I like this question. Shocking right?
I’m not going to answer with a controversial response. Freedom for me has taken on a new definition since early March. I would call it unsolicited liberation. But here it is: freedom. Freedom can look like a lot of things. To me it looks like autonomy and a new start.
And I’m not going to lie, probably my first reason for liking this prompt is the song it made me think of: Freedom! ‘90 by George Michael. The song was my jam when it was released, and believe it or not I like it even more now. With life experience comes a different understanding of certain song lyrics. I can’t say I know what it’s like to be George Michael, and I know this song was for him a personal statement, but putting those two facts aside, I feel it in my gut (and I sing along) when he belts out, “I don’t belong to you, and you don’t belong to me.” That line gets me every time. When the song was first released, that line didn’t stand out to me. I was more interested in George Michael‘s take. But now that I’ve lived and experienced much more than I did when this song was released, I’m understanding his lyrics in a different way. Freedom. Yeah, yeah. You got you gotta give what you take.
Freedom! ’90
Song by George Michael
I won’t let you down
I will not give you up
Gotta have some faith in the sound
It’s the one good thing that I’ve got
I won’t let you down
So please don’t give me up
Because I would really, really love to stick around
Oh, yeahHeaven knows I was just a young boy
Didn’t know what I wanted to be (Didn’t know what I wanted to be)
I was every little hungry schoolgirl’s pride and joy
And I guess it was enough for me (And I guess it was enough for me)To win the race, a prettier face
Brand new clothes and a big fat place
On your rock and roll TV (Rock and roll TV)
But today the way I play the game is not the same, no way
Think I’m gonna get me some happyI think there’s something you should know
(I think it’s time I told you so)
There’s something deep inside of me
(There’s someone else I’ve got to be)
Take back your picture in a frame
(Take back your singing in the rain)
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the manAll we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don’t belong to you and you don’t belong to me, yeah yeahFreedom (I won’t let you down)
Freedom (I will not give you up)
Freedom (Gotta have some faith in the sound)
You’ve got to give what you take (It’s the one good thing that I’ve got)
Freedom (I won’t let you down)
Freedom (So please don’t give me up)
Freedom (‘Cause I would really)
You’ve got to give what you take (really love to stick around)Heaven knows we sure had some fun, boy
What a kick just a buddy and me (What a kick just a buddy and me)
We had every big-shot goodtime band on the run, boy
We were living in a fantasy (We were living in a fantasy)We won the race, got out of the place
Went back home, got a brand new face for the boys on MTV (Boys on MTV)
But today the way I play the game has got to change, oh yeah
Now I’m gonna get myself happyI think there’s something you should know
(I think it’s time I stopped the show)
There’s something deep inside of me
(There’s someone I forgot to be)
Take back your picture in a frame
(Don’t think that I’ll I be back again)
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the manAll we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don’t belong to you and you don’t belong to me, yeah yeahFreedom (I won’t let you down)
Freedom (I will not give you up)
Freedom (Gotta have some faith in the sound)
You got to give what you take
(It’s the one good thing that I’ve got)
Freedom (I won’t let you down)
Freedom (So please don’t give me up)
Freedom (‘Cause I would really)
You got to give what you take (really love to stick around)Well, it looks like the road to heaven
But it feels like the road to hell
When I knew which side my bread was buttered
I took the knife as well
Posing for another picture
Everybody’s got to sell
But when you shake your ass
They notice fast
And some mistakes were build to lastThat’s what you get
(That’s what you get)
I say that’s what you get
(I say that’s what you get for changing your mind)
That’s what you get for changing your mind
(That’s what you get)
(That’s what you get) And after all this time
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the manAll we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don’t belong to you
And you don’t belong to me, yeah yeahFreedom (Oh)
Freedom
(My) Freedom
You’ve gotta give for what you take
Freedom (I’ll hold on to my)
Freedom
(My) Freedom
You got to give what, to give what, give what you take
Yeah!
You got to give what, give to what, to giveMay not be what you want from me
Just the way it’s got to be
Lose the face now
I’ve got to liveSource: Musixmatch
Songwriters: George Michael
Freedom! ’90 lyrics © Robobuild Limited, Songtrust Blvd
“It's Amy,” I said. 