Free as a Bird facts for kids

Free as a Bird can mean a couple of things, but it's most famous as a special song by the legendary band The Beatles. It's also the name of an album by the band Supertramp.

"Free as a Bird" by The Beatles

"Free as a Bird" is a very unique song by the famous British band The Beatles. It was released in 1995, many years after the band had broken up and after John Lennon, one of the band members, had passed away. This song was special because it brought the four Beatles together one last time.

How the Song Was Made

The story of "Free as a Bird" began with John Lennon. In 1977, he recorded a demo version of the song on a cassette tape at his home in The Dakota building in New York City. After his death in 1980, his wife, Yoko Ono, gave this demo tape to the other three surviving Beatles: Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.

The remaining Beatles decided to finish the song for a special project called The Beatles Anthology. This project was a big collection of rare recordings, live performances, and unreleased songs from their career. They wanted to create new music that included John Lennon's voice.

Recording the Song

In 1994, Paul, George, and Ringo went into the studio to work on "Free as a Bird." They used John Lennon's original demo recording, which had his voice and piano. They then added their own new parts, including Paul's bass guitar, George's lead guitar, and Ringo's drums. They also added their own harmonies and backing vocals.

The song was produced by Jeff Lynne, a well-known musician and producer who had worked with George Harrison before. He helped blend John's original recording with the new parts from the other Beatles, making it sound like they were all playing together.

Release and Impact

"Free as a Bird" was released as a single in December 1995. It was the first new song by The Beatles in 25 years. Fans around the world were very excited to hear new music from the band, especially with John Lennon's voice. The song was a big hit, reaching high positions on music charts in many countries. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.

The song is often seen as a touching tribute to John Lennon and a way for the band to say a final goodbye to their fans. It showed that even after many years, the magic of The Beatles could still bring joy to people.

The Supertramp Album

Free as a Bird is also the name of an album released in 1987 by the British rock band Supertramp. This album features songs like "I'm Beggin' You" and "Still in Love." It's different from the Beatles song and is part of Supertramp's own musical journey.

Images for kids

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  The Dakota building, where Lennon lived and composed, and where he recorded a demo of the song on cassette

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  "Free as a Bird" producer Jeff Lynne in 2016

See also

In Spanish: Free as a Bird para niños