Song title: Be Free
Music by: C. Jackson / E. Jackson
Lyrics by: C. Jackson / E. Jackson
Artist: Lamph ft. Holly Ryan
Listen to ‘Be Free’ here:
Hi. I am Eoin Jackson. Together with my sister Clodagh, we’ve been writing music under the name “Lamph” since we were both in our teens. Our first release as a ‘pop group’ was a 4-track EP with lead songs “Here I Am (Again)” and “Dream Away”. That was in 1996! Since the we’ve done a few bits and pieces… I won’t bore with all the details, but we have flirted with ESC on a few occasions – mostly submitting songs for consideration by Linda Martin and her esteemed judging panels. These days we upload videos to YouTube and sometimes try to self release them, but it is hard to gain traction. I hope to write a musical as part of my upcoming mid-life crisis.
The song “Be Free” does have an ESC connection, as it was submitted for ESC in 2014 in three territories. We got nowhere in Latvia or Ireland, but in Moldova it made the shortlist for artists to choose from, but most artists were already tied to a certain track, so it went no further.
Although myself and Clodagh always share credit on the songs we write, the lion’s share of the writing is done by one or the other of us. In the case of “Be Free” this was Clodagh’s baby. It was written around 10 years ago, when Clodagh was newly married and adjusting to life as a full time housewife. She was doing the delph (aka dishes, aka pots, aka washing up. We call it “the delph”), and the chorus of the song just came to her, and was swirling around in her head. She was hearing harmonies, and making it more elaborate as she went. She immediately recorded it into her phone for later use. We recorded a version in late 2013 with the help of a talented young singer, Holly Ryan, who was heavily involved in musical theatre locally, and has now gone on to sing and act professionally in productions around the UK and elsewhere in Europe.
The lyrics are very simple, about feeling stuck in a rut (i.e. psychologically feeling you are trapped), then the euphoria of that moment of clarity when you break out and free yourself. (Clodagh says the drudgery of daily chores, washing up etc. was worth it for inspiring this song!)
Be Free
Verse 1
Whenever I’m down
And the world’s down on me.
And all of these chains,
Are firmly ‘round my feet.
When all that I am,
Is a lie to survive.
I’ll find strength inside.
I will rise and fall
And through it all,
I will break these chains
And I’ll be free!
Chorus 1
That’s all that I have wanted to be free (x 2)
Verse 2
Whenever I’m down
And the world’s down on me.
And all of these chains,
Oh, they are all over me.
I will rise and fall
But through it all,
I will break these chains
And I’ll be free!
Chorus 2
That’s all that I have wanted to be free (x 2)
Mmm-mmm-mmm, ooh ooh-ooh ooh ooh-ooh ooh ooh.
I am free now my chains are all gone (x 2)
[That’s all that I have wanted to be free (x 2)]
Chorus 3
That’s all that I have wanted to be free (x 2)
I am free now my chains are all gone (x 2)
[That’s all that I have wanted to be free (x 2)]
That’s all that I have wanted to be free (x 2)
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