The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
We will not bow down to, uh huh, racism.
We will not bow down to injustice.
We will not bow down to exploitation.
I'm gon' stand.
Now, this is time for free your mind and your soul.
Yo, half the story I've never been told.
Now, you just got to demand what you want
And what we want is respect, right?
Come and take a walk with me,
A closer walk with thee,
See what only I can see.
Sisters.
Turn us loose, set us free
(Freedom:
From all the chains that bind me.
Freedom.)
Let us run in our own direction.
(Freedom.)
Let us go, set us free from all this propaganda
And lines that your people try to teach us.
I know why you would like to bring us down,
Because we have all the dirt on you.
You try to tell us that our lives don't mean a thing,
But we know so much better,
So we're gonna take a f-freedom.
(Freedom:
Freedom for my body,
Freedom for my mind.
Freedom.)
(Freedom:
Freedom for my body,
Freedom for my mind.
Freedom.)
Freedom for my spirit.
All this time you been telling us these lies,
But now we've fin'ly figured out the game.
Or that we would never wise up,
But we showed you how a black female can to her thing
But still you continue to keep us oppressed,
But now we ain't going out like that, uh no, no.
All these lies and all this propaganda you want us to take,
We're gonna take out,
(Freedom:
Freedom for my body,
Freedom for my mind.
Freedom.)
(Freedom:
Freedom for my body,
Freedom for my mind.
Freedom.)
Freedom for my spirit.
I see the fear in your eyes.
Surprise, your cover's been blown.
I know just who I am and what I wanna do.
I can make you run, make you hide from all your ancestors:
Transgression that you hold inside
Sister, rising up and seeing that our time is here,
We're taking back what's been ours for years.
Let the heaven of a system embrace you and praise some other gods.
All this propaganda that you want us to take,
We're gonna take out.
Free free, free, freedom, freedom.
(Freedom, bop; freedom.)
Freedom for my body,
Freedom for my mind.
Freedom for my spirit.
Free free, free, freedom, freedom.
(Freedom, bop; freedom.)
Freedom for my body,
Freedom for my mind.
We will not bow down to injustice.
We will not bow down to exploitation.
I'm gon' stand.
Now, this is time for free your mind and your soul.
Yo, half the story I've never been told.
Now, you just got to demand what you want
And what we want is respect, right?
Come and take a walk with me,
A closer walk with thee,
See what only I can see.
Sisters.
Turn us loose, set us free
(Freedom:
From all the chains that bind me.
Freedom.)
Let us run in our own direction.
(Freedom.)
Let us go, set us free from all this propaganda
And lines that your people try to teach us.
I know why you would like to bring us down,
Because we have all the dirt on you.
You try to tell us that our lives don't mean a thing,
But we know so much better,
So we're gonna take a f-freedom.
(Freedom:
Freedom for my body,
Freedom for my mind.
Freedom.)
(Freedom:
Freedom for my body,
Freedom for my mind.
Freedom.)
Freedom for my spirit.
All this time you been telling us these lies,
But now we've fin'ly figured out the game.
Or that we would never wise up,
But we showed you how a black female can to her thing
But still you continue to keep us oppressed,
But now we ain't going out like that, uh no, no.
All these lies and all this propaganda you want us to take,
We're gonna take out,
(Freedom:
Freedom for my body,
Freedom for my mind.
Freedom.)
(Freedom:
Freedom for my body,
Freedom for my mind.
Freedom.)
Freedom for my spirit.
I see the fear in your eyes.
Surprise, your cover's been blown.
I know just who I am and what I wanna do.
I can make you run, make you hide from all your ancestors:
Transgression that you hold inside
Sister, rising up and seeing that our time is here,
We're taking back what's been ours for years.
Let the heaven of a system embrace you and praise some other gods.
All this propaganda that you want us to take,
We're gonna take out.
Free free, free, freedom, freedom.
(Freedom, bop; freedom.)
Freedom for my body,
Freedom for my mind.
Freedom for my spirit.
Free free, free, freedom, freedom.
(Freedom, bop; freedom.)
Freedom for my body,
Freedom for my mind.
Lyrics submitted by itsmyownmind
Freedom Lyrics as written by Matthew Mark Mchugh
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Damn, this song is badass.
I agree to the upmost. I love how it sounds like it is going to be a really slow boring song at the very beginning then it just rocks out.
I agree to the upmost. I love how it sounds like it is going to be a really slow boring song at the very beginning then it just rocks out.