"Free" is a song performed by English

classical crossover Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers who appeal to different types of audience. This can be seen, for example, (especially in the United States) when a song appears on two or more of the record charts which track differi ...

soprano

Sarah Brightman Sarah Brightman (born 14 August 1960) is an English classical crossover soprano singer, actress and dancer. Brightman began her career as a member of the dance troupe Hot Gossip and released several disco singles as a solo performer. In 19 ...

from her ninth studio album, ''

Harem Harem ( Persian: حرمسرا ''haramsarā'', ar, حَرِيمٌ ''ḥarīm'', "a sacred inviolable place; harem; female members of the family") refers to domestic spaces that are reserved for the women of the house in a Muslim family. A har ...

(2003)''. It was originally written in German by Matthias Meissner and Thomas Schwarz. The song was then re-written in English by Brightman in collaboration with

Sophie B. Hawkins Sophie Ballantine Hawkins (born November 1, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and painter. Born in New York City, she attended the Manhattan School of Music for a year as a percussionist before leaving to pursue a music career. S ...

. The track was produced by

Frank Peterson Frank Peterson (born 29 December 1963) is a German music producer known for his work with Enigma and artists such as Sarah Brightman, Ofra Haza, Gregorian, Princessa, and Andrea Bocelli on his first international album, ''Romanza''. Peters ...

. It was released as the fourth and final single from ''Harem'' by

Angel Records Angel Records was a record label founded by EMI in 1953. It specialised in classical music, but included an occasional operetta or Broadway score. and one Peter Sellers comedy disc. The famous Recording Angel trademark was used by the Gramopho ...

on 10 June 2003. The song contains prominent classical crossover and Middle Eastern pop musical characters. It is influenced by feelings of desperation and is lyrically about somebody who has lost somebody and is looking onto their relationship with somebody else. "Free" reached the #3 position on the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts.Sarah Brightman – Artist Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2008.

Violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

ist

Nigel Kennedy Nigel Kennedy (born 28 December 1956) is an English violinist and violist. His early career was primarily spent performing classical music, and he has since expanded into jazz, klezmer, and other music genres. Early life and background Kenn ...

is featured in the last four stanzas of the song.

Music video

In ''Harem; a Desert Fantasy'', Brightman stands in the middle of a pond surrounded by all the Arabian girls she sings to and in one part, she gives the white dove a lift in the air.

Track listing

Digital Single / USA Promotional CD Single

# "Free" (Swiss American Federation Hot AC Mix) 2:58 # "Free" (Swiss American Federation Modern AC Mix) 3:52 # "Free" (Album Version) 3:44

European Promotional CD Single

# "Free" (Swiss American Federation Hot AC Mix) 2:58 # "Free" (Swiss American Federation Modern AC Mix) 3:52 # "Free" (Album Version) 3:44 # "Guéri De Toi" (Nemo Mix) 3:15

DJ Vinyl

#"Free" (Swiss American Federation Club Mix) #"Free" (Nemo Remix) #"Free" (Swiss American Federation Dub Mix) #"Guéri De Toi" (Nemo Remix) *This was a promo-only release.

References

External links

* {{authority control 2004 singles Sarah Brightman songs 2003 songs Song recordings produced by Frank Peterson Songs written by Sophie B. Hawkins