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."
Destiny
The Free Design Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No, we can't forget what we have felt
For now you are within me, we are the song of blue
Our eyes have looked into our souls
And seen a love so true
Our eyes have seen a love so true
Never have I known such sweetness
Never have I felt so free
You are my life and destiny
You are my life and destiny
Yes, you are the love I'm singing of
Yes, I am the song within your heart
For Fate has drawn a circle around your heart and mine
And now the story of our lives is one unbroken line
Our love is one unbroken line
Never have I known such sweetness
Never have I felt so free
Hold me in this moment of completeness
You are my life and destiny
You are my life and destiny
The Free Design's "Destiny" is a love song that celebrates the eternal nature of love. The lyrics describe the unbreakable bond between two people who have found true love, and how their souls have become intertwined in a beautiful harmony. The opening lines express the idea that love leaves a lasting impression on us that cannot be erased or forgotten. The chorus reinforces the idea that the two lovers are meant to be together and that they share a profound connection that transcends time and space.
The song's verses describe the senses and emotions that come with finding true love. The lyrics describe the indescribable sweetness and freedom that the lovers experience when they are together. The bridge of the song brings together the theme of fate and destiny, suggesting that the two lovers were always meant to be together. The song concludes with a powerful declaration that the two lovers' love is an unbroken line – a line that represents the eternal nature of their bond.
In summary, "Destiny" is a beautiful ode to the power of love, capturing the euphoria and completeness that comes with finding one's soulmate.
Line by Line Meaning
No, we can't erase what love has traced
The impact of love on us cannot be erased or removed entirely.
No, we can't forget what we have felt
The emotions and feelings experienced as a result of our love cannot be forgotten.
For now you are within me, we are the song of blue
We are connected in a deep and meaningful way, and our love is like a beautiful melody that fills us with joy.
Our eyes have looked into our souls
We have seen each other's innermost feelings and desires through deep, meaningful gazes.
And seen a love so true
Through this connection, we have recognized that our love is genuine and authentic.
Never have I known such sweetness
This experience of love is unlike any other in terms of its pure and joyful sweetness.
Never have I felt so free
This love has brought a sense of liberation and freedom that was previously unknown to me.
Hold me in this moment of completeness
I hope that we can continue to hold onto this sense of fulfillment and contentment that our love provides.
You are my life and destiny
You are the most significant and fated person in my life, and my future is inherently tied to yours.
Yes, you are the love I'm singing of
You are the very subject of this love song.
Yes, I am the song within your heart
My love for you has inspired a joyful song within your own heart.
For Fate has drawn a circle around your heart and mine
Our love has been predestined by the universe and is unchangeable.
And now the story of our lives is one unbroken line
Our lives are now intertwined and will progress as one cohesive story.
Our love is one unbroken line
Our love will stand the test of time and remain unbroken, no matter what comes our way.
Never have I known such sweetness
Once again, the sweetness of our love is unparalleled and truly special.
Never have I felt so free
Our love has unlocked a sense of freedom and liberation in our lives, making everything feel more meaningful and fulfilling.
Hold me in this moment of completeness
Once again, I hope that we can continue to hold onto this feeling of completeness and joy that our love provides.
You are my life and destiny
Our future is intertwined, and we are meant to be together as life partners.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHRISTOPHER DEDRICK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind