While in college at UC Santa Barbara, I started to experiment outside of my usual classical composition style. With my coursework demanding I compose a lot of classical music on deadline, I was desperately looking for another form of creative expression. “Free Willing” was my first attempt at composing a lyrical pop song. Although there was a girl who inspired the song, I never intended for her to hear it. Sarah said she couldn’t be with me due to her religion. Even though she acknowledged the feelings we had for each other, she said she had no choice because her God would be angry. She could only be with someone with the same religious beliefs. However, it seemed to me that we always have a choice. It’s simply a question of choosing from fear, or choosing from love!
lyrics
You say there’s no freedom, You say there’s no happiness.
You say that there’s no choice to be made, In your life there’s one regret.
You say there’s one answer, to life’s questions of any kind.
You say there’s no free-will in your heart, and that fate’s made up your mind.
Feel me, believe me, open up your mind to me. Touch me, hold me, FREE WILLING!
You say there’re no more chances, You can give your trust no more.
You’ve seen love’s road of broken glass, And you’ve been through this before.
(chorus)
Feel me, believe me, open up your mind to me. Touch me, hold me, Say that you will be there for me.
Feel me, believe me, open up your heart to me. Touch me, hold me, FREE WILLING!
Keep on turning, keep believing, tell me that you care for me.
Keep on dreaming, now Free Willing,
I... can take you there, just wait and see...open your mind! (solo)
You say there’s no freedom, You say there’s no happiness...
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