George Michael - "Freedom! '90"

[busyboy]

Another awesome single from George, the second taken from Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1.. It made #8 on the Hot 100 and only #28 in the UK.

I love how the tension builds from the chorus to the pre-chorus, before finally exploding into the 'Freedom!' chant.

The video has attained classic status, as well.

youtube.com/watch?v=jTugeLRZ6GI

[jazklash]

My testosterone levels have very suddenly hit the top!

[Deleted]

Love this song. I'm just starting to listen to some of his songs. A lot of his songs are really good...

[sunpeach]

I remember when this came out- one of his last really good songs- everyone loved it. Wham! also did a "Freedom" song that was one of my favorites. Both really good.

[Deleted]

Great song. I agree that I love the whole structure of the song and the way it builds up to a climax.

[WotUNeed]

This is probably one of his more sophisticated compositions. I really like it. It's a classic that doesn't burn for me.

Even though he seems to basically ignore it now, I also like the Robbie Williams version. It fit him.

[JACKIE]

This song never gets old. I never hear it on the radio. I loved the video also

[Deleted]

Yeah, total 90s classic right here. Timeless. The video included. That album is everything. Waiting For That Day is my all-time favorite GM tune.

It's funny because at the time I didn't "get" what he was saying in this song.... somehow... and now it's all so very crystal clear. LOL.

[Ling-Ling]

I agree, it never gets old. Tied with "Father Figure" as his best song for me. Complete anthem. And the video is one of my favorites of all time. David Fincher as a video director could do no wrong during this period. I prefer his videography to his filmography to be honest.

[johnnywest]

I liked it better than Wham's Freedom

[#LisaRinna]

Iconic. Especially the music video.

[evergreen]

I remember watching this on MTV when it came out when I was a kid—I thought a woman actually sung this. Hah.

It certainly left an impression on me, this is my favorite George Michael song. 

[jenglisbe]

Is there a radio edit of this one?

[Unhinged]

Just wanted to put this here. Awesome performance. He was incredible.

[Ernesto]

30 years ago today, "Freedom '90" by George Michael reached its Hot 100 peak at No.8. It was the second U.S. single released from his second studio album, "Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1" and third in the U.K., where it reached No.28. There were 2 Radio Edits for the song, a 5:21 serviced to radio in the U.S. and a 4:31 serviced to radio in the U.K. - I prefer the 6:30 album version which goes well with its gorgeous David Fincher video...I remember when my older brother and I first saw the video for it, he was in disbelief that the BSA Rockers Revenge Leather Jacket George had worn on the "Faith" video was in flames.

[jenglisbe]

I'm surprised it peaked so low coming off all of the Faith hits. "Praying For Time" had gone to #1 and this was more in line with Faith and the video was huge, so why did this barely make the top 10? Maybe the song length hurt it.

[disman00911]

One of George Michael's best songs.

[🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲]

Love this. Iconic video from my childhood. Definitely one of my all time faves. All the people featured in it looked hella sexy!

#39 on Billboard's 500 Greatest Pop Songs

The defining George Michael single, catching you up on his first decade in pop — his days “living in a fantasy” with Wham! and then his solo reinvention with a “brand new face for the boys on MTV” — and breaking from the past in time for his second. But “Freedom ’90” is transcendent even if you’re not invested in the pop great’s mythology: a marvel of gospel-tinged top 40 elevation, so rousing that it needs two pre-choruses to lead up to the proper refrain, so action-packed that it lasts six and a half minutes and never feels in need of a radio edit. And the message of independence between artist and audience (“I don’t belong to you/ And you don’t belong to me”) remains urgent, especially as delivered by five of the most persuasive spokeswomen of his generation in the song’s classic video. — A.U.