Free is an elegiac anthem

~Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Initial tracking for Free took place on 25 April, 1982 at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA,

-PrinceVault.com

PrinceVault doesn't list Vanity, but the album credits include Vanity on background vocals

Don't sleep 'til the sunrise, listen 2 the falling rain
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow, don't worry 'bout your pain
Don't cry unless you're happy, don't smile unless you're blue
Never let that lonely monster take control of U

Be glad that U r free
Free 2 change your mind
Free 2 go most anywhere, anytime
Be glad that U r free
There's many a man who's not
Be glad 4 what U had baby, what you've got
Be glad 4 what you've got

I know (my?) heart is beating, my drummer tells me so
If U take your life 4 granted, your beating heart will go
So don't sleep until you're guilty, 'cuz sinners all r we
There's others doing far worse than us, so be glad that U r free

Be glad that U r free
Free 2 change your mind
Free 2 go most anywhere, anytime
Be glad that U r free
There's many a man who's not
Be glad 4 what U had baby, what you've got
Be glad 4 what you've got

Soldiers are a marching, they're writing brand new laws
Will we all fight together 4 the most important cause?
Will we all fight 4 the right 2 be free?
Free (Be glad that U r free)
Free 2 change my mind (Free 2 change your mind)
Free 2 go most anywhere, anytime (Free 2 go most anywhere,anytime)
I'm just glad, I'm just glad I'm free, yeah (Be glad that U r free)
There's many a man who's not (There's many aman who's not)
Glad 4 what I had baby, (Be glad 4 what U had and)
Glad 4 what I got, oh yeah (for what you've got)
Oh I'm just glad, I'm just glad I'm free,yeah (Be glad that U r free)
Free 2 change my mind (Free 2 change your mind)
Free 2 go most anywhere, anytime (Free 2 go most anywhere,anytime)
(Be glad that U r free)
(There's many a man who's not)
I'm so... (Be glad 4 what U had and for)
(what you've got)

I prefer Purple Music and Extraloveable (original version) to both ML and Free.

paulludvig said:

I prefer Purple Music and Extraloveable (original version) to both ML and Free.

Love Purple Music, I still think that would be a perfect Bside

Free is actually one of the best songs on 1999. He made the right choice. *my sig*

ML is dope too.

"Free" by far!

purplepolitician said:

Out of 5 stars...

I give 6 to "Free"

and half a dozen to "Moonbeam Levels"

Ronnie Talk 2 Russia

Party Up

Free

America

.

any political songs from the PR era?

robertgeorgeakabob said:

Free is Reaganomic bullshit. Another 'at least you don't live in Russia' song.

Like some other people have said, Free is a good song that fits the concept of 1999 (although it's not a particular fav of mine)but I think Moonbeam levels is just one of those songs that could have been a classic song. It has a beautiful and haunting melody!

Neither one of them really fit, I feel, but Free fits better. And ages better.

.

[Edited 10/28/13 12:50pm]

"Free" would've been a good instrumental b-side. I'm not sure what single I would've put it on though...maybe LRC or (say Moonbeam Levels is on the album) release MBL and have the instrumental Free as the B-side

[Edited 10/29/13 23:18pm]

purplepolitician said:

Free. It's more to the point. More poignant. Who knows what he's going on about in the other one (love the song, by the way, am listening to it right now ). What the is a moonbeam level anyway?

This is exactly how people what people would have been wondering in 1982 if "Moonbeam Levels" had appeared on the album "what the heck is a moonbeam level?" LOL

"Free" has a message that's easier to relate to.

Having said that...I think "Moonbeam Levels" could have been released on another project.....maybe on a post-Purple Rain album? Or maybe a Purple Rain-era B-side?

SoulAlive said:

robertgeorgeakabob said:

SoulAlive said:

This is exactly how people what people would have been wondering in 1982 if "Moonbeam Levels" had appeared on the album "what the heck is a moonbeam level?" LOL

"Free" has a message that's easier to relate to.

A couple of years later people were asking what the heck purple rain was, didn't do it any harm.

true,but lyrically...1999,as a whole,has very direct lyrics that are easy to understand."Moonbeam Levels" would have been the odd song that people didn't understand.That's why I think it would have worked better on a latter album or project,when Prince really got into writing more cryptic lyrics anyway.