Freedom (Müller-Westernhagen Song)
| freedom | |
|---|---|
| Marius Müller-Westernhagen | |
| publication | September 25, 1987 (album version) September 18, 1990 (live version) |
| length | 2:34 min. (Studio version) 2:48 min. (Live version) |
| Genre (s) | German rock |
| Author (s) | Marius Müller-Westernhagen |
| Label | WEA |
| album |
Westernhagen Live |
| Cover version | |
| 2008 | Curse feat. Westernhagen |
Freedom is a rock ballad by the German rock musician Marius Müller-Westernhagen . The song appeared on September 25, 1987 on his eleventh studio album Westernhagen . September 18, 1990 appeared freedom as a single in a live version, extracted from his shortly thereafter appeared live album Live . The single reached number 24 in the German single charts . Although the song laments the loss of freedom, it became a kind of hymn of liberation from the GDR dictatorship and German reunification , which took place two weeks after the single was released.
Emergence
Westernhagen said he had "not the fall of the wall or the reunification in mind" at the beginning. The piece shows “that artistic products can take on a life of their own. If in this case it served to give people strength and hope, that's a happy circumstance, which of course makes me very happy. "
“You don't believe how many reunification celebrations I was asked to sing freedom for. I canceled everything. I haven't sung the song on tour for many years. "
However , he played the song on MTV Unplugged 2016. Before the concert, he said that he thought the song was "relevant to the current political situation in the world".
Live version
The recording from a Westernhagen concert in Dortmund's Westfalenhalle , which like the studio version only consists of Westerhagen's solo singing and piano playing, is accompanied by loud singing along with the audience.
In the lyrics of the louder stanza it says, for example: "The chapel rum-ta-ta / And the Pope was already there / And my neighbor in front", but the chorus sung a little more slowly reads: "Freedom, freedom / Is the only one which is missing ”. At the end there is an increase, then Westernhagen sings: "Everyone who dreams of freedom / shouldn't miss the celebration ..." (At this point he calls out in the live version: "Like we're here tonight!") "... should dance, even on graves ”. In the live version, at the end - after a request from Westernhagen - the audience also sings particularly loudly: "Freedom, freedom, is the only thing that matters".
reception
The Südwestrundfunk (SWR) called the song an "indestructible radio classic", the FAZ also called it an "anthem".
Cover versions
In 2008 the German rapper Curse re-recorded the piece - together with Westernhagen - for his sixth studio album of the same name . The stanzas were newly written by Curse and his co-author Claudio Bucher , the chorus remained unchanged and is sung by Westernhagen, while Curse raps the stanzas. Bucher was also responsible for production. The single was able to place itself in the German charts for four weeks and reached its highest chart rating at position 38. Westernhagen reached the German single charts for the 23rd time, and for Curse, Freiheit became the ninth chart success . The accompanying music video was made in the Berlin Olympic Stadium , directed by Ken Duken . There are also cover versions of Adoro and Hämatom .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c https://www.tz.de/stars/mueller-westernhagen-diese-haben-bedeutung-hat-lied-freiheit-8499224.html
- ↑ https://www.songtexte.com/songtext/marius-mullerwesternhagen/freiheit-3bdcf888.html
- ↑ https://www.swr3.de/musik/poplexikon/Westernhagen/-/id=927882/did=69968/13spc8o/
- ↑ https://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/pop/deutsche-helden-westernhagen-wiedergehoert-1742754.html
- ↑ Curse - Freedom. austriancharts.at, accessed on June 2, 2019 .
- ↑ Curse - Freedom. officialcharts.de, accessed on June 2, 2019 .
- ↑ Curse: Curse: Freedom (Official Video). youtube.com, April 2, 2009, accessed June 2, 2019 .
- ^ Marius Müller-Westernhagen - Freedom. austriancharts.at, accessed on June 3, 2019 .