September 12, 1997: Freedom 90

The points of discussion:
1) Do you love it or hate it?
2) Does it bring back memories?
3) Any relevant experiences involving the song?
4) What do you think the song is about?

Freedom 90:

Not to be confused with the Wham! tune "Freedom", "Freedom 90", many images prop up with the mention of this song. The supermodels, George burning his Faith image, a new era of George Michael. "Freedom 90" is one of George's most personal tracks. It has a message well carried out in an aggressive manner. Even with a simple production, the track shines out in "Listen Without Prejudice". (Robbie Williams shouldn't have ruined it, on a personal note.)

Freedom 90 on the Charts:

UK: #28
US: #8

Freedom 90 Lyrics

(name) Giovanni Mantilla
(email) [email protected]

Hi,
"Freedom 90" has got to be my favorite GM song overall. It's one of those songs which lyrics become personal in the deepest way. Not so long ago, i was suffering of extremely low self-esteem and had trouble trying to find out who i really was, what i wanted my life to be and how much i cared about what others would think about me and this song helped me both to start accepting myself as i was, and to acknowledge that no matter what other people would think or say, it should always be about who you really are inside. I completely hung onto the lyrics. It helped me to overcame many complexes i had and still have. As i wri, i'm having problems trying to express my feelings about the song because it's touched me so deep inside, words cannot describe what it represents for me. Everytime i listen to it i get a "hate/liberation/pain/sadness" mixed emotion, i can't help but sing every single word until it ends. Along with "Praying For Time" and "Cowboys & Angels" off LWP, is the kind of song from which GM lyrics are able change my mood completely and send chills up my spine.

"sometimes the clothes do not make the man"

Giovanni

(name) deb taylor
(email) [email protected]

I have always liked this song. However, I love the MTV version. It's great. Freedom 90, to me, is about George's musical career. "have faith in the sound" and "i was just a young boy, didn't know what I wanted to be."

(name) Anneli Erikkson
(email) [email protected]

Hi Bryan,
I don�t know if this was the song we were going to comment, but since Faith was last week I took it for granted... :-) Anne

Song of the week - Freedom `90

I remember Freedom `90 very well even though I wasn�t even close to being a fan at that time. I was eleven yrs old and I think I had just discovered good music in general. My sister had the album and imagined who stole it from her six yrs later?!

I liked the song back then and I thought the video was really cool even if I didn�t understand the statement that George made. I don�t think George�s Faith period had made such a strong impact on me. Today I love the song and I think it�s one of his best dance songs. And the lyrics of the song is fantastic, he really makes a statement; 'forget my image, listen to my music, this is what I have to offer'.
I think that people who were fans during Faith and who didn�t like the song and the album because of the choices he made with it have to think of why they liked George during Faith. I think they will come up with the fact that they spent as much time, maybe more, concentrating on his image as they did on the music.
I think what is so great with Freedom `90 is also that it lasts now seven yrs later. It�s still very dancable and you don�t automatically think of the music made in the early 90es. Alot of music made then has a certain style, a mix of the 80es trying to sound cooler cos it�s a new centery. But Freedom `90 isn�t like that. I guess that�s something George has managed to do in most of his songs. They will last.

Anne

(name) maen ftouni
(email) [email protected]

I think that faith is one of george michael's best hits ever,its simple rock n' roll music make it a classic which,in my country lebanon,is played every week several times! george says that the song was inspired by a couple of relations that failed,this song is way out of the 80's,it belongs to the golden era of elvis and the beatles along with "look at your hands", it clearly reveals to us the greatness of his music!!

(name) Kumi Taguchi
(email) [email protected]

I agree with the Robbie Williams thing and the fact that Freedom 90 is one of his best tracks. For more reasons thatone. The musicianship is perfect, and the attitude of teh music seems to go with the attitude of the words. I personally think that the lyrics are a direct opposite of the sentiments expressed in the Wham! Freedom (the freedom of being young and hedonistic and famous) whre the 90 version is trying to get awy from all that supposed freedom that george once saw...hmmm. Good choice of song. The Back to Reality Mix is one of teh best mixes of all time. Very clever and shows what an ear he has...

(name) Tania
(email) [email protected]

Hi Bryan:
Song of the week 9/11
I must say 1st of all that I'm new to this ...so to my understanding do these comments go out now or are already too late, and there is already another song of the week ? I remember seeing a posting for "faith" & now it's for "freedom 90", on both I wanted to share my comments on how I lived that music in my life.
Anyhow please let me know how this works so I can get it right and be able to participate... thank you.

Ps..Comments on Freedom90:
I agree totally with Anneli on her comments & also that she missed out on "Faith". But the truth is that this song his very autobiographical on George's own "pop star" life. He wants to break free for all that was before...every part of the lyric states that clearly. He wants to remain faithful to his musically talents not his image. "I won't let you down, I won't give you up, gotta have some faith in the sound, It's the one good thing I've got....so please don't give me up 'cause I really want to stick around" ...this last part is directed to all his "real" fans, the ones that have been with him since the begginning and/or have seen the change within him from FAITH to LWP, allowing him to take a different approach without losing his quality of delivering good music with powerful songwriting. Everything in FREEDOM '90 is about this change: "I'll hold on to my freedom, may not be what you want from me, just the way it's got to be, lose the face now, I've got to live".... and it has a great beat to dance to the "sound" leaving a mark in it's time.

(name) Leeanna
(email) [email protected]

Hmmm, Freedom 90. Sad to say, I don't remember when I first heard it. I know, I am such a bad fan. :o) Mostly I remember the video, it seemed to be shown all the time on MTV and VH1, and of course I was checking out those channels for George, but this is the time he decided to hide out from us.

I like the song. I think George said all that he had to say on the subject in that song. We do seem to put some stars up there on a pedestal, and don't let them get down, no matter how much they try. I think we only see that public side, and sometimes don't realize that it may all be a facade. I think he was brave to decide not to be in any of his videos. Since the beginning of MTV, I think the public image and the videos have taken over. Music is not just about the music and the lyrics anymore. Which is kind of sad in my opinion. Not that I don't like watching the videos. :o) But some of the music nowadays isn't music to me. (Okay, people can give me flack for that one now.) If you read the lyrics or just listen to the song, George is actually saying something, and if you really pay attention to the lyrics, what he is saying makes sense. I think this song just tells his story to that point of his career.

BTW, I prefer the live version from the Concert for Hope in 93. :o)

(name) Gemma
(email) [email protected]

Freedom'90
Well, that's not one of my favorite George songs really, but there's something about it that I do like a lot. It is its candidness, it's plainness, it's direct speaking. I somehow always tend to his darkest songs, trying to know him inside probably, and I often end up analysing him too much, or trying to... But Freedom'90 is very different for this reason I've just told you and yes I like it a lot too and I would like him to write more songs like this from time to time.

What I do really really love is the Back To Reality Remix which I have only listened to twice :o(

About Robby Williams's cover...well, I hope not to offend anybody, but I'll just say I don't understand (for saying something, you know) the supossed 'correspondence' between his freedom and George's freedom. George has really many freedoms indeed, partcularly now... but Robby's simple one I think has very little to do with George's because it was not that one the case, me thinks... anyway a cover is a cover... though also there are covers and COVERS... Well, I fugure it benefited George in publicity terms so it wasn't that bad after all.

I'm ready for contrastive opinions...

Gemma.

(name) Mark Bickerdike
(email) [email protected]

One of the catchiest piano hooks I've heard that was in my head for months when it first came out and the video just brought it alive (loved the jukebox exploding in time with the music!)

(name) Lisa Schooley
(email) [email protected]

I was only about 13 and I cried. I was flipping through the channels and sped through VH1 and I stopped and cried. I watched the video with more intensity than I have ever watched anything before in my entire life. The blue lights, the tambourine, and the chord changes. Models in different lights seemed to be lip synching to a male's voice and it was the most beautiful voice I had ever heard. My family was right there with me, watching me tear up to a song. They thought I was pathetic, I thought I had found a genious. I waited until the song ended and through my tears I read George Michael's name in the left-hand corner.

That day I went to the library and got the tape of Listen Without Prejiduce. Ever since then, I have been a faithful GM fan though I prefer older works. It is hard to describe what his music has meant to me, but I have taken people with me. (Hey Eric!)

That day when I was thirteen introduced me to my favorite song ever, Freedom 90. The more I watch it, the more symbolism I see and the brilliance. I know Freedom 90 was a topic a couple days ago but college life is busy. All I gotta say is I love you George and to Eric Betzold, I might love Andrew too.

Sincerely, Lisa Schooley
Hoffman Estates, IL
(University of Iowa)

(name) Kumi
(email) [email protected]

I've commented a couple of days ago, but I just want to agree with Gemma..the Back to Reality Remix is fantastic. It is a pity you have only heard it twice. I have it on cassette (nearly dead, too), on the "Don't Let the Sun Go Down.." single. Maybe it was an Aussie release?

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