free bird free bird song originally composed recorded home demo john_lennon studio version recording incorporating contributions paul_mccartney george_harrison released single beatles released years break band years death single released promotion beatles anthology video documentary band anthology compilation album anthology project asked widow unreleased material remaining beatles contribute free bird songs real love harrison contributed additional instrumentation vocals arrangements electric light orchestra worked harrison harrison album cloud asked produce record music video free bird produced directed point view bird flight depicts references beatles songs penny lane paperback writer day life revolution free bird won grammy award best pop performance duo group vocal beatles 34th single united_states song secured group hit different decades 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s origins harrison originally intended record incidental background music trio anthology project later realised according wanted record new music according harrison agreed band replace beatles person john asked unreleased recordings sent cassette tapes songs free bird recorded building apartment new_york_city complete introduced song cassette imitating new_york accent saying free bird songs grow old real love says harrison beatles road manager initially asked concept adding vocals instrumentation demo tapes stated people said agreed paul came new_york john settled occasion hand tapes personally paul went home induction ceremony listen receive demo tapes recalls meeting sean played couple tracks home checked sean didn want problem said weird hearing dead guy lead vocal try said doesn work veto told george agreed going love didn come said don impose conditions difficult don know hate hours studio walk don conditions tough interview anthology project revealed surprised learn demos free bird real love released known fans admitted listened recording found emotional recording produced beatles 1960s recordings turned invitation produce free bird hearing problems subsequently managed produce direct anthology series harrison turn suggested producer work commenced studio february chosen engineer new tracks original tape singing song recorded cassette vocals piano track impossible separate produce track voice piano commented good integrity project singing occasional lines playing song died said remaining beatles agreed pretend gone lunch gone cup tea remaining beatles recorded track basic song idea gaps fill musically chords changed arrangement expanded include breaks harrison sing extra lines harrison played slide guitar solo beatles overdubs production recorded february march sussex england home studio ends slight coda including harrison instrument known played voice john_lennon played backwards message played reverse turned nice final result sounds like john_lennon according discovered surviving beatles reviewed final mix heard harrison singing harmonies later finished song said sounded like beatles explained comment saying looked project outsider fully expected finished track sound like beatles premise project harrison added gon sound like beatles sounds like present harrison agreed recording process later recorded real love second song chosen release finished little input felt like music video music video free bird produced directed depicts point view bird flight references beatles songs paperback writer day life continuing story bill forever doctor robert fool hill allusions beatles story music lyrics video estimated bird heard beginning video seen executive time said agree kind bird send ideas harrison sure agreed proceed filming video apple records executive sent page letter confirming proceed personally encouraged supported ideas video filmed authentic locations possible art department look 1950s locations filmed liver building reference father fixed ideas storyboard abandoned soon filming began followed ideas based angles perspectives camera produced instance filming car crash filmed hours realised shot ground better idea archive footage imposing scenes shot utilised stage digitally blend finished film paul old english graveyard elephant ballroom procession scene elephant said liked scene insisted elephant later request harrison apart shots russian crane sweeping overhead shots abbey road crossing shot end remote controlled toy helicopter camera added intricate aerial shots interesting cameos harrison played studio song asked appear player seen end video resisted felt wrong contemporary members beatles appear screen later stated heartbreaking harrison played role particularly harrison death discovering sample old song assumed video won grammy award best short form music video november released new deluxe version album different editions variations known tracks remixed original multi track masters remixed free bird accompany music video dvd blu ray releases remix free bird vocal uses different harrison vocal phrase replacing lyric happened life knew happened love knew end track version contains clip stating phrase turned nice played forward played backwards original mix song lead vocal buried original mix serve double track vocal heard prominently second verse chart performance free bird premiered bbc_radio_1 early hours november released single december weeks appearance anthology album single sold copies week entering singles chart remained chart weeks song reached billboard hot beatles 34th single america group song nineteen half years longest span group hits charting america critical reception free bird marked time single containing new material released beatles long winding road united_states promotional video broadcast episode beatles anthology aired itv abc free bird greeted mixed reviews release criticised guardian publicity gimmick exploiting beatles brand owing beatles independent called song low key george guitar gently required overall effect chris_carter host breakfast beatles commented value song especially great performed john paul george matter recorded free bird later won grammy award best pop performance duo group vocal personnel according john_lennon lead vocal piano paul_mccartney lead vocal harmony vocal bass acoustic guitar piano synthesizer george_harrison lead vocal harmony vocal electric slide guitar acoustic guitar drums harmony vocal track listings songs written john_lennon paul_mccartney george_harrison noted free bird christmas time music recorded november london christmas recorded december london free bird saw standing recorded february london produced version recorded version released album introductory count edited start album boy recorded october london produced incomplete versions takes break laughter christmas time charts certifications
Free as a Bird