By the time Skynyrd was hitting the studio for their first album, the song "Freebird" was a well-groomed ending to their club gigs. So it only made sense that they recorded it with a powerful ending. But producer Al Kooper faded the song out at 9 minutes, 12 seconds to end the album. That's the version most have heard for decades.
In 1989, Skynyrd released a greatest hits album, but it only came out in the U.K. It was the first time the entire song ("Extended Music Version") was available. It's almost a minute longer.
See what you think of the ending to "Freebird". Discuss your take on why you don't hear it on radio. (Or play the entire song here.)