"I Want You Free" is a song written by Martha Sharpe and first recorded by American country singer Jean Shepard. Released as a single in 1970, it reached the top 40 of the US country songs chart. It was later included on Shepard's 1970 album A Woman's Hand and received reviews from two music publications following its release.
| "I Want You Free" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Jean Shepard | ||||
| from the album A Woman's Hand | ||||
| B-side | "Be Nice to Everybody" | |||
| Released | July 1970 | |||
| Recorded | July 1969 | |||
| Studio | Columbia (Nashville, Tennessee) | |||
| Genre | Country[1] | |||
| Length | 2:21 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Martha Sharpe | |||
| Producer(s) | Larry Butler | |||
| Jean Shepard singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background and recording
editJean Shepard first rose to fame during country music's fifties honky tonk era, but managing to have 20 years of commercial success. This included a comeback in the middle sixties and a second comeback in the early seventies.[2] In 1969, she reached the top 20 with "Seven Lonely Days", followed by a series of top 40 charting singles through 1971. Among them was "I Want You Free".[3] Written by Martha Sharpe,[4] the song was described by Billboard magazine as a "rhythm ballad".[1] "I Want You Free" was produced by Larry Butler in July 1969 at the Columbia Studios in Nashville, Tennessee.[4]
Release, critical reception and chart performance
edit"I Want You Free" was released in July 1970 by Capitol Records as a single. It was issued as a seven-inch vinyl single. On its B-side was the track "Be Nice to Everybody".[4] Cash Box magazine praised the track believing that fans would enjoy her latest single.[5] Billboard believed the song would make their top 20 singles chart that year, highlighting her vocals and a change in musical style.[1] Although this was predicted, "I Want You Free" peaked outside the top 20, reaching the number 22 position on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1970.[3] It was then included in Shepard's 1970 studio album titled A Woman's Hand.[6]
Track listings
edit- 7" vinyl single[4]
- "I Want You Free" – 2:40
- "Be Nice to Everybody" – 2:01
Charts
edit| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[7] | 22 |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Top 20 Country: Country" (PDF). Billboard. July 18, 1972. p. 72. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ Cooper, Dan. "Jean Shepard Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research.
- ^ a b c d Shepard, Jean (July 1970). ""I Want You Free"/"Be Nice to Everybody" (7" vinyl single)". Capitol Records. 2847.
- ^ "Cash Box C&W Singles Reviews: Picks of the Week" (PDF). Cash Box. July 18, 1970. p. 47. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ Shepard, Jean (August 1970). "A Woman's Hand (Liner Notes)". Capitol Records. ST-559.
- ^ "Jean Shepard Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 30, 2024.