"Freedom"
UK 7-inch single and continental European release picture sleeve
Single by Wham!
from the album Make It Big
B-side
  • "Freedom" (instrumental) (UK)
  • "Heartbeat" (US)
Released
  • 1 October 1984 (UK)
  • July 1985 (US)
StudioMiraval (France)[1]
Genre
Length
  • 5:01 (album version)
  • 5:20 (US version)
LabelCBS
Songwriter(s)George Michael
Producer(s)George Michael
Wham! singles chronology
"Careless Whisper"
(1984)		 "Freedom"
(1984)		 "Last Christmas" / "Everything She Wants"
(1984)
Music video
"Freedom" on YouTube

"Freedom" is a 1984 song by English pop duo Wham! from their album Make It Big, released on 1 October 1984. It became the group's second number one hit on the UK Singles Chart and reached number three in America.[3] It was written and produced by George Michael, one half of the duo.[4]

History

Wham! had already enjoyed a successful 1984 by the time "Freedom" was released in October of the year. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" had given them their first UK number one and had then reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Michael had then gone to number one with a solo single, "Careless Whisper".

"Freedom" was number one in the UK for three weeks,[3] and featured on the album Make It Big, which was issued at the same time. "Freedom" was the 10th biggest-selling single of 1984.[5] This song also reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US in September 1985.[6]

The melody of the song's chorus was used by Michael as an introduction to his song, "Faith", played on a church organ.

A reworked version of the song with altered lyrics (but still performed by the duo) was used to promote Maxell's line of audio cassettes in 1984.[7]

When the single was released in the United States, the song was remixed and extended an extra 20 seconds. The remix involved the vocals being given more reverb and the organ sounds being higher up in the mix. The extension involved a new trumpet section and added vocals. The section had first been heard in The Big Tour to close the number.

The music video, coinciding with the 1985 US release, features the band touring around Beijing, China. Their visit to the nation was significant because they were the first Western pop band to play China.

The American remix was later included on The Final and later, the greatest hits compilation album The Best of Wham!: If You Were There.... However, the original version was included on the US release of Make It Big.

Critical reception

Cash Box said that "George Michael's R&B tinged vocals soar with the tune's catchy refrain."[8] Billboard described the song as a "Motown tribute".[9]

Track listings

All tracks are written by George Michael

7-inch: Epic / A 4743 (UK)
No.TitleLength
1."Freedom"5:08
2."Freedom" (instrumental)5:10
  • Incorrectly labelled as 5:00 in length.
7-inch: Columbia / 38-05409 (US)
No.TitleLength
1."Freedom"5:20
2."Heartbeat"4:42
12-inch: Epic / TA 4743 (UK)
No.TitleLength
1."Freedom" (long version)7:14
2."Freedom" (instrumental)5:10
  • The "long version" is mislabeled as the "long mix".
12-inch maxi single: Columbia / 44-05238 (US)
No.TitleLength
1."Freedom" (long mix)6:16
2."Heartbeat"4:42
3."Freedom" (instrumental)5:10

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Freedom"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Netherlands (NVPI)[40] Gold 75,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[41] Gold 700,000[42]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

Tommy Atkins version

British country singer Tommy Atkins released a cover version of "Freedom" in 2020. His version featured an "openly gay" lyric edit, swapping in "boy, all I really want is you." The recording reached the top 5 on download charts across the UK, Canada and New Zealand. The recording made history, becoming the first country hit in the UK and Europe to feature overtly gay lyrics. Atkins' version was playlisted by hundreds of major country radio and pop stations. The cultural significance of this was acknowledged in the BBC 6 Music documentary Loud and Proud.[43]

References

  1. ↑ "History". Wham! World. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  2. ↑ Berger, Arion (2004). "Wham!". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 868. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  3. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 441–2. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ↑ Amy Hanson. "Freedom - Wham! | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  5. 1 2 1984 in British music#Best-selling singles
  6. 1 2 "Wham! Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  7. ↑ "Wham! - Maxell Cassette Tape Commercial (1984)". YouTube. Maxell. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  8. ↑ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. July 27, 1985. p. 11. Retrieved 2022-07-29.
  9. ↑ "Reviews". Billboard. July 27, 1985. p. 64. Retrieved 2022-07-29.
  10. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 335. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. ↑ "Wham! – Freedom" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  12. ↑ "Wham! – Freedom" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  13. ↑ "Radio 2 Top 30" (in Dutch). Top 30. Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  14. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0579." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  15. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9296." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  16. ↑ "CHART NUMBER 1499 – Saturday, September 14, 1985". CHUM. Archived from the original on 7 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-07.
  17. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  18. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Wham!". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 280. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  19. ↑ "Wham! – Freedom" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  20. ↑ "Wham! – Freedom" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  21. ↑ "Wham! Chart History". RÚV. 22 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  22. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Freedom". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  23. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 9 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Wham!".
  24. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 45, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  25. ↑ "Wham! – Freedom" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  26. ↑ "Wham! – Freedom". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  27. ↑ "Wham! – Freedom". VG-lista. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  28. ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Acts W". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  29. ↑ "Wham! – Freedom". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  30. ↑ "Wham! – Freedom". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  31. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  32. ↑ "Wham! Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  33. ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending SEPTEMBER 28, 1985". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
  34. ↑ "Kent Music Report No 548 – 31 December 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1984". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 12 January 2022 – via Imgur.com.
  35. ↑ "Ultratop Jaaroverzichten 1984". Ultratop 50 (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 10 July 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  36. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  37. ↑ "Dutch Charts Jaaroverzichten Single 1984". Single Top 100 (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 14 October 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  38. 1 2 "Volume 97 No. 52, DECEMBER 28. 1985" (PDF). Billboard. New York, NY, USA. 28 December 1985. p. TA-21,TA-28. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  39. ↑ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1985". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  40. ↑ "Dutch single certifications – Wham! – Freedom" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 28 November 2019. Enter Freedom in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1984 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  41. ↑ "British single certifications – Wham! – Freedom". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  42. ↑ "George Michael on the charts". Music Week. Intent Media. 11 January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  43. ↑ "BBC Radio 6 Music – Loud and Proud, Deep Dive into Queer Country". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
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