Freedom! '90

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
'Cause I would really, really love to stick around, oh yeah

Heaven 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
(I said 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 myself happy

I 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 man

All 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, yeah

Freedom (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 for what you take) (it's the one good thing that I've)
Freedom (I won't let you down)
Freedom (so please don't give me up)
Freedom ('cause I would really, really love to stick around)
(You've got to give for what you take)

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 good time 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
I 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 (oh yeah)
Now I'm gonna get myself happy

I 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 be back again
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man

All 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, yeah

Freedom (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 for 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, really love to stick around)
(You've got to give for what you take)

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 built to last

That's what you get (that's what you get)
That's what you get (I say that's what you get)
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 man (do not make the man)

All 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, yeah

Freedom (oh)
Freedom
(My) freedom
You've got to give for what you take
Freedom (hold on to my)
Freedom
(My) freedom
You've got to give for what you take
Give for what you, give what you take, yeah
Yeah, you've got to give what you, give what you, give
May not be what you want from me
Just the way it's got to be
Lose the face now
I've got to live, I've got to live, I've got to live


Lyrics submitted by oofus

Freedom! '90 Lyrics as written by George Michael

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Freedom! '90 song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment
    This song is about two things, it's not about him wanting to come out of the closet about his homosexuality, he didn't do that until almost ten years after this song was released. This song is about the breakup of Wham. It's about his image right after, with the Faith Album, and then in the end Him telling his record label to shove it, and taking his artistic creativity back. He's speaking directly to his fans when he says " I won't let you down, I will not give you up, I won't let YOU down, so please don't give ME up, cause I would really really love to stick around."
    MJLozenon June 08, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    This is about GM wanting to leave his record lable company and also come out of the closet. He no longer wanted to do things their way.
    voicezvoicezon October 07, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I really like the song, but I like the video better!! It was done very artisticly, and I believe it's a lot better than that Wham! stuff.
    Trudieon May 05, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    the song's actually called "Freedom '90". and, yeah, the video is really awesome.
    jaxgrrlon May 13, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    It probably has a bit to do with his sexuality. But for the most part, I really believe that the meaning is simply this: "Don't be taken with the image. Because that's not entirely me. Please focus on the SOUND, because my MUSIC is what I am. NOT the image". And that being said, he was hoping that his fans wold still stick by him for what he does best. Thus, offering him "freedom". Freedom from the Faith image, and freedom to continue doing the "one good thing that he's got".
    W_T_Adairon January 10, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    This song is pretty blatant, and I completely disagree with any thoughts that this is at all tied to his sexuality. He is clearly speaking to Andrew Ridgeley in the first verse and their come up with WHAM!. The song is the lead single off his follow up album "Listen Without Prejudice" to the critically acclaimed, award-winning album "Faith" that he penned almost 100% of himself. With "Faith" he reached not just super stardom, but he was respected for the first time as a soul R&B singer as well. However, he soon resented the "trademarks" that were associated with him as a result which is why you see the quintessential "Faith" music video novelties being set aflame or exploding in the video for this song, "Freedom '90". And for those that don't know Michael's history, there's no hidden meaning behind the '90 part in the title, it's only because with WHAM! they had another song called "Freedom".
    shayleon May 08, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I love this song!! To me, this song means freedom and liberty, that everyone can love more than one person. Everyone has their own mind, so they don't belong to anyone. I always feel so empowered listening to this song.
    inoticethingson February 15, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I think this song pertains to George's singing career, and how he felt lost amongst the stardom. I admire his bold stance on being true to himself and his fans, George Michael ROCKS!!!
    WhatsWhaton January 08, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    You serious? He didn't come out till the late 90's? I seem to remember knowing when I was about 8 years old, in the early nineties. But maybe I'm remembering wrong. Or maybe it was just an open secret. But yeah, when I first saw the video I was about 11 (1994) and I only saw it while waiting for Ace of Base to come on VH-1 and MTV, so I wasn't privy to all this backstory. And knowing that George Michael was gay, I assumed that's what the song was about. I didn't know the girls in the video were famous supermodels either so I missed that whole aspect of the video as well. Hey, everything's up for interpretation. Most often you will not know what the artist really meant, and it's not really important. Though it can be of interest. Thanks.
    Canadaon May 11, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    This song makes alot more sense now than it did when I heard it over 15 years ago. It is him coming out, plain and simple. It is just so well written, and even as a straight person, I can really appreciate it. It is very autobiographical if you really listen to it.
    lizzie_aprilon August 27, 2008   Link

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