"I'll Never Be Free" is a song written by

Bennie Benjamin Claude August "Bennie" Benjamin (November 4, 1907 – May 2, 1989) was a Virgin Islands-born American songwriter. He had particularly successful songwriting partnerships with Sol Marcus, with whom he wrote " I Don't Want To Set The World On ...

and George Weiss and performed by

Kay Starr Kay Starr (born Catherine Laverne Starks; July 21, 1922 – November 3, 2016) was an American singer who enjoyed considerable success in the late 1940s and 1950s. She was of Iroquois and Irish heritage. Starr performed multiple genres, such as p ...

and

Tennessee Ernie Ford Ernest Jennings Ford (February 13, 1919 – October 17, 1991), known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American singer and television host who enjoyed success in the country and western, pop, and gospel musical genres. Noted for ...

. It reached #2 on the U.S. country chart and #3 on the U.S. pop chart in 1950.

Other charting versions

Louis Jordan Louis Thomas Jordan (July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975) was an American saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and bandleader who was popular from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the King ...

and

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...

released a version of the song which reached #7 on the U.S. R&B chart in 1950. *

Annie Laurie "Annie Laurie" is an old Scottish song based on a poem said to have been written by William Douglas (1672 - c1760 ) of Dumfriesshire, about his romance with Annie Laurie (1682–1764). The words were modified and the tune was added by Alicia Ann ...

and Paul Gayten and His Orchestra released a version of the song which reached #4 on the U.S. R&B chart in 1950. *

Dinah Washington Dinah Washington (; born Ruth Lee Jones; August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963) was an American singer and pianist, one of the most popular black female recording artists of the 1950s. Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performed and recorded in a ...

released a version of the song which reached #3 on the U.S. R&B chart in 1950. * Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra released a version of the song which reached #8 on the U.S. R&B chart in 1951. *

LaVern Baker Delores LaVern Baker (born Delores Evans; November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997) was an American rhythm and blues singer who had several hit records on the pop charts in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were " Tweedle Dee" ...

and Jimmy Ricks released a version of the song which reached #103 on the U.S. pop chart in 1961. *Starr re-released a version of the song as a solo sing which reached #94 on the U.S. pop chart in 1961. * Johnny and Jonie Mosby released a version of the song as a single in 1969 which #26 on the U.S. country chart. *

Jim Ed Brown James Edward Brown (April 1, 1934 – June 11, 2015) was an American Country music, country singer who achieved fame in the 1950s with his two sisters as a member of the Browns. He later had a successful solo career from 1965 to 1974, followed b ...

and Helen Cornelius released a version of the song as a single in 1978 which reached #11 on the U.S. country chart.

Other versions

* The Skylarks released a version of the song as a single in 1950, but it did not chart. * Janis Martin released a version of the song as the

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph record, vinyl records and Compact cassette, cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a Single (music), single usually ...

to her 1957 single "Love and Kisses". *

Johnnie Ray John Alvin Ray (January 10, 1927 – February 24, 1990) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Highly popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor to what became rock and roll, for his jazz and blu ...

released a version of the song on his 1957 EP ''The Big Beat''. * Lillie Bryant released a version of the song as the B-side to her 1959 single "Smoky Gray Eyes (Stroll Smoky)". *

Chris Connor Mary Jean Loutsenhizer, known professionally as Chris Connor (November 8, 1927 – August 29, 2009), was an American jazz singer. Biography Chris Connor was born Mary Loutsenhizer in Kansas City, Missouri, to Clyde Loutsenhizer and Mabel Sh ...

released a version of the song on her 1959 EP ''Pop Goes Chris in Witchcraft''. *

Joanie Sommers Joanie Sommers (born Joan Drost, February 24, 1941) is an American singer and actress. Her career has focused on jazz, standards and popular song. Early in her career she was billed as "The Voice of the Sixties"; she also collaborated with promin ...

released a version of the song as the B-side to her 1960 single "One Boy". *

Roy Hamilton Roy Hamilton (April 16, 1929 – July 20, 1969) was an American singer. By combining semi-classical technique with traditional black gospel feeling, he brought Soul music, soul to Great American Songbook singing. Hamilton's greatest commercia ...

released a version of the song as a single in 1961, but it did not chart. *

Jimmy Norman James Norman Scott (August 12, 1937 – November 8, 2011) was an American R&B and jazz singer and songwriter. In his early career, Norman had a charting single of his own, "I Don't Love You No More (I Don't Care About You)", as well as per ...

released a version of the song as a single in 1961, but it did not chart. *

Kelly Gordon Kelly Gordon (November 19, 1932 – August 1, 1981) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. His input on Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe" catapulted the song to fame and led to a collaboration and lasting friendship. He also co ...

released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1963 single "A Phonograph Record". *

Pat Boone Patrick Charles Eugene Boone (born June 1, 1934) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, author, television personality, radio host and philanthropist. He sold nearly 50 million records, had 38 Top 40 hits, and has acted in many films. Boone ...

and Shirley Boone released a version of the song as the B-side to their 1964 single " Side by Side". *

Mel Carter Mel Carter (born April 22, 1939) is an American soul and pop singer and actor. He is best known for his 1965 million-selling recording "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me". Biography Carter was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. At age 16, he studied singi ...

released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1964 single "The Richest Man Alive". * Bill Pursell released a version of the song as a single in 1964, but it did not chart. *

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison (born 31 August 1945) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician whose recording career started in the 1960s. Morrison's albums have performed well in the UK and Ireland, with more than 40 reaching the UK ...

released a duet version of the song (with daughter Shana Morrison) in 1995 as part of the Days Like This album.

References

1950 songs 1950 singles 1951 singles 1961 singles 1964 singles 1969 singles 1978 singles Songs written by Bennie Benjamin Songs written by George David Weiss Kay Starr songs Tennessee Ernie Ford songs Johnnie Ray songs Louis Jordan songs Ella Fitzgerald songs Dinah Washington songs LaVern Baker songs Roy Hamilton songs Mel Carter songs Jim Ed Brown songs Helen Cornelius songs Capitol Records singles Mercury Records singles RCA Victor singles Atlantic Records singles MGM Records singles Columbia Records singles Epic Records singles RCA Records singles {{1950s-single-stub