In early 2000, a chance meeting between Chris H… Read Full Bio ↴From their web site:
In early 2000, a chance meeting between Chris Higbee and Chris "Abby" Abbondanza led to beginning of The PovertyNeck Hillbillies. Five years later, The PovertyNeck Hillbillies are a six member band formed from the roots of talent, ambition and a genuine passion for country music. Chris Higbee (fiddle), Abby (lead vocals), Dave Cramer (keyboards, vocals), Ryan Lucotch (drums), Jeff Volek (bass), and Junior (electric guitar) are the magic six from the outskirts of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that make this group unlike any other country act that is out there.
The charismatic, live performances that The PovertyNeck Hillbillies deliver night after night to thousands of fans of all ages and cowboy boot sizes are a true testament to why this group is the greatest new band in the world of country music. Abby's vocals blend a deep, country twang with a hint of rocknroll gravel, and are backed by powerful harmonies in songs such as, "She Rides Wild Horses" and "Mr. Right Now." The six piece band provides the full, articulate sound that makes The PovertyNeck Hillbillies unique in their genre.
As the official band of the Pittsburgh Steelers, PNH has a deep loyalty to their hometown soil, where in 2005 their debut release sold over 2,100 units in the first week of distribution. "Hillbilly State of Mind" sold over 30,000 units regionally, attracting national attention from the Country Music Association, who promptly named the band one of the "top independent artists of 2005."
Producer/manager, Bob Corbin (Kenny Rogers, Hank Williams Jr. and Alabama) has been with the band since the beginning and is the songwriter behind some of the album's greatest tunes. The album will hit stores on June 6th, 2006 and will come with a bonus two hour DVD featuring a live concert/documentary, produced by WQED in Pittsburgh. The documentary has been in syndicated rotation on PBS stations in over twenty states nationwide. As regional heavyweights with national radio, television and media attention, The PovertyNeck Hillbillies are rapidly becoming country music's fastest rising stars.
Born To Be Free
Povertyneck Hillbillies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well everybody said "Son, you'll never get nowhere"
With my stubbon ways, well I knew that I would show them
You can't keep somethin' wild locked up in a cage
After time went by they finally realized I was on my way
Goin' down that two lane road
Stretched out across the desert
With the hot sun beatin' down on me
I don't know where I'm going
Or when I'm gonna get there
But when I do it will set my mind at ease
I was born, I was born to be free
Lookin' back now I think about those days
And how that one summer changed everything
But in the back of my mind
I still hear the voices
Reminding me that I did it right thing
After time went by they finally realized I was on my way
Goin' down that two lane road
Stretched out across the desert
With the hot sun beatin' down on me
I don't know where I'm going
Or when I'm gonna get there
But when I do it will set my mind at ease
I was born, I was born to be free
After time went by they finally realized I was on my way
Goin' down that two lane road
Stretched out across the desert
With the hot sun beatin' down on me
I don't know where I'm going
Or when I'm gonna get there
But when I do it will set my mind at ease
And I was goin' down that two lane road
Stretched out across the desert
With the hot sun beatin' down on me
I don't know where I'm going
Or when I'm gonna get there
But when I do it will set my mind at ease
I was born, I was born to be free
Born to be free
The song "Born to Be Free" by Povertyneck Hillbillies is an anthem about freedom and breaking away from the expectations of others. The singer is a young man (seventeen) on the cusp of adulthood who is determined to blaze his own trail. His stubbornness and wild spirit set him apart from his peers, who caution him that he will never amount to much. Despite this, the singer knows that he cannot be kept in a cage, and he sets off down a two-lane road in search of his own destiny. Though he has no destination in mind, he is driven by a sense of purpose that will bring him peace of mind once he finds it.
Looking back on his journey years later, the singer remembers how that one summer "changed everything" and made him the person he is today. He still hears the voices of those who doubted him ("reminding me that I did the right thing"), but their words no longer have the power to hold him back. The song closes with a repetition of the chorus- "I was born to be free"- which cements the idea that the singer's destiny is to chart his own course in life.
Overall, "Born to Be Free" is a rousing call to freedom and self-discovery. It celebrates the power of youth and the importance of following one's own path, even in the face of doubt and adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Seventeen, headin' down that road of freedom
At the age of 17, I started my journey towards freedom
Well everybody said 'Son, you'll never get nowhere'
People discouraged me, saying that I won't be able to achieve anything
With my stubbon ways, well I knew that I would show them
Despite my stubbornness, I believed in myself and knew that I would prove them wrong
You can't keep somethin' wild locked up in a cage
One cannot keep something wild locked up in a cage, it has to be set free
But in the back of my mind
I still hear the voices
Reminding me that I did it right thing
Even after all these years, I still hear the voices reminding me that I did the right thing
And I was goin' down that two lane road
Stretched out across the desert
With the hot sun beatin' down on me
I don't know where I'm going
Or when I'm gonna get there
But when I do it will set my mind at ease
I was born, I was born to be free
Born to be free
I was travelling down the two-lane road in the desert with the hot sun beating down on me not knowing where I was going or when I was going to get there, but I knew that when I finally achieved my goal, it would set my mind at ease because I was born to be free.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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