I'm Free (Rolling Stones song)

"I'm Free" is a song by the Rolling Stones written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, first released as the final track on the UK version of their album Out of Our Heads on 24 September 1965. It was also released at the same time as a single in the US and later included on the American December's Children (And Everybody's) album.

"I'm Free"
Single by the Rolling Stones
from the album Out of Our Heads
A-side"Get off of My Cloud" (USA)
Released25 October 1965
Recorded6 September 1965
StudioRCA, Hollywood, California
Genre
Length2:24
LabelLondon (45-LON 9792)
Songwriter(s)Jagger/Richards
Producer(s)Andrew Loog Oldham

Release

The Rolling Stones recorded a re-worked acoustic version for their 1995 album Stripped, and performed a live version in the 2008 film Shine a Light, which was included on the accompanying live album. The song was also performed at the free concert in Hyde Park, London, on July 5, 1969, released on the DVD The Stones in the Park in 2006.

In 2007 a remixed version of the original recording was used in a television commercial for the Chase Freedom credit card and in 2008 it was used in a UK commercial for a Renault SUV.

The original vinyl bootleg Live'r Than You'll Ever Be included a live version recorded in Oakland, California, in November 1969.

It appears on The Rolling Stones live album Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! as a re-release bonus track, following Under My Thumb without a break.

Music and reception

Rolling Stone magazine ranked "I'm Free" as the 78th greatest Rolling Stones song, saying: "A tambourine-spangled folk rocker with chime-y, Byrds-like guitar, this offhandedly libertarian tune wasn't a big hit, but it's one of the Sixties' most pliant anthems."[2] The Guardian identified the song as an example of the improving songwriting of Jagger and Richards at the time, describing the song as "gleefully hymning the arrogance of youth."[3]

Cash Box described it as a "raunchy, hard-driving emotion-packed romancer."[4]

The song uses a line from the Beatles' 1964 song "Eight Days a Week": "Hold me, love me, hold me, love me."

Personnel

The Soup Dragons version
"I'm Free"
Single by the Soup Dragons featuring Junior Reid
from the album Lovegod
Released1990
GenreBaggy[5]
Length3:58
LabelBig Life
Songwriter(s)Jagger/Richards
Producer(s)
The Soup Dragons singles chronology
"Mother Universe"
(1990)		 "I'm Free"
(1990)		 "Electric Blues"
(1991)

Scottish alternative rock/dance band the Soup Dragons rearranged the song in 1990. Their version featured a sample from Donovan's 1969 song "Barabajagal" and a toasted verse by Junior Reid. The single became the band's biggest hit, reaching the top ten in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and charted in other countries as well. The Soup Dragons' version featured in the films Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even and The World's End and Renfield.

Critical reception

Reviewing the single, David Giles of Music Week stated that the Soup Dragons "have fashioned a thoroughly contemporary piece of music that could well pay off at a commercial level".[6]

Charts
Chart (1990–1991) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[7] 9
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 26
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 38
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10] 16
France (SNEP)[11] 33
Ireland (IRMA)[12] 15
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[13] 9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] 52
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 6
UK Singles (OCC)[16] 5
UK Dance (Music Week)[17] 6
US Billboard Hot 100[18] 79
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[19] 2
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[20] 20

Other cover versions
  • Pitbull covered it with additional lyrics for the song "Freedom", which was featured in the 2017 film Ferdinand
  • Tichá dohoda released an unplugged version on their 1993 album UnplugGag
  • Dua Lipa sang a special version for a TV commercial for Yves Saint Laurent 2019 (released 2021)

References
  1. "100 Greatest Rolling Stones Songs". Rolling Stone. 15 October 2013.
  2. "100 Greatest Rolling Stones Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  3. Petridis, Alexis (2018-05-17). "The Rolling Stones – every album ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  4. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 2, 1965. p. 12. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  5. Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "Smiley Culture: Acid House and Madchester". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 630. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
  6. Giles, David (7 July 1990). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 25. Retrieved 6 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  7. "The Soup Dragons – I'm Free". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  8. "The Soup Dragons – I'm Free" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  9. "The Soup Dragons – I'm Free" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  10. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 1990-08-18. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  11. "The Soup Dragons – I'm Free" (in French). Les classement single.
  12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Soup Dragons". Irish Singles Chart.
  13. "The Soup Dragons – I'm Free". top40.nl. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  14. "The Soup Dragons – I'm Free" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  15. "The Soup Dragons – I'm Free". Top 40 Singles.
  16. "Soup Dragons: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  17. "Top Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 28 July 1990. p. 23. Retrieved 6 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  18. "The Soup Dragons Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  19. "The Soup Dragons Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
  20. "The Soup Dragons Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
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