"Philadelphia Freedom" was a stand-alone single by Elton John. It was relea… Read Full Bio ↴"Philadelphia Freedom" was a stand-alone single by Elton John. It was released in February of 1975 and it became the fourth of John's nine chart topping hits in the U.S. It reached #12 on the UK Official Charts and #1 on the Canadian charts.

Billboard Magazine ranked "Philadelphia Freedom" as the 3rd biggest single of 1975 in the United States.

Philadelphia Freedom
Elton John Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I used to be a rolling stone you know
If a cause was right
I'd leave to find the answer on the road
I used to be a heart beating for someone
But the times have changed
The less I say the more my work gets done

'Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom

From the day that I was born I've waved the flag
Philadelphia freedom took me knee high to a man, yeah
Gave me a piece of mind my daddy never had

Oh Philadelphia freedom, shine on me, I love you
Shine the light, through the eyes of the ones left behind
Shine the light, shine the light
Shine the light, won't you shine the light
Philadelphia freedom, I love you, yes I do

If you choose to you can live your life alone
Some people choose the city (some people the city)
Some others choose the good old family home (some others choose a good old)
I like living easy without family ties (living easy)
Till the whippoorwill of freedom zapped me
Right between the eyes

'Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom
From the day that I was born I've waved the flag
Philadelphia freedom took me knee high to a man
Mm mm, gave me a piece of mind my daddy never had

Oh Philadelphia freedom, shine on me, I love you
Shine the light, through the eyes of the ones left behind
Shine the light, shine the light
Shine the light, won't you shine the light
Philadelphia freedom, I love you, yes I do

Oh, Philadelphia freedom, shine on me, I love you
Shine the light, through the eyes of the ones left behind
Shine the light, shine the light
Shine the light, won't you shine the light
Philadelphia freedom, I love,
You know I love , you know I love you
Yes I do, Philadelphia freedom
I love you
Yes I do, Philadelphia freedom
You know that I love you
Yes I do, Philadelphia freedom
Don't you know that I love you
Yes I do, Philadelphia freedom

Don't you know that I love you
Yes I do, Philadelphia freedom

Overall Meaning

In Elton John's song "Philadelphia Freedom," he reflects on his past as a "rolling stone" but also celebrates his present and future as a resident of Philadelphia. The song is a tribute to the Philadelphia Soul sound and its influence on John's music. He sings about his love for the city's freedom and how it has shaped his life.

The first verse of the song highlights John's past as a "rolling stone" who would leave to "find the answer on the road." He used to be a heart that beat for someone, but the times have changed, and the less he says, the more work he gets done. The second verse explores the idea of choice when it comes to lifestyle, with some people choosing to live alone in the city and others choosing a traditional family home. However, John prefers to live easy without family ties and feels that the freedom of Philadelphia has given him a sense of purpose.

The chorus is a declaration of love for Philadelphia and the freedom it represents. John sings about how he has always waved the flag of Philadelphia, and the city has given him a peace of mind he never had before. He repeats the phrase, "shine the light," as a plea to keep the spirit of Philadelphia freedom alive.

Overall, "Philadelphia Freedom" is a celebratory tribute to the sound and spirit of Philadelphia and the freedom it represents. It reflects on Elton John's past as a "rolling stone" and his present as a resident of Philadelphia who has found a sense of purpose and belonging.

Line by Line Meaning

I used to be a rolling stone you know
I used to be someone who traveled around a lot, always seeking out the right thing to do.

If a cause was right
If there was a good reason for it.

I'd leave to find the answer on the road
I would go out and explore in order to discover the solution.

I used to be a heart beating for someone
I used to feel strongly for someone else.

But the times have changed
Things are different now.

The less I say the more my work gets done
I find that the less I talk, the more efficiently I am able to work and get things done.

'Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom
Philadelphia freedom is very important to me, it affects everything I do.

From the day that I was born I've waved the flag
I have always been a supporter of Philadelphia and its values.

Philadelphia freedom took me knee high to a man, yeah
Philadelphia freedom helped me grow up and become a mature adult.

Gave me a piece of mind my daddy never had
Philadelphia freedom gave me a sense of peace and security that my father never experienced.

Oh Philadelphia freedom, shine on me, I love you
Philadelphia freedom, please continue to be a positive influence on me, I feel very strongly about it.

Shine the light, through the eyes of the ones left behind
Bring hope to those that have been left behind so they too can experience the benefits of Philadelphia freedom.

If you choose to you can live your life alone
It is possible to lead a solitary life if you so choose.

Some people choose the city (some people the city)
Other people prefer to live in a more urban environment.

Some others choose the good old family home (some others choose a good old)
While others choose a more familial and homey environment.

I like living easy without family ties (living easy)
Personally, I prefer to live without the pressure of family expectations and obligations.

Till the whippoorwill of freedom zapped me
Until I was involuntarily struck with the realization of what freedom truly is.

Right between the eyes
Directly in front of me.

Philadelphia freedom took me knee high to a man
Philadelphia freedom helped me to mature and become an adult.

Mm mm, gave me a piece of mind my daddy never had
It provided me with a sense of peace that my father never experienced.

Oh Philadelphia freedom, shine on me, I love you
Please continue to be a positive force in my life, I truly do love what you stand for.

You know I love , you know I love you
I want to express again how much I truly love Philadelphia freedom.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elton John, Bernard J.P. Taupin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it