Free Bird was released by Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1973 on their debut album and became one of Southern rock's defining songs, known for its slow ballad opening and long twin guitar solo at the end. Shouting Free Bird at concerts later became a running joke in American pop culture, keeping the song in circulation for decades. Online, short excerpts like the bass groove are shared separately for edits and memes, where the instantly recognisable opening gives even a brief clip a sense of scale and nostalgia.