Philadelphia Freedom (song)
{{short description|1975 single by Elton John}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Philadelphia Freedom
| cover = Philly freedom.JPG
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = the Elton John Band
| B-side = "I Saw Her Standing There" (live with John Lennon)
| released = {{start date|1975|02|28|df=yes}}
| recorded = August 1974
| studio = Sound Factory (Hollywood)
| genre =
- Philly soul
- pop
- disco{{cite web |last=Breihan |first=Tom |title=The Number Ones: Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom" |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2050527/the-number-ones-elton-johns-philadelphia-freedom/columns/the-number-ones/ |date=10 July 2019 |access-date=25 June 2023}}
| length =
- 5:38
- 5:20 (edited version)
| label =
| writer =
- Elton John
- Bernie Taupin
| producer = Gus Dudgeon
| chronology = Elton John
| prev_title = Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
| prev_year = 1974
| next_title = Someone Saved My Life Tonight
| next_year = 1975
| misc = {{External music video|header=Licensed audio|{{YouTube|gM4Xm2MGLNQ|"Philadelphia Freedom"}}}}
}}
"Philadelphia Freedom" is a song by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was released as a single on 28 February 1975,{{cite magazine |title=Elton and Lennon |magazine=Melody Maker |page=5 |date=8 February 1975}} credited to the Elton John Band. The song was the fourth of John's six number-one singles in the US during the early and mid-1970s, which saw his recordings dominating the charts. In Canada it was his eighth single to hit the top of the RPM national singles chart.
The song was written by John and Taupin as a favor to John's friend, tennis star Billie Jean King, who was part of the Philadelphia Freedoms professional tennis team. The song features an orchestral arrangement by Gene Page that includes flutes, horns and strings.
The song made its album debut on 1977's Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II.
Background
Recorded in the summer of 1974, during breaks between sessions for Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, the song was at the time the only song Elton John and Bernie Taupin had ever consciously written as a single, as John told journalist Paul Gambaccini. John was looking to honor Billie Jean King, and so asked Taupin to write a song called "Philadelphia Freedom" as a homage to her tennis team, the Philadelphia Freedoms.
In His Song: The Musical History of Elton John, Elizabeth Rosenthal recounts that Taupin said, "I can't write a song about tennis", and did not. 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. In the US, the song was certified Gold in 1975 and Platinum in 1995 by the Recording Industry Association of America.{{cite certification|region=United States|title=Philadelphia Freedom}} Billboard ranked it as the number three song for 1975.
The song was dedicated in part to "the Philadelphia sound", which included the soul music of the Delfonics and the Spinners and the talents of writer-producers Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell; John would work with Bell two years later on an EP that came to be known as The Thom Bell Sessions. "Philadelphia Freedom" 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 Cafe in Philadelphia.
The B-side, a cover of The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There", is a live recording of the Elton John Band with John Lennon at Madison Square Garden on 28 November 1974. It was the last of three songs John and Lennon performed together that night; the performance would be Lennon's last concert appearance. Three songs from that collaboration were featured on the 1975 12" EP Elton John Band featuring John Lennon and the Muscle Shoals Horns (DJM).{{cite web |first=Carsten |last=Henkelmann |title=Elton John Band Feat. John Lennon And The Muscle Shoals Horns: Featuring John Lennon And The Muscle Shoals Horns – LP, 1975, Erstauflage |url=http://www.musik-sammler.de/media/155901 |website=Musik-sammler.de |date=28 November 1974 |access-date=10 October 2016}} These recordings can also be found on the Lennon box set and the remastered edition of John's Here and There album.
= Billie Jean King =
Elton John met Billie Jean King in 1973 and, according to reporters for CNN, they have since built a "powerful partnership in philanthropy, raising hundreds of millions of dollars...for equal rights and for HIV/AIDS causes".{{cite web |last1=Olshansky |first1=Ken |last2=Krever |first2=Mick |title=Elton John and Billie Jean King: 40 years of friendship, philanthropy, activism |url=http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/19/elton-john-and-billie-jean-king-40-years-of-friendship-philanthropy-advocacy/ |publisher=CNN |access-date=1 March 2016 |archive-date=19 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919000439/https://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/19/elton-john-and-billie-jean-king-40-years-of-friendship-philanthropy-advocacy/ |url-status=dead }} Upon admiring and meeting King, John asked his long-term writing partner Bernie Taupin to write the lyrics to what became "Philadelphia Freedom" and dedicate it to his friend, King, who was a member of the Philadelphia Freedoms tennis team. The label on the vinyl for this record reads "with Love to B.J.K. and the sound of Philadelphia."{{cite web |title=Billie Jean King Talks About Philadelphia Freedom |url=http://www.eltonjohn.com/billie-jean-king-talks-about-philadelphia-freedom/ |website=Elton John |date=10 September 2018 |access-date=25 June 2023 |archive-date=29 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629231037/http://www.eltonjohn.com/billie-jean-king-talks-about-philadelphia-freedom/ |url-status=dead }} At the time, King had just been ranked the "World Number 1 women's player" for the fifth time in the previous seven years. Additionally, one reporter argued that she had "alter[ed] the gender perception of professional tennis with her victory against Bobby Riggs in a highly publicized 'Battle of the Sexes' exhibition match."
The lyrics of "Philadelphia Freedom" are not explicitly about the match or King, but stem from a love of King and her cause. Prior to their match, Riggs claimed that even as a 55-year-old man, he could still beat a woman (King was 29 at the time) in a tennis match because it was a man's game. The match was held on 20 September 1973 at the Astrodome in Houston, and was telecast worldwide.{{cite journal |last=Spencer |first=Nancy E. |title=Reading Between the Lines: A Discursive Analysis of the Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs "Battle of the Sexes" |journal=Sociology of Sport Journal |volume=17 |issue=4 |page=386 |year=2000 |doi=10.1123/ssj.17.4.386}} Though usually cheering from the sidelines at every match, John lost his voice cheering King on from a Los Angeles hotel. The year before the "Battle of the Sexes" match, Congress adopted the Equal Rights AmendmentAs of 2020, the subsequent ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment by the states is in dispute. and 1973 saw the decision of Roe v. Wade give women the right to choose to have an abortion.{{cite journal |last=Kaminski |first=Theresa |title=Game, Set, Match: Billie Jean King and the Revolution in Women's Sports |journal=The Historian |volume=74 |issue=2 |page=378 |year=2012 |s2cid=146717170 |doi=10.1111/j.1540-6563.2012.00322_36.x}} King made other steps in feminism in 1973 when she founded the Women's Tennis Association and "convinced the U.S. Open to award female champions the same prize money as men". This set the scene for King's match and victory against Riggs.
The win ignited even more advocacy efforts for sexual equality, shattered the stereotype Riggs had presented and, as feminist Gloria Steinem put it, "provided...a morale change". King is now known as a "champion for social change and equal rights".{{cite journal |last=Steele |first=Erika |title=Reflections on Billie Jean King, Title IX, and making the most of gifts that have been given |url=http://ic.galegroup.com.libezp.lib.lsu.edu/ic/bic1/AcademicJournalsDetailsPage/AcademicJournalsDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=BIC1&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&display-query=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Journals&limiter=&u=lln_alsu&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_within_results=&p=BIC1&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA220135970 |journal=Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal |volume=16 |issue=2 |pages=93–95 |year=2007 |doi=10.1123/wspaj.16.2.93}}
Despite her success in the match and its historical importance, King told eltonjohn.com that they (she and Elton) did not want the song to be about tennis.{{cite web|url=https://www.eltonjohn.com/stories/billie-jean-king-talks-about-philadelphia-freedom|title=Billie Jean King Talks About 'Philadelphia Freedom'|website=Elton John}} "It's a feeling", she said. King and John also co-founded the World Team Tennis Smash Hits, a charity function benefitting AIDS charities. King spoke of her work with Elton, saying "We're out there every single day with our energy and we're going to make this world a better place, no matter if it's through tennis, through music, whatever, to try to help the LGBT community, just help humanity."{{Cite web|url=https://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/19/elton-john-and-billie-jean-king-40-years-of-friendship-philanthropy-advocacy/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131120000753/http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/19/elton-john-and-billie-jean-king-40-years-of-friendship-philanthropy-advocacy/|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 November 2013|title=Elton John and Billie Jean King: 40 years of friendship, philanthropy, activism}}
On 18 October 2023, King competed in the tenth season of The Masked Singer as Royal Hen, singing "Philadelphia Freedom" in an episode that was a tribute to Elton John.{{cite magazine |last=Richardson |first=Kalia |title=The Masked Singer Unmasks a Trailblazing LGBT Icon and Sports Legend |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-recaps/the-masked-singer-season-10-billie-jean-king-lgbt-tennis-nick-cannon-1234857368/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=18 October 2023 |access-date=26 May 2024}}
Reception
Cash Box said that it has "a thumping heartbeat", "big production", "soaring strings and bleating horns".{{cite news |title=CashBox Record Reviews |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1975/CB-1975-03-08.pdf |newspaper=Cash Box |date=8 March 1975 |page=33 |access-date=11 December 2021}} Record World said that "Gene Page charts provide local color for EJ's latest not-available-on-LP smash."{{cite magazine |title=Hits of the Week |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/75/RW-1975-03-08.pdf |magazine=Record World |date=8 March 1975 |page=1 |access-date=10 March 2023}}
The single reached No. 2 in New Zealand,{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/singles/1975-05-02 |title=NZ Top 40 Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart |website=Nztop40.co.nz |date=5 May 1975 |access-date=10 October 2016}} No. 4 in Australia and No. 12 in the UK.{{cite web|title=officialcharts.com|date=23 January 1971 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/21478/elton-john/|publisher=Official Charts Company|accessdate=1 June 2021}}
The song re-emerged onto the charts following the Philadelphia Eagles win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on February 9th, 2025, with many fans singing and dancing to the song on social media as a way of celebrating the Eagles' win over the Chiefs, thus getting rid of the heartbreak they had from the matchup from two years prior and all season long when the NFL was accused of having its referees rig the games the Chiefs play in favor of them winning, and giving the team and its fans their very own "Philadelphia freedom".{{Cite web |title=The ultimate Philly-inspired playlist to hype yourself up for an Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl rematch |url=https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-eagles-super-bowl-playlist-chiefs/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=WHYY |language=en-US}}
Chart performance
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center" |
| scope=col|Chart (1975)
!scope=col|Peak |
|---|
| scope=row|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|url=https://imgur.com/a/8a2fnGs|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1975|publisher= Kent Music Report |issue= 79 |via= Imgur |date= 29 December 1975 |access-date= 15 January 2022 }}
| 4 |
| {{single chart|Wallonia|49|artist=The Elton John Band|song=Philadelphia Freedom|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|1|artist=Elton John|chartid=3957a|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|2|artist=The Elton John Band|song=Philadelphia Freedom|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|UK|12|artist=Elton John Band|date=19750406|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|1|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|32|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|West Germany|50|artist=The Elton John Band|song=Philadelphia Freedom|songid=23280|rowheader=true}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
=All-time charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Chart (1958–2018)
! Position |
|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100-60th-anniversary|title=Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart|magazine=Billboard|access-date=10 December 2018}}
| style="text-align:center;"|192 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|title=Philadelphia Freedom|artist=Elton John|award=Platinum|relyear=1975|certyear=1995}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
Cover versions
The song was covered by Hall & Oates on the 1991 multi-artist tribute album Two Rooms.{{Cite magazine |last=Arnold |first=Gina |date=1991-11-29 |title=Two Rooms Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/11/29/two-rooms-celebrating-songs-elton-john-bernie-taupin/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}
Personnel
- Elton John – electric piano, vocals
- Ray Cooper – tambourine, maracas, congas
- Davey Johnstone – electric and acoustic guitars
- Dee Murray – bass
- Nigel Olsson – drums
- Gene Page – orchestral arrangement
Notes
{{Reflist|group=note}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20170321170902/http://www.berniejtaupin.com/taupin_lyrics_other-elton-70s.html Lyrics of this song] at berniejtaupin.com
- {{YouTube|gM4Xm2MGLNQ|Elton John – Philadelphia Freedom}}
{{Elton John songs}}
{{Philadelphia Freedoms}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:American patriotic songs
Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Category:Culture of Philadelphia
Category:Cashbox number-one singles
Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Category:Songs about Pennsylvania
Category:Songs about Philadelphia
Category:Songs with lyrics by Bernie Taupin