"Free Bird!"

"Go fuck yourself!"  That's what you're saying to the performer when you scream that.

I know of three theories that claim to have given birth to this abominable tradition.

1) People are stupid. 
 
2) Back on Skynyrd's 1976 live album, Ronnie Van Zant asked the crowd, “What song is it you wanna hear?” Immediately, the crowd responded by shouting “Free Bird.”  It became a thing to do at Skynyrd concerts, and subsequently at other shows.

3) Radio personality Kevin Matthews. Back in the '80s, Matthews was on air in Chicago and told his fans to yell “Free Bird” at shows they considered “lame.”  His fans, KevHeads, took to it and started doing it all the time. Matthews, in turn, continued to encourage it.

I'll admit, the idiot, adolescent me yelled a few Free Bird requests back in the day.  I also use to collect Pogs.  Concerts bring people together to enjoy music and get a little weird. Like anything, there is a certain level of etiquette and respect that needs to be maintained.  So next time your about to shout out the most overplayed, asinine joke of all time, don't.