The members were all siblings of the Dedrick family: Chris Dedrick (who wrote most of the songs), sister Sandy Dedrick and brother Bruce Dedrick were the original lineup. Younger sister Ellen Dedrick joined the group later, as did cousin Jeff Dedrick for a brief time, and youngest sister Stefanie joined near the end of their initial career. Their father, Art Dedrick, was a trombonist and music arranger. Their uncle, Rusty Dedrick, was a jazz trumpeter with Claude Thornhill and Red Norvo. They formed the band while living in New York City. Chris has said the group was influenced by vocal groups like The Hi-Los (who performed in Greenwich Village frequently at the time) along with Peter, Paul and Mary and the counterpoint experiments of Benjamin Britten. Their trademark sound involved complex harmonies, jazz-like chord progressions, and off-beat time signatures; all products of Chris's classical training.
The band released six albums from 1967 to 1972, all on Enoch Light's Project 3 label. For the most part, they were accompanied on the albums by studio musicians.
Revival of interest
During their career, The Free Design never gained the commercial success they, and a small fan-base, felt they deserved; a plight they noted in their 1969 song "2002 - A Hit Song", in which they describe how to create a hit, then continue, "there's just one fact that we can't quite shirk/ we did all this last time, but it did not work." They remained in obscurity after disbanding in 1972. Starting in the mid-90's, however, interest in them began to grow as part of a general resurge of interest in easy listening music from the 60's and 70's. In 1994, Japanese musician Cornelius began the revival by re-issuing the Free Design catalog on his "Trattoria" label. In 1997, the band Tomorrow's World covered their song "Kites Are Fun", and in 1998, the Spanish "Siesta" label put out four compilation albums of their music. Stereolab, whose lounge-inspired music clearly showed a Free Design influence, named a 1999 single "The Free Design" (though the song itself had no direct connection to the band). The Free Design song "Bubbles" was covered by Dressy Bessy on the 2000 Powerpuff Girls soundtrack.
Perhaps inspired by this newfound interest, in 2000 the band re-grouped, after a nearly 30-year retirement, to record the song "Endless Harmony" on the Beach Boys tribute album Caroline Now. This experience convinced them to record a new full-length album, 2001's Cosmic Peekaboo, which featured the original lineup minus Ellen Dedrick.
In 2001 the label Cherry Red released a Best of Free Design compilation. Their song "I Found Love" was included on the 2002 Gilmore Girls soundtrack. Another song, 'Love You' featured over the end credits to the Emma Thompson and Will Ferrell film, 'Stranger Than Fiction' in 2006. From 2002 to 2005, the original albums were reissued in the United States by the Light in the Attic label. In 2005, the label put out The Now Sound Redesigned, an album of Free Design remixes from established acts like Stereolab, Super Furry Animals and Peanut Butter Wolf.
The recognizable sound of this influential band can be felt in modern-day acts such as Stereolab, Cornelius, The Pizzicato Five, Beck, The High Llamas, and many others.
Chris Dedrick is now an established film composer, most notably for his Genie-awarded soundtrack for Guy Maddin's "The Saddest Music In The World."
California Dreamin'
The Free Design Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the sky is gray (And the sky is gray)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day (On a winter's day)
I'd be safe and warm (I'd be safe and warm)
If I was in L.A. (If I was in L.A.)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
Stopped into a church
I passed along the way
Well, I got down on my knees (Got down on my knees)
And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray)
You know the preacher light the coal (Preacher light the coal)
He knows I'm gonna stay (Knows I'm gonna stay)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
All the leaves are brown (All the leaves are brown)
And the sky is gray (And the sky is gray)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day (On a winter's day)
If I didn't tell her (If I didn't tell her)
I could leave today (I could leave today)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
The song 'California Dreamin' by The Free Design is a classic that has come to define the California sound. The lyrics tell of a person caught in the grips of a cold winter's day, longing to be in the warmth and sunshine of California. The opening lines set the tone, describing the brown leaves and gray sky. The singer is so desperate to escape the dreary weather that they dream of being in Los Angeles, where they would feel safe and warm.
The second stanza takes a turn, as the singer stops into a church and gets down on their knees, pretending to pray. They are perhaps seeking solace from the cold, or a way out of their current situation. The preacher is described as lighting a coal, suggesting warmth and comfort, and the singer knows they are going to stay in California, even if just in their dreams.
In the final stanza, the singer muses that they could leave today and head to California, but they don't want to tell anyone. They are holding on to their dream, their 'California Dreamin', and don't want to let it go. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer dreaming of a winter's day in California.
Overall, the song captures the desire for escape and comfort that many people feel when confronted with difficult situations. The hope and longing expressed in the lyrics make 'California Dreamin'' a classic that still resonates with listeners today.
Line by Line Meaning
All the leaves are brown
The season is winter and all the leaves have turned brown and fallen off the trees
And the sky is gray
The sky is overcast and gray, reflecting the dreary winter weather
I've been for a walk
The singer has taken a walk to clear their mind and get some exercise
On a winter's day
The walk took place on a cold winter day
I'd be safe and warm
The singer would feel more comfortable and secure if they were in Los Angeles, a city known for its warm weather
If I was in L.A.
The singer wishes they were in Los Angeles
California dreamin'
The singer is daydreaming about California
On such a winter's day
The feeling is particularly strong on this cold, dreary day
Stopped into a church
The singer found a church along the way and decided to go inside
I passed along the way
The church was on the path of the singer's walk
Well, I got down on my knees
The singer knelt down in a show of reverence or contemplation
And I pretend to pray
The singer doesn't actually pray, but instead uses the moment to reflect on their thoughts and feelings
You know the preacher light the coal
The preacher lit a fire to keep the church warm
He knows I'm gonna stay
The singer is planning on staying in the church to prolong their moment of reflection
If I didn't tell her
The singer is in a romantic relationship, and if they didn't inform their partner, they could leave for California without any strings attached
I could leave today
The singer has a strong desire to leave their current environment and start a new life in California
California dreamin'
The singer's thoughts keep turning to California
On such a winter's day
The dreary winter weather is intensifying the singer's longing for California
California dreamin'
The singer can't stop thinking about California
On such a winter's day
The singer's desire for California is especially strong on this cold, gray day
Contributed by Aaliyah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.