Student Chosen Topic #5 - Adam Paquette

 Lynyrd Skynyrd 05/01/2021 - There are two songs by Lynyrd Skynyrd that mean a lot to me for two reasons. The two songs that mean a lot to me are Free Bird and Simple Man. When I was growing up my parents would always play these songs (or any of Lynyrd Skynyrd's songs) every summer when we could cool off in the pool. So every time I hear this band I always think back to my childhood with my family during the hot summer days. Secondly, a close friend of mine, George Grekos, and I connected with this band and especially these two songs. We both had our own reasoning for liking the band. However, he passed away, and now whenever I hear these two songs or even the artist, it brings a whole new meaning to me. I still hold on to thinking of my family but now I also think of George. I feel as though he is there with me, especially when the song just randomly starts playing. I know for a fact others feel the same way about how the meaning of songs changes when a loved one passes away. This goes to show how deep and sentimental songs really are. This may affect individuals in different ways. It may make them happy, sad, cry, angry, or even all of the above. Music ties people together through having a shared meaning. As I think about it, maybe it was meant to be that I met George and that we both love this band. Free Bird and Simple Man both sound like the life of my friend. Free Bird, shows how the bird is free from the cage of life and is able to fly anywhere it wants to go. This song was also written in memory of a close friend of the band who died, similar to my friend George. To end, music is an important way to connect human beings together and can act as a way of remembering the living and the dead (the free). So, "fly high, free bird, yeah."

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