change
G (1) Bb (1) C (2)
Won't you fly high, free bird, yeah
Solo:
|
Rhythm |
Solo Cues |
Chords |
|
Main D XUD XUXUXUD XX 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+ |
Theme |
/ G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
Noodle |
/ G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
|
2-Hits D D XXXXD D XXXX 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+D D XUXUXUXUXUXU 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+ |
|
/ G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
|
/ G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
|
Main D XUD XUXUXUD XX 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+ |
|
/ G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
Low Theme |
/ G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - (E) (F) (F#) / |
|
|
Walk into G D XUD XUXUXUD XX 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+ D XUD XU 0 1 2 3 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+ |
Noodle |
/ G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - (E) (F) (F#) / G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - (E) (F) (F#) / |
|
|
/ G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - (E) (F) (F#) / |
|
|
Stops D D D D D D 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+ D D D D D D D 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+ |
Meedlies |
/ G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
Meeeedlies |
/ G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
|
Main D XUD XUXUXUD XX 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+ |
Noodle |
/ G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
|
/ G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
|
Chuggachug D D D D D D D D 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+ |
|
/ G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
|
/ G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
|
|
Sirens |
/ G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
Build (same as Chuggachug) |
High Siren |
/ G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
Main D XUD XUXUXUD XX 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+ |
Noodle |
/ G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - (Bb) / G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - (Bb) / |
|
|
/ G - - - / (Bb) - - - / C - - - / - - - (Bb) / G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - B Bb A / |
|
|
2-Hits D D XXXXD D XXXX 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+D D XUXUXUXUXUXU 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+ |
|
/ G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - (Bb) / G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - (Bb) / |
|
Ending Lick |
/ G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - (Bb) / G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
|
Main D XUD XUXUXUD XX 1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+ |
|
/ G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / - - - - / |
|
Holds Tremelo strum each chord |
|
fermata fermata fermata / G (2 snares) / Bb (2 snares) / C (2 snares) / |
|
Slow March D UDU 1+2+3+ x4 |
More Licks |
/ G - - - / Bb - - - / C - - - / |
|
Big Hold Tremelo strum |
|
fermata fermata / G (slowly slide up an octave) / G (+ one last hit) / |
|
End |
|
G |
This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
Don't be scared off by the epic list of strum diagrams below — they're only necessary if you want to capture all the different rhythms in the outro. I made this chart for when we performed this song at a student concert. We still got lost. Still ridiculously fun to play.