Free (Deniece Williams song)

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"Free"
Free (Deniece Williams song).jpg
Single by Deniece Williams
from the album This Is Niecy
B-side"Cause You Love Me Baby"
Released1976
Length3:25
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Deniece Williams, Hank Redd, Nathan Watts, Susaye Greene
Producer(s)Maurice White, Charles Stepney
Deniece Williams singles chronology
"Yes, I'm Ready"
(1970) 		"Free"
(1976) 		"It's Important to Me"
(1976)

"Free" is a song by American singer Deniece Williams that was included on her album This Is Niecy. The song was written by Williams, Hank Redd, Nathan Watts and Susaye Greene and produced by Maurice White and Charles Stepney.[1]

"Free" was Williams' breakthrough single reaching No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 The single also rose to No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in May 1977.

Covers and samples[]

  • Williams's own niece Shatasha Williams (vocalist on Bone Thugs N Harmony’s Thuggish Ruggish Bone)
  • Zhané performed the song as guest stars on the New York Undercover episode "Mama Said Knock You Out".
  • Polish jazz musician Michał Urbaniak covered the song in Ecstasy (1978).
  • Billy MacKenzie covered the song in 1991, on B.E.F.'s Music of Quality and Distinction Volume Two.
  • Chanté Moore recorded "Free" for her 1994 album A Love Supreme, with a sampling of "Sail On" from the Commodores.
  • Debelah Morgan recorded an upbeat version of this song for her debut album Debelah in 1994.
  • In 1998, M-Doc's version of the song recorded for his album Young, Black, Rich and Famous and released as the lead single charted at number sixty-one on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles.[2]
  • Towa Tei produced a track called "Free" heavily based on the song in 2002.
  • Juanita Dailey covered the song from her first and only album of the same title, released in 1998.
  • In 2002, En Vogue performed the song on their concert DVD, Live in the USA.
  • Bassist Marcus Miller recorded "Free" for his 2007 album of the same name. Corinne Bailey Rae provided lead vocals.[3]
  • Seal recorded this song for his 2008 album Soul.
  • Bebi Dol recorded song for her cover album Čovek rado izvan sebe živi.
  • DJ Nate used loops from the song for his Juke-track "Free" on the 2010 album Da Trak Genious.
  • Will Downing covered "Free" on his self-titled debut album in 1988.
  • In 2012, Skye Townsend, an independent R&B-soul and Pop artist covered and performed the song as a spoken-word poem

featuring Wyann Vaughn. The song was featured on her debut EP album, Vomit.

  • UK singer Max Marshall covered the song in 2014, titled "Be Free".
  • The Pale Fountains covered the song in 1983 and it appears on their album "Longshot For Your Love"
  • English Soul-tronica band Queen's Troubadour did a remake of Williams' song titled "Free '14"
  • Walter Beasley covers the song on his 2007 album "Ready for Love".
  • Akiko Matsuda from Japanese band Ramjet Pulley cover the song on cover album "Giza studio R&B Respect Vol.1: Six sisters selection".
  • Gospel entertainer Kirk Franklin used a sample of "Free" in his song "Why?" featuring Stevie Wonder from his album Hero.
  • Althea Rene, In the Flow, 2013
  • Rapsody Sampling on "Afeni ft. PJ Morton" from the Rapsody's Album "Eve", 2019

[4]

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[19] Silver 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[]

  1. ^ Andy Kellman. "This Is Niecy - Deniece Williams | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  2. ^ "Young, Black, Rich and Famous - M-Doc | Awards". AllMusic. 1998-10-27. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  3. ^ "Jazz Vibes by Ginger Dee". Atlantajazz.info. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  4. ^ "Deniece Williams: Free". secondhandsongs.com.
  5. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. ^ "Ultratop.be – Deniece Williams – Free" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  7. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5274a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  8. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4353." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  9. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Deniece Williams". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  10. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 26, 1977" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  11. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Deniece Williams – Free" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  12. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  13. ^ "Deniece Williams Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  14. ^ "Deniece Williams Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  15. ^ "Deniece Williams Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  16. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXVIII no. 44. March 19, 1977. p. 4. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  17. ^ "Top 200 singles of '77". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  18. ^ Hunter, Nigel; Scaping, Peter, eds. (1978). "Top 100 Singles in 1977". BPI Year Book 1978 (3rd ed.). London, England: The British Phonographic Industry Ltd. pp. 216–17. ISBN 0-906154-01-4.
  19. ^ "British single certifications – Deniece Williams – Free". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
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