The song we should have requested?

[Johnny Dubs]

All jokes aside, if someone wanted to hear “Free Bird” I’d probably suggest “Tuesday’s Gone” instead.

Anyone have thoughts on popular covers v better songs by the same band, or just songs you’d rather play instead?

 

[brookdalebill]

Free Bird, like Stairway To Heaven is both too slow, and too fast to dance to.
Free Bird has become a joke request at virtually everyone’s gig, from the local VFW, to Carnegie Hall.
Some Bozo is always going to request it, hoping he’ll be funny.
It was only funny the first time, 50 years ago.
Anyways, any other Skynyrd tune is a better choice.
I nominate Gimme Three Steps, I Know A Little, and Saturday Night Special.

 

[WRHB]

Free Bird, like Stairway To Heaven is both too slow, and too fast to dance to.
Free Bird has become a joke request at virtually everyone’s gig, from the local VFW, to Carnegie Hall.
Some Bozo is always going to request it, hoping he’ll be funny.
It was only funny the first time, 50 years ago.
Anyways, any other Skynyrd tune is a better choice.
I nominate Gimme Three Steps, I Know A Little, and Saturday Night Special.

If I ever make it to one of your performances I’m going to request The Breeze. It’s my favorite by Skynyrd. Now I need to go and see what else they play.

 

[elihu]

Might as well add Swamp Music and their version of Merle's Honky Tonk Night time Man.

 

[smartsoul72]

I saw Smokey Robinson once. The big song he and the crowd were into was “Cruising”. Played it forever and had audience members up on stage to sing it with him.
I’m pretty impartial to that song. One of my faves is “Tears of a Clown”, and he breezed through that one as part of a medley.
I hope this fits the theme of the OP

 

[Lynxtrap]

My thought is, if someone wants to hear Free Bird and it's not a joke, it probably means that the person actually wants to hear Free Bird.

 

[Jim622]

My thought is, if someone wants to hear Free Bird and it's not a joke, it probably means that the person actually wants to hear Free Bird.

Don’t care

 

[elihu]

Smoky Robinson?!

Yessir...Tracks of My Tears, Ooh, Baby Baby and You Really Got A Hold On Me would be great.

All you need is a sublime singer.

Smoky grew up in Detroit next to Aretha so he got an early start in the gifted and talented program.

 

[2HBStrat]

All jokes aside, if someone wanted to hear “Free Bird” I’d probably suggest “Tuesday’s Gone” instead.

Anyone have thoughts on popular covers v better songs by the same band, or just songs you’d rather play instead?

If someone in the crowd wants to hear "Freebird" a different LS song will not satisfy them, in my experience.

Free Bird, like Stairway To Heaven is both too slow, and too fast to dance to.
Free Bird has become a joke request at virtually everyone’s gig, from the local VFW, to Carnegie Hall.
Some Bozo is always going to request it, hoping he’ll be funny.
It was only funny the first time, 50 years ago.
Anyways, any other Skynyrd tune is a better choice.
I nominate Gimme Three Steps, I Know A Little, and Saturday Night Special.

See above...

My thought is, if someone wants to hear Free Bird and it's not a joke, it probably means that the person actually wants to hear Free Bird.

Right. And to play "Freebird" like the record the band needs three lead guitarists. That's a tough one to cover correctly.

 

[stxrus]

My thought is, if someone wants to hear Free Bird and it's not a joke, it probably means that the person actually wants to hear Free Bird.

There are some songs, IMHO, that should only be played by the original band…original members are not necessary.

In the OPs context, virtually any Skynerd tune will work.

I was at a show and someone kept wanting to hear Free Bird. The singer said something along the line of “Out of respect for one of our favorite bands we do not play Free Bird. No one else can do that song justice.“ He raised his beer a said “To Ronnie and the boys”. The crowd cheered and the band carried on

 

[Tarkus60]

Still not as bad as Mustang Sally.....

 

[memorex]

If someone requests Free Bird, I tell them, "There is no free bird, you have to pay for it."

 

[Chester P Squier]

"Call Me the Breeze." The crowd could probably polka to it.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I just wish our band ( whichever one I happen to be playing in) would actually play "Free Bird" when someone ( usually sarcastically, as that tired joke) yells out "Ffee Bird!"
I'd like to just do it, kill with it, and shut the guy (s) up!
But you can only do it if everyone in the band knows how to play it
- it's a commitment to get thru it!, so we just laugh it off, move on. Someday

 

[buster poser]

Free Bird, like Stairway To Heaven is both too slow, and too fast to dance to.

Doesn't stop folks from trying though, as I'm sure you've observed. I like the universally employed but undefined planted-feet sway through the languid first bit contrasted with the hopping around doing air guitar during the interminable solo. The lyrics are dumber than Desperado and Stairway to Heaven, and invariably there are at least two drunks shouting them whenever the song comes on.

Every guitarist who plays for others should know the opening riff to Sweet Home Alabama for the inevitable "play some Skynyrd!" It's a shutter-upper.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

"Call Me the Breeze." The crowd could probably polka to it.

We do a hybrid version of the song ( on acoustic or electric, I sing)

We do the laid back J.J. Cale Country shuffle rhythm, just a littie faster- but with a lot of fast-picked Country-blues soloing ( maybe like Mark Knopfler?) , bass soloing too.
So it's rhythmically, much lighter than Skynyrd, but still intense with the chops. ( if we can keep it together)

 

[Johnny Dubs]

If someone in the crowd wants to hear "Freebird" a different LS song will not satisfy them, in my experience.

See above...

Right. And to play "Freebird" like the record the band needs three lead guitarists. That's a tough one to cover correctly.

That’s the conceit, though; if you weren’t concerned about satisfying them and wanted to satisfy you, what would you prefer to play?

Every guitarist who plays for others should know the opening riff to Sweet Home Alabama for the inevitable "play some Skynyrd!" It's a shutter-upper.

Lol I have a friend who used to do exactly that and say “turn it off” instead of “turn it up,” then take a beat and launch into the next number.

 

[Johnny Dubs]

Duplicate.

Sorry to pick on LS, I didn’t have them in mind as musicians so much as I did as for example.

 

[Killing Floor]

I always say “I got your free bird right here “.

I love that song though. Most bands don’t do it justice. Skynyrd could groove.

 

[jackinjax]

Not Sweet Home Alabama? What's wrong with people!?

I hate to admit it, but, though I've heard it umpteen trillion times, I can't help but tap my foot when I hear again, and again, and........