I have a friend who calls for it regardless of the venue or group at a musical performance. Joe Wilson shouted for it during an Obama speech—or was it something else?—and everyone aspires to play it convincingly on air guitar. While the slide guitar work in the beginning is nothing to scoff at, the four minute solo at the end of this nine minute song is what keeps the fans clamoring for more. But what is it about this particular solo that makes it so great?
Allen Collins, with his instantly recognizable Gibson Explorer, crafted the lengthy guitar solo that closes out the final song from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1973 debut album, (pronounced ‘lĕh-’nérd ‘skin-’nérd). With other tracks such as “Simple Man” and “Gimme Three Steps,” the album brought bona fide Southern rock into the mainstream and a new standard for guitar soloing to the fore.
Although it does take up nearly half of the song, the length isn’t what makes the “Freebird” solo a supposed standout. Many jam-band guitarists can go for just as long without becoming boring, and many guitarists like Steve Vai or Joe Satriani perform lengthy instrumentals that one could deem solos.
As far as complexity goes, the solo pales in comparison to others even within the Southern rock genre. Many licks are simply repeated, and the pentatonic scale is the only one employed by Collins. Certain guitar techniques, like the bend, find use—or perhaps overuse—in the solo, and they are not necessarily difficult to perform. The full range of the guitar is not even used; nearly the entire solo takes place in the upper octaves.
Collins’ speed is nothing to dismiss, but it’s nothing to write home about either. Too many virtuosos and YouTube videos showcase guitarists operating under the delusion that the need for speed is paramount. There have been plenty of players—both before and after Collins—whose fingers fly faster across the frets.
Length, speed, and complexity cannot be the only elements of a great guitar solo. Something has to be said about structure and the way the solo complements the other aspects of the song, and it is here that one finds the greatness of the “Freebird” solo. Much like “Stairway to Heaven,” a slower, more muted introduction precedes an energetic, exuberant solo known to induce spine shivering.
The lilting slide guitar work of the first half of “Freebird” meanders through the chord changes, intertwining with the vocal. The solo mimics the slide in some respects by incorporating bends and slide fills, but then there are the angular lines and increased tempo. The solo is the bird flying freely, flapping its wings and screeching in the ebullience of flight. It’s not hard to see why it was used in Forrest Gump in a scene where Jenny is in the midst of a cocaine high.
Like all great art, the solo is more about capturing an emotion than exhibiting tremendous virtuosity. One does not preclude the other, but the former takes precedence. Collins clearly understood, and audiences and fans worldwide continue to want access to that emotion.
Collins left an indelible mark on the guitar world with “Freebird” by crafting a solo that not only complements the rest of the song but also elevates the piece as a whole to an entirely new level. It’s not safe to say that it’s the greatest guitar solo ever, but one can comfortably place it in the company of the greatest solos. Truly transcendent, it deserves all the shouted requests and the reputation as a paragon of rock and roll exhilaration.
