Lynn was born in Butcher Hollow, Van Lear, Kentucky in 1932. According to Songfacts, Loretta Lynn's superstar Country career started in 1960 when she recorded " I'm a Honky Tonk Girl " as her debut single. The song was a minor hit, climbing to #14 on Billboard's C&W Chart. By the late 1960s she had begun picking up various Female Vocalist of the Year trophies and in 1972 the singer became the first woman in history to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year trophy. Lynn dominated the Country charts throughout the rest of the decade and has continued to record hit records through the ensuing years. Her 50th anniversary year began with the award of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement on January 31, 2010.
Lynn released over 70 albums. She is the sister of country singer Crystal Gayle (born in Paintsville, Kentucky) and Peggy Sue, and is a cousin of Patty Loveless. Her father was a coal miner in Van Lear. Her biography was made into the 1980 film, Coal Miner's Daughter.
I Wanna Be Free
Loretta Lynn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The breeze is a blowin' the leaves from the trees
Everything is free everything but me
I'm gonna take this chain from around my finger
Throw it just as far as I can slinger
'Cause I want to be free
When my baby left me everything died
Singin' twidle-de-dee, fly away with me
Well, you know I think I'ma gonna live
Gotta lotta love left in my heart to give
And I want to be free
I've released my heart my soul and my mind and I'ma feelin' fine
I broke the chain the ring of gold 'fore it broke my mind
Well look who's cryin' and it ain't me
'Cause I can't hardly hear and I can't have see
Did I want to be free?
I've released my heart my soul and my mind and I'ma feelin' fine
I broke the chain the ring of gold before it broke my mind
Well look who's cryin' and it ain't me
'Cause I can't hardly hear and I can't have see
Did I want to be free?
Do I want to be free?
Yeah, I wanna be free
Free
The song “I Wanna Be Free” by Loretta Lynn is about the liberation from a controlling relationship. Through her lyrics, Loretta reveals that she has been living under someone’s authority and that she wants to break free from it. She looks out the window and sees that everything is free except for her. She then expresses her desire to take the chain off her finger and metaphorically throw it away from her life. She wants to be free from the obligations and commitments that she had agreed to earlier. She finds solace in the bluebird that is singing outside, offering to fly away with her. This bird symbolizes freedom and the removal of restrictions. Loretta has had enough and wants to break free.
In the second verse, Loretta affirms that despite everything coming to an end when her partner left her, she is still capable of loving again. She rejoices in the freedom she has gained, and she is "Feelin' fine." Loretta has released her heart, soul, and mind from the grip of her partner, and she wants to live her life freely. She is content, hearing her former partner crying, knowing that she is not the one crying anymore. She is happy because she is now free.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I look out the window and what do I see
The singer is observing the outside world through her window
The breeze is a blowin' the leaves from the trees
The singer notices the wind blowing the leaves away from the trees
Everything is free everything but me
The singer feels trapped while everything around her seems free
I'm gonna take this chain from around my finger
The singer wants to remove the metaphorical chain that's holding her back
Throw it just as far as I can slinger
The singer wants to get rid of her problems as far away as possible
'Cause I want to be free
The singer desires freedom
When my baby left me everything died
The singer lost everything when her lover left her
But a little bluebird's a singin' just outside
Despite her sorrow, a little bird outside is singing happily
Singin' twidle-de-dee, fly away with me
The bird's song is an invitation to join in on its freedom
Well, you know I think I'ma gonna live
The singer has decided to keep living despite the pain and sorrow
Gotta lotta love left in my heart to give
The singer still has love to give to someone else
And I want to be free
The singer still desires freedom
I've released my heart my soul and my mind and I'ma feelin' fine
The singer has let go of her emotional baggage and feels good
I broke the chain the ring of gold 'fore it broke my mind
The singer got rid of the symbolic chain and ring before it affected her mental health
Well look who's cryin' and it ain't me
The singer sees someone else crying, but she is not the one in tears anymore
'Cause I can't hardly hear and I can't have see
The singer is no longer affected by the negativity around her
Did I want to be free?
The singer questions her desire for freedom
Do I want to be free?
The singer reaffirms her desire for freedom
Yeah, I wanna be free
The singer 100% wants to be free
Free
The singer continues to proclaim her desire for freedom
Lyrics © SURE - FIRE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: Loretta Lynn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
richer enouff
One of my favorite LORETTA LYNN SONG! Love love love it!
Kenny Gerald
Thanks for posting this album!!!!!...awesome!
ALL OUT Wildlife Control, LLC
My favorite song of hers. Underrated and underplayed.
Daniel Burns
this song went to #3 on the country charts in 1971!!!
sauquoit13456
On this day in 1971 {May 30th} Loretta Lynn performed "I Wanna Be Free" on the CBS-TV Sunday night variety program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'...
One month earlier on April 18th the song entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at #94, the following week it remained at #94 and that was also it's last week on the Top 100...
It reached #3 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart and on June 12th, 1971 it peaked at #1 {for 1 week} on the Canadian RPM Country Singles chart...
Ms. Lynn, born Loretta Webb, celebrated her 85th birthday last month on April 14th {2017}...
Mandy Mine
CRAZY! It's a fantastic song, I wondered why I had only caught it a few times on the radio. Bad marketing.
SLC Tablet0012
Loretta Lynn is my favorite singer
Rebecca McMahan
Awww Yeesss....An all time favorite of mine....Thanks so much!!!!
Condy Love
My very favorite song by Loretta
J.W. Gauntt
mine too!