About “Freedom”
“Freedom” is a hidden song by Paul McCartney from his album Driving Rain.
Driving Rain was complete and the album artwork was finished when the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center happened – experienced firsthand by Paul McCartney, who was sitting in a plane on the tarmac at JFK International Airport. He wrote “Freedom” for the Concert for New York City and performed the song with Eric Clapton. The popularity of the song prompted him to add it to Driving Rain with some added studio overdubs, so Capitol Records halted the release of Driving Rain in order to include it, without updating the album artwork. A sticker was added to the album mentioning inclusion of the song.
After performing the song on his 2002 US tour, McCartney declined to perform in on his subsequent 2005 tour. “I thought it was a great sentiment, and immediately post-9/11, I thought it was the right sentiment. But it got hijacked. And it got a bit of a militaristic meaning attached itself to it, and you found (President George) Bush using that kind of idea rather a lot in (a way) I felt altered the meaning of the song,” and later added, “Mine was in the spirit of ‘We Shall Overcome,’ you know, ‘fight for your rights,’ in the Civil Rights sense, doesn’t mean ‘Go out and hit people.’ It was a pity: it kind of stopped me doing it, actually.”
About Driving Rain
Driving Rain is the twelfth solo studio album by Paul McCartney, released in 2001. The album features a blend of rock, pop, and acoustic sounds, with McCartney exploring a range of emotions and themes throughout the songs.
Recorded during a period of personal change and reflection for McCartney, Driving Rain showcases his versatility as a songwriter and musician. The album includes tracks like “Lonely Road,” “From a Lover to a Friend,” and “Rinse the Raindrops,” which blend catchy melodies with introspective lyrics.
The album received a mixed response from critics, but it holds a special place for many McCartney fans. The songs on Driving Rain exhibit McCartney’s ability to write heartfelt ballads as well as upbeat, guitar-driven tracks.
How to find “Freedom”
On CD: Go directly to track #16
Listen to “Freedom”
“Freedom” was submitted to HiddenSongs.com by EAM. Can you add something? Please let us know!
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That’s not just a shitty JPG. The cover photo was taken with a 2001 watch camera 😆