Neil Young, “Rockin’ In The Free World”
After Young’s band learned that a planned 1989 concert tour to the Soviet Union had been nixed, his guitarist Frank Sampedro said, “we'll have to keep on rockin' in the free world.” The phrase struck Young, who thought it could be the hook in a song about "stuff going on with the Ayatollah and all this turmoil in the world.” The lyrics came to him the next day.
From the Canadian artist’s 1989 album Freedom.
Blitz The Ambassador, “Free Your Mind”
The Ghanaian filmmaker, author, visual artist and singer-songwriter brought the house down at the 2012 Vancouver Folk Festival with a kinetic combo of hip-hop and horns. In this music video, a bored African despot has grinning performers dance to a song with an ironic title; “Free Your Mind.”
(The 20th century liberation of Africa from overt western control by Britain, Portugal, Germany, France and Italy didn’t spell the end of colonization. Many African states became comprador-ridden playgrounds for western resource extraction, debt manipulation, and corporate drug experimentation. Today, the instruction to “free your mind” carries risks and opportunities not just for Africans, but for independent thinkers worldwide. )
David Gilmour, “A Great Day For Freedom”
A track from Pink Floyd’s 1994 Division Bell album, recalling the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the liberation of East Bloc minds from the spectre of state communism.
Joni Mitchell, “Free Man in Paris”
"I was a free man in Paris. I felt unfettered and alive. Nobody calling me up for favors. No one's future to decide." The Canadian singer/songwriter’s joyous 1974 song of personal freedom, sung from the point of view of her friend and manager, the uber-mensch music impresario David Griffin.
Devendra Banhart, “Freely”
The psychedelic folkie’s gentle song from 2007 about living with an open heart.
Hunter/Ronson, “[Give Me Back My] Wings”
“First it was the Mothers / Then it was the wives / I think that God's a woman / I know she runs my life.” An epic rhythm section intro prefaces Mick Ronson’s wailing riff and Ian Hunter’s howling plea to get back on the road and do what he does best.
Curtis Mayfield, “Wild and Free”
From the 1970 album Curtis. On his first solo venture, the soul singer stepped away from his band The Impressions with this outpouring of civil rights positivity.
Solomon Burke, “None Of Us Are Free”
“It's a simple truth we all need, just to hear and to see / None of us are free, one of us is chained / None of us are free.” A rhythm and blues song first recorded by Ray Charles in 1993 that went unheralded until soul singer Solomon Burke reworked for his 2002 album, Don’t Give Up On Me.
With the current estimated world population of slaves at a historic peak of 50 million (mostly women and children), this song has greater relevance than ever.
Van Morrison, “Let the Slave”
The political, personal and spiritual mesh in the Belfast-born singer’s ingenious reworking of William Blake’s poem, “The Price of Experience.” From his 1985 album, A Sense of Wonder.
William Blake
The Price of ExperienceWhat is the price of Experience? Do men buy it for a song?
Or wisdom for a dance in the street? No it is bought with the price
Of all that man hath, his house, his wife, his children.
Wisdom is sold in the desolate market where none come to buy
And in the wither'd field where the farmer plows for bread in vain. It is an easy thing to triumph in the summer's sun
And in the vintage and to sing on the waggon loaded with corn.
It is an easy thing to talk of patience to the afflicted,
To speak the laws of prudence to the homeless wanderer
To listen to the hungry raven's cry in wintry season
When the red blood is fill'd with wine and with the marrow of lambs.
It is an easy thing to laugh at wrathful elements
To hear the dog howl at the wintry door, the ox in the slaughter house moan;
To see a god on every wind and a blessing on every blast
To hear sounds of love in the thunder storm that destroys our enemies' house;
To rejoice in the blight that covers his field, and the sickness that cuts off his children,
While our olive and vine sing and laugh round our door, and our children bring fruits and flowers
Then the groan and the dolor are quite forgotten, and the slave grinding at the mill
And the captive in chains and the poor in the prison and the soldier in the field
When the shatter'd bone hath laid him groaning among the happier dead
It is an easy thing to rejoice in the tents of prosperity;
Thus could I sing and thus rejoice: but it is not so with me
BONUS VIDEO
Elton John, Philadelphia Freedom
Not every tune referencing freedom has a heavy duty message, of course. According to Wikipedia, this 1975 song was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin “as a favour to John's friend, tennis star Billie Jean King, who was part of the Philadelphia Freedoms professional tennis team.” It’s also a great homage to Philly soul.
Nice roundup today. 🎵
Does Young still sing " The Needle and the Damage Done?"