Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Free Bird is a blend of three different type of rock: Southern rock, Hard rock and Blues Rock, but also has some features of country. This song is most famous for the emotional ballad like in the first half, separating it from the more explosive, extended guitar solo which takes up the whole of the second half.
The instrumentation is amazing. There are two lead electric guitar played by Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, an acoustic guitar, bass guitar, drums, piano and then the vocals.
There are two lead guitars, which creates the amazing harmonised melodies and solos. The guitars go from two different styles in the song, the intro an the verse use slide guitar and distorted lead guitar when we get into the solo.
The acoustic guitar is used in the verses to create a nice and warm foundation for the melody.
The bass guitar provides a steady backbone to the melody with subtle movements beneath each of the chord changes.
The drums start off really soft, with a nice build up of dynamics in the chorus, but when we get to that more heavy second section, the drums sound as if they pick up some pace, almost guiding the melodies.
The piano, played by Billy Powell, used arpeggios in order to add a more delicate and classical feel to the intro and verse.
The vocals by Ronnie Van Zant are amazing, they are smooth and soulful , giving off that sense of emotion and longing.
The chord progression in this song for the verse is as followed:
G major | D/F# minor | E minor | F major | C major | D major.
The chord progression for the chorus is:
F major | C major | D major
The structure for this song is as followed: the intro, soft piano and slide guitar set a nice tone, verse 1 and 2 telling the story and setting the emotion and theme, chorus emphasising the free bird metaphor, an instrumental break, verse 3 and chorus, the guitar solo which lasts longer than 4 minutes with harmonised guitars, then the outro where the song fades out with the solo continuing.
In this song there is use of modal interchange where the F major chord is borrowed from the G Mixolydian to give the song that southern rock feel. The descending bassline going from G to D/F#m to Em, creates a really smooth, melancholic motion within the song. The extended solo makes a legendary moment from the 70s being played over repeated chords the entire time allowing for some very good improvisation.
The lyrics in this song are about freedom and the struggle between commitment and independence. "If I leave here by tomorrow, would you still remember me". This line demonstrates a man's internal conflict meaning that he cares for someone but ultimately feels the need to move on from it, embracing a free-spirited lifestyle.
The message that Lynyrd Skynyrd tried to deliver with this song embodies the more southern rock ethos of freedom. It resonates deeply with the listeners who really struggle with choosing between love and their personal ambition.
Dancing Queen - ABBA
Dancing Queen is a globally famous pop and disco song. It is one of the most iconic disco anthems of the 1970s, featuring amazing production and a soaring melody.
The instrumentation in this is lush. There is Piano, strings in an orchestra arrangement, synthesisers, electric bass, electric guitar, drums and vocals.
The piano in this songs plays arpeggios and some chordal accompaniment giving it a nice rhythmic foundation.
The strings in this song add a nice rich and cinematic feel to the song which enhances the grand and emotional qualities.
The synthesisers in this song create a nice shimmering texture and contribute to the songs dreamy style.
The bassline in this song is quite driving and adds that typical syncopated disco-style to produce that nice rhythm.
The electric guitar is very subtle with a clean tone on the guitar so that the guitar fills enhance the groove.
The drums in this song is what makes the song very danceable. The drums consists of four-to-the-floor disco beat. This is where on every beat of a bar, the kick drum is being played.
The vocals in this song are really good. The way that Agnetha Faltskog and Ann-Frid harmonise the lead vocals really blends in smoothly in a layered and choral style.
Dancing Queen is written in the key of A major. The verse chord progression goes as followed:
A | D/A | A | D/A
Bm7 | E | A | F#m7 | Bm7 | E
The chord progression in the chorus is:
A | C#m | F#m | D | A | D | E
The structure of this song goes: intro where the string do a dramatic build up into the first verse, verse 1, chorus where there is the iconic hook "dancing queen", verse 2, chorus, then an instrumental break featuring some orchestral factors and some synth, then there is one final chorus with the outro, it is very climactic and fades out with the vocals.
This song uses inversions and 7th chords, they do this to add some jazz into the piece and create a nice smooth harmonic motion.
The lyrics to dancing queen celebrate the youth and job of dancing. The song demonstrates the story of a young 17 year old girl who is experiencing and experimenting with the thrill of dancing to music. A perfect example of the freedom that came with the disco era.
The line "you can dance, you can live, having the time of your life" is a perfect view on being carefree and the enjoyment of just living in the moment.
The message that ABBA tried to put across here was to encourage people to enjoy music and to embrace the youthfulness. It is a very positive message and the has remained timeless because of the joyful and nostalgic appeal.