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."
Starlight
The Free Design Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a cloud of milk, in a marble sea
See the smooth, and listen to the light
You can choose a heaven in the night
For a star has touched your heart
Snd given mine a start
Under starlight, liking you and me
Thank the sky, and whisper to the wind
Gladly die, now I've touched your sacred skin
Star, starlight you ever send
Love, if night could never end
Under starlight
Starlight, liking you and me
In a cloud of milk, in a marble sea
Thank the sky, and whisper to the wind
Gladly die, now I've touched your sacred skin
Star, starlight you ever send
Love, if night could never end
Under starlight
The lyrics to the The Free Design's "Starlight" appear to describe the magical feeling of falling in love under the stars. The use of metaphors like "a cloud of milk" and "a marble sea" conjure up images of dreamlike surroundings, adding to the surreal atmosphere of the song. The emphasis on listening to the light brings attention to our senses and encourages the listener to be present in the moment. The idea that one can choose a heaven in the night suggests a sense of freedom and possibility that comes with being in love.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Starlight, liking you and me," reinforcing the notion that something special is happening between these two people. The line "For a star has touched your heart" suggests that the love between these two is somehow divinely touched or even fated. It's possible that the song's message is both romantic and poetic, reminding us of the beauty and mystery inherent in human connections.
Line by Line Meaning
Starlight, liking you and me
The romantic experience of admiring the beautiful starry sky together
In a cloud of milk, in a marble sea
The romantic environment of soft, white clouds and still waters
See the smooth, and listen to the light
To observe the tranquil and serene sky while appreciating its calming atmosphere
You can choose a heaven in the night
You can find your sense of paradise by gazing up to the stars together
For a star has touched your heart
The stars have moved and inspired your emotions and feelings towards someone special
And given mine a start
The stars have also captured the interest and excitement of the singer's heart
Thank the sky, and whisper to the wind
Expressing gratitude to the natural beauty around them while also speaking softly and romantically
Gladly die, now I've touched your sacred skin
Feeling so passionate and emotional towards someone that you would be content to die in their arms
Star, starlight you ever send
The constant and timeless beauty of the stars and starlight that will always be present in the sky
Love, if night could never end
The desire to preserve and cherish the beautiful and romantic moments spent under the starry skies
Under starlight
The intimate and enchanting setting of being together under the starlit sky
Lyrics © Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN)
Written by: Christopher Ward Dedrick
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind