by Kevin Burton
Trying to wrestle down he lighter-than-air 70s anthem “Philadelphia Freedom” by Elton John is like trying to tell a stranger ‘bout rock and roll.
You kind of can’t.
You can parse the words if you like, look into its origins, the elements that went into it. But in the end you’ll have to agree with tennis great Billie Jean King, who the song was written for, and say that, “It’s a feeling.”
Yes, and it is the feeling we’re going for in putting together the series Coast To Coast, the Page 7 rock and roll road trip featuring songs with states or cities in the title.
Philadelphia Freedom is a song to inhabit and enjoy.
Back in 1975 I thought the concept Philadelphia freedom had to be a thing, like a flavor or brand of freedom. And freedom was thick in the American air. The American people had just wielded the constitution and ejected a corrupt president from office. The bicentennial celebration was on the horizon. Philadelphia, home of the liberty bell, was a symbol of freedom.
If Philadelphia freedom could take you “knee high to a man,” well that’s what I was about in those days.
So “shine the light” and just roll with it.
John said this was one of the few times he deliberately set out to write a hit record. His mission was accomplished, as the song was number one on the Hot 100 for two weeks in April, 1975.
Here’s how Philadelphia Freedom came to be, as told by King, quoted in The Billboard Book of Number One Hits:
“It was about a year after we’d started the World Team Tennis league. Elton was a big fan and when he was in town he’d come to the matches and holler and have a good time. I was player/coach of the Philadelphia team, the Freedoms, at the time.”
“So we had (tennis clothing designer) Ted Tingling custom make a Philadelphia Freedoms warm-up suit for Elton. We gave it to him and as we were in the limo coming back from the matches he said ‘Billie, I’m going to write a song for you.’ I said ‘sure you are’ and he said ‘No, I mean it, just wait and see.’”
Sure enough, John brought an early version of the song for King to hear at the WTT playoffs in Denver.
“So he played a rough mix of Philadelphia Freedom and of course it was great,” King recalls. “And when he got to the chorus he said, ‘listen to this part’ so I listened. ‘Hear the beat?’ he said. ‘That’s you when you get mad on the court.’”
“Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics to most of Elton John’s songs, but Elton would occasionally suggest titles,” according to SongFacts. “Elton requested a song with the title “Philadelphia Freedom” in honor of his friend, the tennis player Billie Jean King.”
“Taupin had no obligation to write lyrics about King, and he didn’t – the song was inspired by the Philadelphia soul sound of groups like The O’Jays and Melvin & The Blue Notes, and also the American bicentennial; in 1976 the US celebrated 200 years of independence.”
“The label on the vinyl for this record reads ‘;with Love to B.J.K. and the sound of Philadelphia,’” according to Wikipedia. “The song features an orchestral arrangement by Gene Page that includes flutes, horns and strings.
“Cash Box said that it has ‘a thumping heartbeat, big production, soaring strings and bleating horns.’”
“Taupin maintains that the lyrics bear no relation to tennis, Philadelphia soul, or even flag-waving patriotism. Nonetheless, the lyrics have been interpreted as patriotic and uplifting, and even though it was released in 1975, the song’s sentiment, intentionally or not, meshed perfectly with an American music audience gearing up for the country’s bicentennial celebration in July 1976.”
“Elton dominated the charts at this time, but it didn’t always make him happy, as he felt he was being overexposed,” According to Song Facts. “He told Melody Maker in June 1975: “In America I’ve got ‘Philadelphia Freedom’ going up the charts again. I wish the bloody thing would piss off. I can see why people get sick and tired of me. In America I get sick and tired of hearing myself on AM radio. It’s embarrassing.”
If John grew tired of the song, few others have. It plays in Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute IMAX theater before every show as a tribute to the city’s love for freedom and its impact on the country. The lyrics are also printed on the walls of the Hard Rock Café in Philadelphia.
Page 7 