Released 5 November 2001 Genre Rock | Format CD, 7", cassette Length 3:34 | |
Recorded Quad Studios, New York (studio version) | ||
"Freedom" is a song written and recorded by Paul McCartney in response to the September 11 attacks in 2001. McCartney was in New York City at the time of the attacks and witnessed the event while sitting in a plane parked on the tarmac at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport.
Contents
Release
The song was released in two versions: a single, billed as a studio version (recorded in Quad Studios, New York), and an on McCartney's album Driving Rain, single CD of Freedom was available during Super Bowl billed as a live version. Both versions feature Eric Clapton on lead guitar with McCartney's touring band. The live album version also featured studio overdubs from the sessions that produced the single CD version. Sir Paul McCartney wanted Americans to help their fellow citizens by buying "Freedom" and donated all proceeds to 9/11 victims. He also wrote anonymous cheques to several New York police officers to help them with medical recovery.
The song was featured at the Super Bowl XXXVI pregame show with a Statue of Liberty tapestry rising up in the background as a tribute to the victims of 9/11. McCartney performed the song frequently on his 2002 Driving USA Tour, with most of the proceeds from the Driving USA tour going to victims of 9/11. The song also appeared on the live album Back in the U.S.
Track listing
All tracks written by Paul McCartney.