(Information from "SongFacts.com"): "Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics to most of Elton John's songs, but Elton would occasionally suggest titles. Elton requested a song with the title 'Philadelphia Freedom' in honour of his friend, the female tennis player Billie Jean King.
"At the time, there was a professional tennis league in America called 'World Team Tennis', and in 1974 King coached a team called the 'Philadelphia Freedoms', becoming one of the first women ever to coach men. Taupin had no obligation to write lyrics about King, and he didn't - the song was inspired by the 'Philadelphia Soul' sound of groups like 'The O'Jays' and 'Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes', and also the American bicentennial; in 1976 the US celebrated 200 years of independence.
"This song was a huge hit in America, following up another No. 1 single from Elton John, his cover of 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'. Elton dominated the charts at this time, but it didn't always make him happy, as he felt he was being overexposed.
"He told 'Melody Maker' in June, 1975: 'In America I've got 'Philadelphia Freedom' going up the charts again. I wish the bloody thing would piss off. I can see why people get sick and tired of me. In America I get sick and tired of hearing myself on AM radio. It's embarrassing.' Running at 5:21, this was one of the longest dance hits of the 1970s.
"A few months earlier, a national radio programmer declared that he would no longer play any Elton John song over 4 minutes long because they were screwing up his playlists (programme directors liked short songs because they could play more of them. Elton's opuses like 'Daniel' and 'Funeral For A Friend' had a way of screwing up the '14 Hits In A Row' format). Elton knew this would be a hit, and was happy to screw the programmer by making it long, knowing he would have to play it anyway!
@bankstatement Oh, radio programmers can go do whatever they want nowadays, or hang. We have 'Spotify'! They don't tell us how long our songs are allowed to be. :)
12 Comments (since 15 Jun 2015)
leejohnson
(Information from "SongFacts.com"): "Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics to most of Elton John's songs, but Elton would occasionally suggest titles. Elton requested a song with the title 'Philadelphia Freedom' in honour of his friend, the female tennis player Billie Jean King.
leejohnson
"At the time, there was a professional tennis league in America called 'World Team Tennis', and in 1974 King coached a team called the 'Philadelphia Freedoms', becoming one of the first women ever to coach men. Taupin had no obligation to write lyrics about King, and he didn't - the song was inspired by the 'Philadelphia Soul' sound of groups like 'The O'Jays' and 'Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes', and also the American bicentennial; in 1976 the US celebrated 200 years of independence.
leejohnson
"This song was a huge hit in America, following up another No. 1 single from Elton John, his cover of 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'. Elton dominated the charts at this time, but it didn't always make him happy, as he felt he was being overexposed.
leejohnson
"He told 'Melody Maker' in June, 1975: 'In America I've got 'Philadelphia Freedom' going up the charts again. I wish the bloody thing would piss off. I can see why people get sick and tired of me. In America I get sick and tired of hearing myself on AM radio. It's embarrassing.' Running at 5:21, this was one of the longest dance hits of the 1970s.
leejohnson
"A few months earlier, a national radio programmer declared that he would no longer play any Elton John song over 4 minutes long because they were screwing up his playlists (programme directors liked short songs because they could play more of them. Elton's opuses like 'Daniel' and 'Funeral For A Friend' had a way of screwing up the '14 Hits In A Row' format). Elton knew this would be a hit, and was happy to screw the programmer by making it long, knowing he would have to play it anyway!
leejohnson
"Elton said this was 'one of the only times I tried to deliberately write a hit single'." In the UK, it made No. 12 in April 1975, during a 9 week run in the Top 40. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Freedom_%28song%29
bankstatement
Man, no Elton John songs longer than four minutes? Well, there goes Bennie and the Jets.
leejohnson
@bankstatement Oh, radio programmers can go do whatever they want nowadays, or hang. We have 'Spotify'! They don't tell us how long our songs are allowed to be. :)
roseyrhymes
love this song, thanks for posting.
rickydicky49
Still sounds good!
21schizoid
There is not an occasion I have heard this, that I don't singalonga lustily...pity the neighbours. A bloody Elt clasic...
totty01843
love it TUNE....