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."
Hurry Sundown
The Free Design Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My flesh is bone now, my back is bowed
So hurry, sundown, be on your way
And hurry me a sun-up from this beat-up sundown day
Hurry down, sundown, be on your way
Weave me tomorrow out of today
I'm off my knees now, I'm standing proud
So hurry, sundown, be on your way
And hurry me a sun-up from this beat-up sundown day
Hurry down, sundown, be on your way
Weave me tomorrow out of today
My sorrow's song, now, just must break through
That brave new dawn, now, long overdue
So hurry, sundown, be on your way
And hurry me a sun-up from this beat-up sundown day
Hurry down, sundown, be on your way
Weave me tomorrow out of today
Hurry down, sundown, get thee be gone
Get lost in the sunrise, of a new dawn
Hurry down, sundown, take the old day
Wrap it in new dreams, send it my way
Send it my way
Send it my way
The Free Design’s song “Hurry Sundown” is a beautiful melancholic ballad about hope, perseverance, and the dawn of a new day. The chorus of the song includes the line “Hurry, Sundown, be on your way, and hurry me a sun-up from this beat-up sundown day.” The singer is expressing his desire for the day to end, as it is filled with sorrow and despair. He wants to be transported to a new day, filled with hope and sunshine. The second verse continues the theme of hope and joy, with the line “Tomorrow’s breeze now, blows clear and loud, I’m off my knees now, I’m standing proud.” Here, the singer has found the strength to stand up and face a new day, with renewed courage and hope.
The final verse of the song talks about the singer’s desire to leave behind the darkness of the old day and embrace the new dawn. He hopes that his “sorrow’s song” will be drowned out by the “brave new dawn” that is long overdue. The song ends with the repeated chorus of “Hurry down, Sundown” as the singer eagerly awaits the sunrise and the promise of a new beginning.
Overall, “Hurry Sundown” is a timeless song that speaks to the universal human desire for hope and renewal in the face of adversity. The lyrics are powerful and moving, and the melody is hauntingly beautiful, making it a standout track in The Free Design’s discography.
Line by Line Meaning
My seed is sown now, my field is plowed
I have put effort into laying the foundation for my future endeavors
My flesh is bone now, my back is bowed
I have worked hard and am physically exhausted
So hurry, sundown, be on your way
I am ready for the day to end and for a new one to begin
And hurry me a sun-up from this beat-up sundown day
I am looking forward to a fresh start in the morning
Hurry down, sundown, be on your way
I am ready for the day to end and for a new one to begin
Weave me tomorrow out of today
I want to use today's experiences to shape a better tomorrow
Tomorrow's breeze now, blows clear and loud
I am optimistic about what tomorrow will bring
I'm off my knees now, I'm standing proud
I have overcome challenges and am confident in myself
My sorrow's song, now, just must break through
I need to express my sadness and face it head-on
That brave new dawn, now, long overdue
I am excited for a fresh start and have been waiting for it for a while
Hurry down, sundown, get thee be gone
I am ready to leave the struggles of today behind and move forward
Get lost in the sunrise, of a new dawn
I want to be immersed in the hope and promise of a new day
Take the old day
Leave the past behind
Wrap it in new dreams, send it my way
I want to use my past as inspiration to create a better future
Send it my way
I am open and receptive to what the future has in store for me
Contributed by Savannah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.