25 Songs on Freedom. Songs to Shape a Life

Title. Singer/Band, A Verse. YouTube clip.

Aug 13, 2023

The list starts with Pink Floyd questioning the mind’s construction which seizes upon dualities. Lyrics from songs include reflections on women walking out of a relationship to know freedom, to learning to deal with ups and downs, freedom to be with another and addressing major social and global issues.
1. Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd

So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from hell?
Blue skies from pain?
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

2. Dreams
Fleetwood Mac

Now here you go again, you say you want your freedom
Well, who am I to keep you down?
It's only right that you should play the way you feel it
But listen carefully to the sound of your loneliness

3. Learning to Fly

Tom Petty

Well, I started out
Down a dirty road
Started out all alone
And the sun went down
As I crossed the hill
And the town lit up
The world got still

I'm learning to fly
But I ain't got wings
Coming down
Is the hardest thing

4. Imagine

John Lennon

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too

Imagine all the people
Livin' life in peace

5. Africa

Toto

I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She's coming in, 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation.

6. Sailing

Rod Stewart

I am sailing
I am sailing
Home again
'Cross the sea
I am sailing
Stormy waters
To be near you
To be free

7. Let it Be

The Beatles

When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me speaking words of wisdom
Let it be
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be

8. Wild Flowers

Tom Petty

You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
Sail away, kill off the hours
You belong somewhere you feel free

9. Another Brick in the Wall

Pink Floyd

We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teacher, leave them kids alone

Hey, teacher, leave them kids alone
All in all, it's just another brick in the wall
All in all, you're just another brick in the wall.

10. Wild World
Cat Stevens

Now that I've lost everything to you
You say you wanna start something new
And it's breakin' my heart you're leavin'
Baby, I'm grievin'
But if you wanna leave, take good care
Hope you have a lot of nice things to wear
But then a lot of nice things turn bad out there.

11. Blackbird

The Beatles

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free.

12. Ruby Tuesday

Rolling Stones

Don't question why she needs to be so free
She'll tell you it's the only way to be
She just can't be chained
To a life where nothing's gained
And nothing's lost, at such a cost

Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday

13. Don’t Think Twice Its All Right

Bob Dylan

It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If'n you don't know by now
And it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It'll never do somehow
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I'll be gone

You're the reason I'm a-traveling on
But don't think twice, it's all right.

14. Wild Horses
Rolling Stones

I know I've dreamed you
A sin and a lie
I have my freedom
But I don't have much time

Faith has been broken
Tears must be cried
Let's do some living
After we die.

15. Walk on the Wild Side
Lou Reed

Jackie is just speeding away
Thought she was James Dean for a day
Then I guess she had to crash
Valium would have helped that bash

She said, "Hey, babe
Take a walk on the wild side"
I said, "Hey, honey
Take a walk on the wild side.”

16. A Horse with No Name
America
I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can't remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain.
17. Come Together

The Beatles

He wear no shoe shine
He got toe jam football
He got monkey finger
He shoot Coca-Cola
He say I know you, you know me
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

18. Chimes of Freedom

Bob Dylan

Flashing for the warriors whose strength is not to fight
Flashing for the refugees on the unarmed road of flight
And for each and every underdog soldier in the night
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashin'

19. I Want to Break Free
Queen

I want to break free, I want to break free
I want to break free from your lies
You're so self-satisfied I don't need you
I've got to break free
God knows, God knows I want to break free

20. Bob Marley

Redemption Song

But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly

Won′t you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs

21. Can’t Always Get What You Want
Rolling Stones

No, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometime you'll find
You get what you need

22. Losing My Religion

REM

Oh life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up