Who Did It Better? Freedom

Who Did It Better? 

Freedom

Even a rather minor song can have it's moment in the sun, if picked up by a group with enough star power to put it into rotation. Such is the case with today's Who Did It Better? Yes, it remains little more than an asterisk in their extensive catalogue, but it still managed to sell enough copies to earn its place in music history.

Freedom is a song written by David McHugh, a songwriter based in Ireland and London who composed a number of movie soundtracks, including Mystic Pizza (Julia Roberts), Moscow On The Hudson (Robin Williams), Three Fugitives (Nick Nolte), and many more. As a songwriter, he earned a platinum record thanks to the Pointer Sisters’ cover of his song, Freedom, which was originally sung by Chaka Khan for the soundtrack of Moscow On the Hudson. McHugh also earned a gold record for Roberta Flack’s cover of his song, Where I’ll Find You, which appeared on her 1977 album, Blue Lights In The Basement.

Chaka Khan was riding high at the time of the release of the soundtrack for 1984's Moscow on the Hudson. She recorded two of McHugh's songs as part of the project. She'd experienced major career resuscitation due to the success of her version of Prince's I Feel For You and was still busy promoting singles from that album well into 1985, so it was decided by the powers to be not to release her version of Freedom as a single.

Khan's loss proved to be The Pointer Sister's gain. Their version of Freedom would serve as the second single from the follow-up album to their mega-selling 1983 album, Break Out, 1985's Contact. Despite Dare Me just missing the Top Ten (#11), Freedom failed to catch fire, peaking at #59 on Billboard's Hot 100, #25 on the R&B chart, and #16 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The only other country it charted in was Canada, where is squeaked in at #82. Still, despite its lackluster chart performance, the distinctive video, directed by Jerry Kramer, got great traction on VH-1, placing the song in our collective consciousness. 

And that's the whole story.

Now? On to the competition!

The Song: Freedom

The Competitors: Khan vs. The Pointer Sisters

Freedom - Chaka Khan

Freedom - The Pointer Sisters

Chaka Khan

This is very typical of mid-eighties movie soundtracks. Everyone wanted the next Footloose, the next Flashdance. And thanks to electronic instrumentation, these soundtracks were a lot cheaper to make. A few big name voices and you were on your way. That said, they tended to feel a bit hollow, a bit thin - both sound-wise and compositionally. I blame programmed synths and computer-generated rhythm tracks. As for this song...

Very subtle intro, until Chaka comes on full power. And when she does? Wow. So few have that kind of vocal power. That said? A little pitchy on at the start of that verse. 

There's a lot going on with that rhythm track. And that keyboard is popping in and out of the mix like an air bubble rising to the surface. But... if anyone can handle it, it's Ms. Khan. And when we schmooze into that delicious, "I just wanna love you," I have to say: wish that groove was a bit deeper. Where's the bass? 

As we enter the second verse? Typical mid-eighties noise. This is a slight song counting on that vanilla pudding 'African' rhythm track to give it some cred. But the mix is adhering to the 'lite' side of things. And while I'm enjoying the juxtaposition between earth godess Khan and all the muted, mechanical, electronic instrumentation - I am not getting a sense of a lift-off anytime soon. 

Those backing vocals need to be leaning into "I just want to love you"  and should be much wider in scope, acting as a bed for Khan to lay down on. 

We meld right into the chorus, the only definition comes courtesy of a second (thin) vocal line by Khan and that big slam on beat two. I think this should be magical. I would be okay with some glissandos from a 36 bar-chime. I want to be swept away. Khan keeps bringing it. That second half of the chorus - "talking 'bout freedom..." - she soars and folds in on herself. Again, the backing vocals don't provide the bed needed. I think some male voices might have helped. And some reverb. And some bass. 

Enter a sax... it's okay. Those wheezy, whiny keyboards, though. Blech. Actually, the sax is dead-on. Very good. 

It's as if this production is missing a layer of sound? And why aren't Khan's vocals - which are incredible - richer sounding? I am having serious issues with the mixing. Someone is treble happy. 

Now I'm hearing a bit of magic in a buried keyboard. It's overshadowed by that rather annoying one repeating the same couplet over and over again. And it's that keyboard which seems to be the centerpiece of this arrangement and that? That's a big mistake. 

Hate the 'Seinfeld' bass sting. 

This just keeps repeating the same mistakes. It's not growing deeper, so it's not taking the listener anywhere. Disappointing. Khan's vocals are lovely and generous, even when she's fighting against the rigidity of the lazy-ass arrangement, though what she offers doesn't always work with it. 

I like the backing vocals on the second chorus, but they are buried. It's not until "let me go," that I get a sense that Khan has anything to play off of. And then Khan works her usual magic, but to no avail; all those scattershot, kicking rhythm bits of flotsam and jetsam undermine whatever she has in mind. They sound like a car misfiring. 

Which is actual what I have to term this... a total misfire. 

The Pointer Sisters

Big and warm. Almost from note one. Yep, we have the mechanical pop ticking away like a clock, but this percolator is definitely plugged in. 

I can already tell I like this better. It moves. It has direction. I love that programmed nonsense bubbling beneath. It's like listening to an EKG. I have always loved June Pointer's voice. She had such a great sense of pop phrasing, and it's so well articulated. She could put the tiniest flex in a syllable and it would make all the difference. 

Don't like the icy, icy synths cascading down in verse two. Oh, Richard Perry. Stop trying to guild a lily. This should be Slow Hand  simple. That's the groove. Let the girls work their magic and put away all that crappy fake synth stuff. It's like putting giant, brightly-colored sprinkles on a perfect chocolate éclair. They're not needed, so don't do that. 

Chorus. Yes. A bit overplayed, but I do like the backing vocals. Ruth Pointer is the lady with the magic touch. Love the earthiness she brings here. 

Eek. Synth strings. Into the bridge. Why? And there is that damn couplet again, wearing out it's welcome. Oh, I wish some kind of organic instrument had come in to do a solo here. Or let the sisters come in from the bottom and breath some life into it. This bridge is a waste of space; it brings nothing to the table and has destroyed the momentum previous built. 

Glad June is back. Sadly she is lost amid a sky full of synthetic gnats. 

Okay, she can get a little shrill. But again... this is Slow Hand... this should have been Slow Hand, part II, not Richard Perry's fun-time synthesizer hour.  

Remember that bed that I wanted for Chaka... "Woah, woah. I just want to love you?" This is it, but it's a bit rushed. Love the backing vocals on the playout. Very nice. I just found my groove.

The Verdict

Well, it's not a homerun for either team. 

Khan's vocals are killer stuff, but the arrangement is cold, lifeless and never offers lift-off; she's mired in a drudge that moves at the pace of a traffic jam.

The sisters bring their A-Game and do a super job of warming up the proceedings. Richard Perry, however, undermines them at every turn. And that instrumental bridge? A travesty. That's not radio-ready, dear. Adore the play out. 

I'm giving this to The Pointer Sisters. With a bit more real instrumentation and a completely different instrumental bridge, this one could have been a much bigger hit for them. 

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And that's my two cents.

Your turn. Leave your thoughts and choice in the comments section. I love to hear a differing opinion. 

That's all for now. Until next time...

Thanks for reading... and listening!

Freedom - The Pointer Sisters