Free Bird is the perfect song. Soft, pretty piano (live version) or organ (studio version) into, great vocals, slightly melancholy lyrics, and at least 7 minutes of screaming Southern-fried guitar boogie, and encompassing a philosophy/way of life. AND the anthem of one of the greatest heel stables in pro wrestling history–Michael Hayes, the late Terry Gordy, Buddy Roberts, and because I’m feeling generous, I’ll include Jimmy Garvin as the fourth Freebird.
::::hijack:::: Heh, I came to a shocking realization last week. Now, if there’s any band know for stereotypical classic rock guitar soloes, it’s Led Zeppelin.
What I realized is that the vast majority of classic rock guitar soloes that attempt that kind of solo are actually better at it than Zeppelin.
Including Free Bird. (And, amogst others, Hotel California, Aqualung, and The Wall, Obscured by Clouds, and even The Final Cut by the Floyd.)
There was a similar thread raised a ways back when someone asked if/proclaimed that Bohemian Rhapsody was the greatest rock song ever. The debate kept coming back to **Radar Love **by Golden Earring.
Surprisingly little love for ye olde school rock. I’m surely not the first person to think so, but the fact that most people here cite things well outside the original Rock ‘n’ Roll era only confirms that “Rock” is derived from, but just not the same thing as “Rock ‘n’ Roll”.
For example, here’s what I consider a sine qua non example of Rock ‘n’ Roll – if this doesn’t sound like Rock to you, then Rock doesn’t mean Rock ‘n’ Roll:
And that is just one of many reasons that, to me, Louie, Louie is the perfect rock and roll song. It’s simple, it’s catchy, it’s about sex and hardship, and it’s been copied hundreds, perhaps thousands, of times over, and every copy (both covers and stuff like the Troggs song) are almost always nearly-perfect themselves.
It’s 3 chords, no waiting, no slow parts, no whining. BAM! POW!
