'Free Bird!’: How Bands Should Respond When They Hear the Inevitable

"Free Bird!"

Throughout dingy rock clubs and posh resort venues, whenever you combine alcohol, a self-impressed white guy and live music, a cry for what has become the bane of many musicians' existence is imminent. Interestingly, how these unfortunate occurrences resolve themselves is generally more entertaining than the cry for Lynyrd Skynyrd's southern serenade. That being the case, a solid response should be on any band's to-do list: 1) Come up with a name 2) Come up with some songs 3) Book some shows 4) Figure out what awesome response you're going to have when someone inevitably hurls the challenge at you.

In honor of Father's Day – because dad's love Skynyrd and are commonly the main "Free Bird" offenders – we have compiled a list of some of the best responses to the customary clamor for the ballad. From the eternally-cool Dylan to the witty archetype of the flannel literati Isaac Brock, behold these lessons in reproach (and the rare endorsement).


Unfortunately we don't get to hear the initial call for "Free Bird" but we are treated to the last 45 seconds in what is a first for Dylan – proving that the old curmudgeon still has some humor left in him.