Freeman found his first guitar atop a dumpster, although his parents and grandparents bought the 12-year-old Freeman a new six-string and a book of chords the following Christmas. Freeman’s first song came two years later, an ode called “Some Day.” Freeman contends that he is completely self-taught as a musician. During high school, Freeman worked at the legendary Linford Manor, a recording studio north of Oxford in Great Linford, where he says he taught himself to play piano. Freeman calls Bruce Springsteen, to whom he’s sometimes compared, and the Beatles his influences.
Freeman moved first to London. He became a guitar player for James Blunt. Weary of London, Freeman then moved to Santa Monica, California, in the United States. Six months after emigrating, Freeman released an EP.
Freeman’s music came to attention of Michael King, founder of King World, who invited Freeman to play a benefit concert. Contacts made from the benefit brought Freeman’s EP to the attention of Clive Davis, who signed Freeman to Arista Records after a bidding war.
Freeman’s EP You and I was released on the Arista label on 12 November 2008. The four songs on that album are the title track, “Tightrope,” “That’s How It Is” and “Earthquakes”. His EP "That’s How It Is was released on 1 August 2009. It was produced by Howard Benson (Daughtry, Flyleaf, Motörhead, My Chemical Romance) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge (U2, Leona Lewis, Snow Patrol).
Freeman’s song “That’s How It Is” was featured near the close of an episode of the Fox Network show Past Life called “Soul Music” (S01E03), first broadcast on 18 February 2010. His Song "Tightrope" was also featured on the Season Finale of Make It or Break It. His six-song EP Tightrope was released on 2 March 2010.
Tightrope
Paul Freeman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I don't wanna break it down
The sun is sinking just like stone
And it's hard to for me to breath
My mind is missing pieces of you
And fear and the pain have gone
But i'll keep holdin' holdin'...
I was walking a tightrope can't you see
That nobody wants to be alone
I was walking a tightrope
(walking a tightrope)
Can you catch me?
If I let go
As far as I can see
The world is turning out of time
Your gravity will pull me close
And it's all I'll ever need
Don't let me fall and break in two
Cus all we are are skin and bones
So just keep holdin'
Just keep holdin' on
And I'm higher before than I've ever been
I was walking a tightrope can't you see
That nobody wants to be alone
I was walking a tightrope
Can you catch me?
If I let go
There's no way back
If I let go
You're where I land
So here I go
Cus I just wanna live
And I just wanna feel it
I just wanna feel it
And I'm higher before than I've ever been
I was walking a tightrope can't you see
That nobody wants to be alone
I was walking a tightrope
Can you catch me?
If I let go
The lyrics of Paul Freeman's song Tightrope explores a sense of precariousness and vulnerability in the face of the abyss of loneliness. Freeman attempts to explore his own deepest fears of being alone and the depth of his own feelings for the person he is addressing through the lyrics. The first verse of the song opens with Freeman's attempt to show his unwillingness to wait too long and his reluctance to break down. In the second verse, Freeman acknowledges the missing pieces of his partner in his mind, and how the pain has left, but still holding on to it. He acknowledges the fragility of human existence when he says, "all we are is skin and bones." In the chorus, the parallel between Freeman walking the tightrope and his loneliness is evident. He asks his partner to catch him when he is close to letting go.
The metaphor of walking a tightrope serves the purpose of highlighting the feeling of being alone in the vastness of the world. Freeman's desire for love and connection is evident in the line, "And it's all I'll ever need," indicating that his needs are elemental and most important to him. The line "I just wanna live, and I just wanna feel it" reveals Freeman's deepest desires, namely the desire to feel loved, connected and alive. In general, Tightrope is about exploring and expressing the many facets of love, vulnerability and the fear of being alone.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't wanna wait too long
I am eager and impatient to take action.
And I don't wanna break it down
I don't want to ruin this opportunity
The sun is sinking just like stone
The day is coming to an end and my anxiety is rising.
And it's hard to for me to breath
The pressure and nervousness I'm feeling is suffocating.
My mind is missing pieces of you
I can't stop thinking about you.
And fear and the pain have gone
My anxiety and discomfort are subsiding.
But i'll keep holdin' holdin'...
I will continue to persevere and hold on to my hope and faith.
And I'm higher before than I've ever been
I've reached new heights and levels of excitement and anticipation.
I was walking a tightrope can't you see
I was taking a risk and venturing into unknown territory.
That nobody wants to be alone
I don't want to be alone in this endeavor.
Can you catch me?
Will you be there to support and help me?
If I let go
If I lose my grip on this situation.
As far as I can see
From my perspective, my future looks bright.
The world is turning out of time
The world is changing and evolving at a rapid pace.
Your gravity will pull me close
Your love and support is what I need to keep going.
And it's all I'll ever need
In the grand scheme of things, your love and support is what matters most.
Don't let me fall and break in two
Don't let me fail and fall apart in the process.
Cus all we are are skin and bones
We are human and vulnerable; we need each other to survive.
So just keep holdin'
Please keep supporting and holding me up.
Just keep holdin' on
Don't let go; keep fighting and persevering.
There's no way back
I've gone too far to turn back now.
You're where I land
I trust that you will catch me if I fall.
So here I go
I'm taking a leap of faith.
Cus I just wanna live
I want to fully experience life and take risks.
And I just wanna feel it
I want to fully immerse myself in this experience and feel alive.
Contributed by Wyatt B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@adsoff9204
wow its 2020 and i am still listening to this song and still rewatching this underrated serie :)
@destinygonzalez9135
Same lmao it’s that good
@sarickacampbell2642
Me too my first heart 💔break cancellation
@Jessica-pg4yr
Haha same
@arlynacastro
Same
@ritapebam8006
This song reminds me of "Make it or break it".
@lucianadannunzio36
Rita Pebam It was in make it or break it
@honeymgswtrancehealer7936
Its make it break it ...loooove this song
@rachelpinkrox
I love this song, and Damon singing it to Emily was amazing!!
@deborahkosarachi9575
so in love with this song,reminds me of make it or break it