Day 25: A song you could listen to all day without getting tired of.
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Freedom Calling | Colin Hay
Before Serena Ryder stole my heart there was only one singer-songwriter I had a massive crush on; Colin Hay.
For those not in the know, Colin Hay rose to super-stardom as the lead singer of Australian rock group Men at Work, authors of perennial classic ‘Down Under’. After leaving the group Colin Hay struck out on his own, releasing a series of mainly acoustic solo albums of his self-written songs. They contained classics such as ‘Wayfaring Sons’, ‘Dreamtime in Glasgow’ and ‘Can’t Take This Town’. And then, in 1998, he released an album called Transcendental Highway – the first album of his that I heard – and on this album was a little song called ‘Freedom Calling’.
For over six years – until Serena wowed me with ‘Weak in the Knees’ – this was my all time favourite song. A haunting meditation on life, love and longing. For years it was my anthem; a song I carried close to my heart, a song whose lessons I tried to live my life by. When I moved to Australia in 2002 it was the last song I listened to on UK soil and the first song I listened to after arriving down under. When my relationship with Louise broke down, it was the song I turned to in order to help me through the heartache. And it was the first song I shared with my new girlfriend, Kathy.
There are no words to describe how much I love this song. It is pure, unadulterated bliss (with bagpipes!)
Freedom Calling
by Colin HayIf you hear a voice call out your name
Saying you can stop yourself from falling
And if he strikes you in his fear and shame
Well you can leave him to his ruinIf your dreams they wake you in the night
And your heart it is a pounding
If you cry out as you wake in your fright
And the wind it is a-howlingMaybe it’s time to find another place
Where nobody even knows your face
There is no need to be afraid
For it’s only freedom callingIf your tears begin to overflow
As you walk against the undertow
There is no need to be afraid
For it’s only freedom callingIf you’re sad ’cause you’re all alone
And your hands they are a shaking
And your miracle cure’s not working anymore
And the flood bank’s close to breakingSuddenly you’re on an open unknown road
Passing all the heavy, long wide loads
It is time to make your great escape
And you can hear your freedom callingI want to dive into the sea of love
But my knees they are a quaking
I can see myself high up above
And there’s no time left for fakingI no longer need to understand
What it is to truly be a man
Only when I gave up on my masterplan
Did I then hear freedom callingDid I then hear freedom calling
I couldn’t have chosen a better song to end this 25 Songs, 25 Days Challenge. I hope you’ve enjoyed the music, tales and memories I’ve shared over the last twenty-five days. To view a complete list of songs that have featured, simply click here!