By the early 1970s, Free was one of the biggest-selling British blues rock groups; by the time the band dissolved in 1973, they had sold more than 20 million albums around the world and had played more than 700 arena and festival concerts. "All Right Now," remains a rock staple, and had been entered into ASCAP's "One Million" airplay singles club.
Rolling Stone has referred to the band as "British hard rock pioneers". The magazine ranked Rodgers No. 55 in its list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time", while Kossoff was ranked No. 51 in its list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".
Free were signed to Island Records in the UK and A&M Records in North America. Both labels became part of the PolyGram group in 1989, then Universal Music Group in 1998; UMG now controls the band's catalogue worldwide.
Most remarkable about the birth of Free was the young age of the band members who came together to rehearse and play their first gig on the evening of 19 April 1968 at the Nag's Head pub, which was at the junction of York Road and Lavender Road in Battersea, London. Bass player Andy Fraser was 15 years old, lead guitarist Paul Kossoff was 17, and both lead singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke were 18. By November of that year, having been given the name Free by Alexis Korner, they had recorded their first album Tons Of Sobs for Island Records and, although it was not released until the following year, the album documents their first six months together and contains studio renditions of much of their early live set.
Paul Kossoff and Simon Kirke first became friends in the R&B band Black Cat Bones but they wanted to move on. Paul Kossoff saw vocalist Paul Rodgers singing with Brown Sugar while visiting the Fickle Pickle, an R&B club in London's Finsbury Park. He was immediately impressed and asked if he could jam with Rodgers onstage. Along with Kirke, they began the search for a fourth member. Alexis Korner recommended Andy Fraser to the band, who at the age of 15 had already been playing with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Korner also provided the name "Free" the newly formed band
Unlike their previous albums Tons of Sobs and Free, Fire and Water, released in 1970, was a huge success, largely due to the album containing the hit single "All Right Now", which reached No. 1 on the UK rock music charts, No. 2 on the UK singles chart and No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album reached No. 2 in the UK charts and No. 17 on the U.S charts making it the most successful Free album. "All Right Now" became a No. 1 hit in over 20 territories and recognized by ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) in 1990 for garnering 1,000,000 plus radio plays in the US by late 1989, and in 2000 an award was given to Paul Rodgers by the British Music Industry when "All Right Now" passed 2,000,000 radio plays in the UK.
Highway was their fourth studio album, recorded extremely quickly in September 1970. Highway performed poorly in the charts, reaching No. 41 in the UK and No. 190 in the US.
In 1971, due to differences between singer Paul Rodgers and bassist Andy Fraser, the drug problems of guitarist Paul Kossoff, and inconsistent record sales, the band broke up. This led to the release of the live album called Free Live!. Early in 1972 the band set aside their differences and reformed in an effort to save Kossoff from his growing drug addiction, and in June of the same year released Free at Last.
But all was not well with the band. Bassist Andy Fraser left the band in mid-1972 due to Paul Kossoff's unreliability in being able to perform at shows or even showing up. The remaining members recruited Japanese bass player Tetsu Yamauchi and keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick, who had worked with Kossoff and Kirke during Free's initial split, recording Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu and Rabbit and what would be Free's final album, Heartbreaker. Kossoff was replaced by Wendell Richardson in 1973, but shortly thereafter Free disbanded with Rodgers and Kirke going on to form Bad Company that same year. Fraser went on to form the band Sharks and later The Andy Fraser Band, and Kossoff formed the band Back Street Crawler.
With Kossoff in better health again in late 1975, he was delighted that ex-colleagues Rodgers and Kirke asked him to join them on stage for two nights. A British tour was set to begin on 25 April 1976 with Back Street Crawler headlining with Bad Company in support of Back Street Crawler's second album, but again Kossoff's drug addictions contributed to a drastic decline in the guitarist's health. On a flight from Los Angeles to New York City on 19 March 1976, Paul Kossoff died from drug-related heart problems at the age of 25. After parting with Bad Company in 1982 Rodgers went on to explore the heavy blues stylings of Free again in his solo career during the 1980s and 1990s, and in the bands The Firm and The Law.
More recently Rodgers has joined the remaining members of Queen (Brian May and Roger Taylor), as vocalist. In September 2008, Queen + Paul Rodgers released their first studio album The Cosmos Rocks. Rodgers also performs Free and Bad Company songs whilst on tour with Queen, in addition to the traditional Queen songs and new cuts from their most recently released album. Currently, Rodgers and Kirke are once again on tour with Bad Company.
Andy Fraser died on 16 March 2015.
Personnel Members
Classic lineup
Andy Fraser - bass, piano (1968–1971, 1972; died 2015)
Simon Kirke - drums (1968–1971, 1972–1973)
Paul Kossoff - guitar (1968–1971, 1972–1973; died 1976)
Paul Rodgers - lead vocals, piano (1968–1971, 1972–1973)
Later members
John "Rabbit" Bundrick - keyboards (1972–1973)
Tetsu Yamauchi - bass (1972–1973)
Wendell Richardson - guitar (1973)
Discography :
1969 Tons of Sobs
1969 Free
1970 Fire and Water
1970 Highway
1972 Free at Last
1973 Heartbreaker
2) Free is a hardcore band
3) Free consists of four of the final five Have Heart members - Patrick Flynn, Kei Yasui, Shawn Costa, and Ryan Hudon - in addition to the band's 2009 bassist, Austin Stemper. On November 29, 2015, the group released a four-track, self-titled demo recorded by Trevor Vaughan (Sex Positions, Soul Control) in their home of New Bedford, MA.
Woman
Free Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know your angel eye can see through me
Carry me away
Far away from the love you give so generously
So generously
Woman, oh oh
Listen
I got a burning heart
I need to tell you that it's you I love
I got a burning heart
I need to tell you that I'll never get enough
Never, never, never, never get enough, ooh babe
Woman, oh oh
Yeah, marry me today
I'll give you all I own except my car
Marry me today, baby
I'll give you everything but my guitar
But my guitar and my car
Woman, oh oh
Listen
Let me hold your tongue
For I know you'll understand the way I feel
Baby, I know you'll understand
That all I wanna do is take your hand
I don't mean to do you no harm, baby
I just wanna be your man
Oh, I just wanna be your man, baby
Lord, I wanna be, I wanna be
Hey, woman, I'll be your man
Woman, I'll be your man, yeah
The lyrics of Free's song "Woman" depict a man who is deeply in love with a woman and wants to be with her forever. The song starts with the man asking the woman to "carry him away" from the love she is giving him. He feels overwhelmed by her generosity and wants to escape with her. He then declares his love for her, saying that his heart is burning with passion for her and that he can never get enough of her. He asks her to marry him and promises to give her everything he owns except his car and guitar.
The man then pleads with the woman to understand his feelings and says that all he wants to do is to hold her hand. He reassures her that he means no harm and he just wants to be her man. This song celebrates the power of love and the depth of emotions that come with it. The man in the song is completely consumed by his love for the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with.
Overall, this song is a beautiful depiction of love, passion, and commitment. It showcases the profound emotions that a person can feel when they meet someone they truly love and want to be with forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Carry me away
Please take me away.
I know your angel eye can see through me
You know and understand me completely.
Far away from the love you give so generously
Take me away from your selflessness and love.
Woman, oh oh
The person being addressed is a woman.
Listen
Please pay attention to what I'm saying.
I got a burning heart
My heart is filled with intense passion.
I need to tell you that it's you I love
I want to express that I love you and no one else.
I need to tell you that I'll never get enough
I will always desire and long for more of you.
Never, never, never, never get enough, ooh babe
I will always want more of you, oh baby.
Yeah, marry me today
Will you marry me today?
I'll give you all I own except my car
I will give you everything I own, except my car.
Marry me today, baby
Will you marry me today, my love?
I'll give you everything but my guitar
I will give you everything I have, except my guitar.
But my guitar and my car
My guitar and car are the only things I won't give up.
Let me hold your tongue
Please let me speak to you.
For I know you'll understand the way I feel
You will understand how I feel.
Baby, I know you'll understand
My love, I know you will comprehend.
That all I wanna do is take your hand
All I want is to hold your hand.
I don't mean to do you no harm, baby
I don't intend to cause you any pain, my love.
I just wanna be your man
I want to be with you as your partner.
Oh, I just wanna be your man, baby
My love, I just want to be your man.
Lord, I wanna be, I wanna be
Oh God, I really want to be your man.
Hey, woman, I'll be your man
Hey, my love, I will be with you as your man.
Woman, I'll be your man, yeah
My love, I will be with you as your man, yes.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHRISTOPHER MCFARLANE, NEIL FRASER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@xashafierce
I'm walking downtown, hear my sound
No-one knows me yet, not right now
But I'm 'bout to set
This feeling, in motion
I walk the downtown, hear my sound
I see that I want it, want it (Be free)
Don't fight it, fight it
But if I'm gonna go for it
(I remember that, that I)
I see that I want it, want it (Be free)
Don't fight it, fight it
But if I'm gonna go for it
(I remember that, that I)
I'm not nothing without a steady hand (Hand)
I'm not nothing unless I know I can
I'm still something if I don't got a man
I'm a free woman
Oh-oh (Be free)
This is my dancefloor I fought for
Ain't hard, that's what I'm livin' for
So light up my body
And kiss me too heartily
We own the downtown, hear our sound
I see that I want it, want it (Be free)
Don't fight it, fight it
But if I'm gonna go for it
(I remember that, that I)
I see that I want it, want it (Be free)
Don't fight it, fight it
But if I'm gonna go for it
(I remember that, that I)
I'm not nothing without a steady hand (I'm a free woman)
I'm not nothing unless I know I can (I'm a free woman)
I'm still something if I don't got a man
I'm a free woman
Oh-oh (Be free)
I'm a free woman
I'm a free woman (Be free)
I'm a free woman
I'm a free woman
Oh-oh (Be free)
I'm not nothing without a steady hand (I'm a free woman)
I'm not nothing unless I know I can (I'm a free woman)
I'm still something if I don't got a man
I'm a free woman (Ooh)
Oh-oh (Be free)
@kelvinsanchez2061
2009: I’m a free bitch
2020: I’m a free Woman
My baby grew up😢
@devilvalii
@AssaultFire Ph23 PERIODTTT 💋👏
@christianleonardo5386
AssaultFire Ph23 DAMNNNN🔥🔥🔥🔥
@meliketuran6800
@AssaultFire Ph23 Yes Paws Up!
@christianleonardo5386
@AssaultFire Ph23 lmao sorry🤣 but yeah we're a family💕
@Buecherlyrics
Shes our mother monster. Paws up
@thefamelover3204
Esta canción me acompañó durante mi proceso de aceptación como una mujer transgénero y es increíble la manera en la que Gaga siempre ha estado para mi... Gracias por esto gaga, te amo.
@franciscodelarosa4701
Recuerda que eres amable, inteligente, eres valiente. Pero lo más importante, Tu eres importante!! #GagaUnites
@ale2988
creo que una vez dijo en alguna entrevista que hizo la canción tambien teniendo en mente a la comunidad trans ❤❤ THAT'S MOTHERR
@Havenly87
Te deseo mucha mucha salud y éxitos en todo!!