The Side To Ronnie Van Zant Few People Ever Got The Chance To See
Despite being one of the greatest legends in rock and roll history, Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd was incredibly down-to-earth.
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Although he performed in front of thousands of people, Ronnie often preferred to spend some alone time out fishing. He never liked giving interviews. But one time he worked in an interview while he was out fishing.
Ronnie Explains The Meaning Of “Free Bird” In Low-Key Interview
The interview shows a whole new side to Ronnie. He was known for playing up the image of the wild rebel onstage. But the real Ronnie came through in this interview. He proved he was just an ordinary guy who loved the simple things in life.
During the interview, Ronnie told the story behind the creation of the band’s signature song “Free Bird.” As one of the co-writers, he also shared the meaning behind its famous lyrics:
“The content of ‘Free Bird’ is based on the idea of everybody being free,” he said with a smile. “To me there’s nothing freer than a bird, ya know, just flying wherever he wants to go. That’s what this country’s all about, being free. I think everybody wants to be a free bird.”
Although Ronnie performed “Free Bird” with Lynyrd Skynyrd many times, it still touched him to see the crowd’s response to it:
“There’s something about playing in front of fifty thousand people, and seeing ’em still get up for that song. Seeing ’em still stand up. Just seeing people stand up and put their hands together for a song that you wrote. To me that’s what it’s all about. That’s what makes me keep goin’ back.”
Ronnie’s fishing interview was only a minute long. But it reveals so much about him as an artist and a person. Tune in below to see for yourself.
