I Want Freedom

(album: Survival - 1971)

[Don:] Mel, hit that on the second intro.
[Mel: (muffled)]
[Don:] Yeah, I think it sounds better to stop it quick.
[Mel: (muffled)]
[Don:] Yeah.
[Mel: (muffled)]
[Don:] Okay, like you did, (noise) like you did, (noise) like you did, I'll stop my cymbal quick, then, on the second intro.
[Mel: (muffled)]

[Don:] Alright, alright.
[?: (muffled)]
[Don:] The tape is rolling.
[?: (muffled)]
[Don:] Here we go. This is Grand Funk Railroad and here comes the count. One, ...
[?:] Get on with it!
[Don:] One, two, three, four ...

[musical intro]

[Don:] Cut! Why did you stop that? Let all of them ring. The second intro, the second time he goes ... you know, in the song, when we go back into this part?
[Mel:] Yeah.
[Don:] That's what I mean. The first ...
[Mel: (muffled)]
[Don:] You know, like we're coming out of ... we're coming out of: da, dum, da; da, dum, da; da, dum, da, dum, da, da, da, da, da ... da ... dratum, bap! Stop that one.
[Mel: (muffled)]
[Don:] That's the only one.
[Mel: (muffled)]
[Don:] Just that one, let the rest of them ring. Okay. Here we go again, Grand Funk Railroad. Here we are ... Buddy R. Review, right here on ... on ... Want me to get on with it?
[?:] Get on with it!
One, two, [pause] Tape is rolling? Okay ... here we go ... One, two, three, four ...

...

[CHORUS]
Just let me take it, my mind can't make it without ...
I can't take it, said I just can't make it.
Just let me take it, my mind can't make it without ...
I can't take it, so you best not take it.

I've been waiting for such, such a long, long time,
To tell you all about these feelings of mine.
Something tells me there just has to be a better day,
And that's why I came here to say ...

[CHORUS]

Growing up, I was free in my childhood years,
And now they tell me I can wash away my tears.
These tears explain the way, it's the way that I feel,
Because the freedom they give me ain't real.

[CHORUS]

[CHORUS]

I want freedom, the kind that they promised me,
Just for living in this country.
I want the freedom, the kind that makes me feel strong,
But, let me tell you, something is wrong.

[CHORUS]

[HALF-CHORUS]