Frank Black is American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Charles Michael K… Read Full Bio ↴Frank Black is American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV (born April 6, 1965). After releasing three albums with this name, he formed the band Frank Black and the Catholics. He returned to using the name Black Francis, the name he uses as vocalist of the Pixies, in 2007.

Lead songwriter and vocalist of the now reunited Pixies, Frank Black adopted a reversal of his former alias, Black Francis, and embarked on his solo career after the 1992 breakup of Pixies. He released his debut self-titled album, Frank Black in 1993. It contains his biggest rock radio hit, Los Angeles (#4 US Modern Rock). A year later came the critically acclaimed Teenager of the Year.

Frank Black's solo career covers a much more diverse range of styles and genres compared to his time with The Pixies. His works have feature a much more melodic touch, yet his lyrics are still often spiced with his quirky and inventive touch.

Frank Black regularly posts and responds to questions on the forums of his official fan site, frankblack.net, under the alias "frnck blck".

He began recording and touring as Black Francis in 2007, with the album Bluefinger, an album about the late Dutch musician and painter Herman Brood, and the mini album Svn Fngrs in 2008. On this tour he abandoned encores in favour of precores; a free mini gig at a public location earlier in the day. The gigs proper featured only current songs, the precores being more flexible.

Black Francis released NonStopErotik in March 2010.

The Pixies, minus original bassist Kim Deal, reunited for a United States and world tour in 2014 and have subsequently released three additional studio albums: Indie Cindy (2014), Head Carrier (2016) and Beneath the Eyrie (2019).

Freedom Rock
Frank Black Lyrics

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My name is Chip
And I'm different
I don't conform
I wear a different uniform

I'm out of the blue
And so you are, too
Let me sing about one thing that's clear

That nobody owns
The pleasure of tones
That belongs to a guy with no ear

They tried to give me advice
Down at the record shop
I said sit down boys
This may come as a shock
What's all I listen to
It's all freedom rock
How can you free me
When I'm free?
I am free

My name is Chip
And I'm different
I don't conform
I wear a different uniform

I'm out of the blue
And so you are, too
Let me sing about one thing that's clear
That nobody owns

The pleasure of tones
That belongs to a guy with no ear.

Overall Meaning

The song "Freedom Rock" by Frank Black is an ode to individuality and the power of music to transcend societal norms. The singer, Chip, is characterized as someone who doesn't conform to the expectations of society and instead embraces his unique identity. He wears a different uniform and is unafraid to express himself through music that may not be mainstream or popular.

The lyrics suggest that there is something freeing about not conforming and that true pleasure in music comes from personal taste and not societal norms. The line "nobody owns the pleasure of tones that belongs to a guy with no ear" suggests that even without the ability to hear, one can still experience the essence of music.

The chorus acts as a defense of Chip's nonconformity, with the repetition of his name and self-identification as "different" and "out of the blue". The line "How can you free me when I'm free?" further emphasizes that Chip does not need anyone else's validation or acceptance.

Overall, "Freedom Rock" is a celebration of individuality and the power of music to provide a sense of freedom and expression.

Line by Line Meaning

My name is Chip
I am introducing myself as a person named Chip.

And I'm different
I do not conform to societal norms and expectations.

I don't conform
I do not subscribe to established standards or norms.

I wear a different uniform
I express myself differently through my fashion choices.

I'm out of the blue
I come from an unexpected and unconventional background.

And so you are, too
You are also unique and non-conformist.

Let me sing about one thing that's clear
I want to express a clear message through my music.

That nobody owns
No individual or entity has sole ownership over it.

The pleasure of tones
The enjoyment derived from sounds and music.

That belongs to a guy with no ear
This pleasure is accessible to all, regardless of their physical characteristics.