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SongsReunion singlesFree as a Bird
Reunion singles album cover

Free as a Bird

1995 · Reunion singles

“Whatever happened to the life that we once knew?”

Reunion single built around a 1977 Lennon home-cassette demo, completed by the three surviving Beatles in 1994 with Jeff Lynne co-producing. Lead single from Anthology 1; reached UK No. 2 and US No. 6. It won two 1997 Grammys, including Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
Year1995
AlbumReunion singles
Track1
Duration4:26
Songwriter(s)Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Starkey
Lead VocalJohn, Paul, George
Recorded1977; February – March 1994
ReleasedDecember 4, 1995

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Text143 tags

Motif

NostalgiaLonelinessRelationshipSelf reflectionQuestionWeatherNatureAnimalsHomeFreedom

Influence

Music hall influence

Title

Title in refrain

Vocabulary

Casual languageMixed tone

Narrative

First personConversational

Lyrical device

SimileAnaphora

Rhyme type

Internal rhymePerfect rhyme

Song form

Verse-chorusAABA form

Sections

Many verses (5+)Standard choruses (1-3)Has outroHas intro

Section links

Verse variationChorus variationOutro based on verseIntro based on verse

Repetition

Recurring lineRecurring verseConsecutive lineConsecutive verses
Word cloud

Recurring words

birdflyhappenedlivenextonceotherseemedtouchwhateverwingswithoutdid weeach otherfeel sohappened toit alwaysit's themade meseemed toso muchthat wethe lifethe nextthe touchthing towe reallywhere didreally live withoutthe life that

Cover-shared words

ahalwaysbesteachfeelfreehomeitknewlifelikelosemadememeanmuchoohthingwehome andlike alose theme feelto be

Lyric shape

[ADJ] as[NOUN] i'llit [WORD][ADJ] [NOUN] to[ADV] [ADV] and[NOUN] that we[NOUN] to be[VERB] so [WORD]really [VERB] [WORD]that [NOUN] towe [WORD] [VERB]it [WORD] [VERB] melike a [VERB] [NOUN]we [VERB] the [NOUN]

Cover-shared shape

[ADV] and[NOUN] on[NOUN] that[NOUN] to[VERB] me[VERB] so[VERB] the[VERB] toa [NOUN]a [VERB]and [ADJ]i'll [VERB]me [VERB]on [WORD]really [VERB]so [ADJ]so [WORD]that [NOUN]the [ADJ]the [NOUN]to [VERB]we [VERB]we [WORD][VERB] me [VERB][VERB] so [ADJ][VERB] the [NOUN][VERB] to [VERB][WORD] [VERB] me[WORD] [VERB] toa [NOUN] ona [VERB] [NOUN]like a [VERB]the [NOUN] that[WORD] [VERB] me [VERB]the [ADJ] [ADJ] [NOUN]

Rhyme scheme

AXAABCCDAABABAUnique rhyme scheme

Line length

Unique line length

Distinctive word

denrutdryecinhomingniagat'ndidtuo
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Music199 tags

Arrangement

Lead vocalsBacking vocalsElectric guitarAcoustic guitarBass guitarPianoSynthesizerDrumsUkuleleSpoken word

Instrument group

GuitarsKeyboards

Guitar work

Slide guitarGuitar solo

Bass work

Stepwise bass lineChromatic bass line

Music genre

RockBallad

Vocal work

Vocals on outroOoh vocalsAah vocalsThree-part harmonyVocal harmonies

Solo / Riff

Guitar soloSolo on chorus

Tempo

Slow

Key

A majorC majorKey change

Time signature

4/4

Song form

Verse-chorusAABAABAAABA form

Sections

Many verses (5+)Standard choruses (1-3)Has outroHas introHas solo

Section traits

Short bridgeUnique outro

Section links

Verse variationChorus variationOutro based on verseIntro based on verseSolo on chorus

Repetition

Consecutive verses

Section transition

V to I♭VII to IUnique section transition

Harmony

Parallel minor tonicChromatic mediantModal mixtureBorrowed chordCircle of fifthsPerfect cadenceHalf cadenceBackdoor cadence

Composition

Sectional modulationTonic openingRich harmonyTonic endingVerse in ITonic verseChorus in ♭VINon-tonic chorus

Mode

Ionian

Chord type

majorminordom7maj7dim7sus4

Scale degree

II7i♭IIIivVV7♭VI♭VImaj7vividim7♭VII

Chord degree

I–vivi–♭VI♭VI–VV–I♭VII–♭IIIi–VV–Vvi–♭VI–VV–I–viiv–♭VII–♭III♭VII–II–Ivi–ivVII–♭VIIV–♭IIII–vi–♭VI♭VII–♭III–iI–vi–♭VI–Vvi–♭VI–V–IV–I–vi–iv♭VII–I–Ivi–iv–Viv–V–II–♭VI♭VI–V–I♭VII–Viv–♭VIIiv–V♭VII–I–vi♭III–i

Chord shape

C → AmAm → A♭C → BC → FAm → FmAm → BAm → DAm → EC → CAm → A♭ → GC → F → DmAm → D → GAm → D → G → EmC7 → FAdim → B♭C → DC → C7C → A♭C7 → A♭C → AC → D♭dim → DAm → E → ECmaj7 → B7 → EC → Am → A♭C → D → D7C → D♭dim7C7 → F → Dm → B♭mC → Am → Fm → G7C → Am → A♭ → GAm → A♭ → G → CAdim → B♭ → CAm → B7 → EC → A7C7 → F → DmCsus4 → CC → B → EAm → B7C → D → DC → D♭dimC → D → Bm

Chord literal

A → F♯mE → ADm → GG → CC → AmDm → G → CG → C → AmE7 → AG → AA → AA → A7E7 → CE7 → A → F♯mG7 → C → AmF → F♯dimF♯m → FDm → EA♭ → GDm → G → C → AmA → F♯m → FF♯m → F → EG → A → F♯mG → A → A7F → F♯dim7G → A → AA7 → FG7 → C → Am → FmG → C → Am → FmA → F♯m → F → EFmaj7 → E7 → AAm → Fm → G7Am → Fm → GEsus4 → EF♯m → DmG7 → CG → EF → EF → F♯dim → GF → E → AE → A → F♯mE → EE → CAm → EA → FG → E7
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Sources & references

Tags on this page are original analysis, transcribed and cross-checked against the fine work of others: Alan W. Pollack's “Notes on…” series, the Beatles Complete Scores (Hal Leonard), Mark Lewisohn's session histories, Ian MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, Dave Rybaczewski's Beatles Music History and Andy Babiuk's Beatles Gear for the instruments and studio equipment, and others besides - then verified by ear against the recordings. Full bibliography: Sources & thanks.

External entity links: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz recording · MusicBrainz work · Wikidata

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