After a brief spell in the US Army, Vinton was signed to Epic Records in 1960 as a bandleader: "A Young Man With a Big Band." Two albums and several singles were not successful however, and with Epic ready to pull the plug, Vinton found his first hit single literally sitting in a reject pile. The song was titled "Roses Are Red (My Love)." It spent four weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Arguably, his most famous song is 1963's "Blue Velvet" that also went to No.1. 23 years later, David Lynch named his movie Blue Velvet after the song. In 1964, Vinton had two #1 hits, "There! I've Said It Again" and "Mr. Lonely", the latter now being the basis for Akon's hit "Lonely."
In the 1970s, the "Polish Prince" continued to hit the Top 40, notably with "Ev'ry Day of My Life" and "Sealed With a Kiss" in 1972. That same year, Epic Records decided to end its relationship with Vinton and ended his recording contract. Undeterred, Vinton spent $50,000 of his own money on a self-written song sung partially in Polish: "My Melody of Love." After Vinton was turned down by 7 major labels, ABC Records bought Vinton's idea, and the result was a multi-million selling single that hit #1 on the AC charts in 1974. A gold album, Melodies of Love, followed as well as a successful half-hour variety show "The Bobby Vinton Show" (which aired from 1975 to 1978). He also starred in two John Wayne movies: Big Jake and The Train Robbers.
In the course of his career, Vinton has sold over 75 million records (singles, albums, compilation inclusions, etc) and is still performing on tour and at the Bobby Vinton Blue Velvet Theatre in Branson, Missouri.
Born Free
Bobby Vinton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As free as the grass grows
Born free to follow your heart
Live free and beauty surrounds you
The world still astounds you
Each time you look at a star
You're free as the roaring tide
So there's no need to hide
Born free, and life is worth living
But only worth living
'Cause you're born free
(Stay free, where no walls divide you)
You're free as the roaring tide
So there's no need to hide
Born free, and life is worth living
But only worth living
'Cause you're born free
The lyrics to Bobby Vinton's "Born Free" is a defiant tribute to the spirit of freedom inherent in humankind. The song celebrates the human capacity to embrace freedom in all aspects of life, from physical boundaries to metaphysical realms. The first line, "Born free, as free as the wind blows," connotes the boundless and unrestricted nature of freedom. The lyrics continue to extol the virtues of living free, where beauty and wonder surround you in the world.
The line, "Stay free, where no walls divide you," speaks about the human need for freedom from barriers, oppression, and limitations imposed by society. The song urges people to remain free and unrestrained, empowered by nature itself. "You're free as the roaring tide, so there's no need to hide" means that nobody should feel ashamed or hide their true self, as freedom is a natural state. The overall message of the song is that life is precious, and the only worthwhile existence is one that is free.
Line by Line Meaning
Born free, as free as the wind blows
You were brought into this world without any chains, restrictions or limitations just like the wind that is never constrained in its motion
As free as the grass grows
Just like the grass that grows without any limitations, you have the freedom to do what you feel is right
Born free to follow your heart
You have an inherent ability to decide what path to take in life and follow your dreams and aspirations
Live free and beauty surrounds you
When you live freely, you will always attract beauty in your life, whether it be physical or emotional.
The world still astounds you
The world will always have the power to amaze and astonish you if you observe and appreciate it with a free mind
Each time you look at a star
Every time you gaze at the stars and the beauty of the universe, you realize the enormity of the possibilities that are open to you
Stay free, where no walls divide you
If you continue to live with an open mind and not stay confined to any particular ideology, you will always be free and not restricted by barriers
You're free as the roaring tide
Just like the unrelenting and uncontrolled nature of the waves in the ocean, you have the freedom to be who you want to be and not be held back by societal norms or expectations
So there's no need to hide
You don't have to conceal your true self to fit into a particular mold, embrace your individuality since you're not confined to anything
Born free, and life is worth living
You're a part of the universe that keeps evolving and have an inherent value that makes life worth living
But only worth living
But it's only worth living a life of freedom, where you can make decisions based on your own beliefs and not ones from others.
'Cause you're born free
You were born to live a life of freedom, where you can make your own choices and carve out your destiny
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Don Black, John Barry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Calabria
How could one not love this version of this all time classic!
David Chernofsky
great cover