Released: February 24, 1975
Songwriter: Bernie Taupin Elton John
Producer: Gus Dudgeon
[Verse 1]
I used to be a rollin' stone, you know
If a cause was right
I'd leave to find the answer on the road
I used to be a heart beatin' for someone
But the times have changed
The less I say, the more my work gets done
[Chorus]
'Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom
From the day that I was born, I've waved the flag
Philadelphia freedom took me knee--high to a man, yeah
Gave me peace of mind my daddy never had
[Post-Chorus]
Oh, Philadelphia freedom, shine on me, I love ya
Shine the light through the eyes of the ones left behind
Shine the light, shine the light
Shine the light, won't you shine the light?
Philadelphia freedom, I lo-o-ove ya
Yes, I do
[Verse 2]
If you choose to, you can live your life alone
Some people choose the city (Some people choose the city)
Some others choose the good old family home
(Some others choose the good old family home)
I like livin' easy without family ties ('Livin easy)
Til the whippoorwill of freedom zapped me
Right between the eyes
[Chorus]
'Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom
From the day that I was born, I've waved the flag
Philadelphia freedom took me knee-high to a man
Gave me peace of mind my daddy never had
[Post-Chorus]
Oh, Philadelphia freedom, shine on me, I love ya
Shine the light through the eyes of the ones left behind
Shine the light, shine the light
Shine the light, won't you shine the light?
Philadelphia freedom, I lo-o-ove ya, yes I do
[Post-Chorus]
Oh, Philadelphia freedom, shine on me
I love ya
Shine the light through the eyes of the ones left behind
Shine the light, shine the light
Shine the light, won't you shine the light?
Philadelphia freedom, I lo-o-ove ya
You know I lo-o-ove ya, yeah
You know I lo-o-ove you, yes I do!
[Outro]
(Philadelphia freedom)
I lo-o-ove you, yes I do, Philadelphia freedom
You know that I lo-o-ove you, yes I do!
(Philadelphia freedom)
Oh, don't you know that I lo-o-ove you, yes I do!
(Philadelphia freedom)
Don't you know that I lo-o-ove you, yes I do!
(Philadelphia freedom)
Don't you know that I lo-o-ove you, yes I do!
I used to be a rollin' stone, you know
If a cause was right
I'd leave to find the answer on the road
I used to be a heart beatin' for someone
But the times have changed
The less I say, the more my work gets done
[Chorus]
'Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom
From the day that I was born, I've waved the flag
Philadelphia freedom took me knee--high to a man, yeah
Gave me peace of mind my daddy never had
[Post-Chorus]
Oh, Philadelphia freedom, shine on me, I love ya
Shine the light through the eyes of the ones left behind
Shine the light, shine the light
Shine the light, won't you shine the light?
Philadelphia freedom, I lo-o-ove ya
Yes, I do
[Verse 2]
If you choose to, you can live your life alone
Some people choose the city (Some people choose the city)
Some others choose the good old family home
(Some others choose the good old family home)
I like livin' easy without family ties ('Livin easy)
Til the whippoorwill of freedom zapped me
Right between the eyes
[Chorus]
'Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom
From the day that I was born, I've waved the flag
Philadelphia freedom took me knee-high to a man
Gave me peace of mind my daddy never had
[Post-Chorus]
Oh, Philadelphia freedom, shine on me, I love ya
Shine the light through the eyes of the ones left behind
Shine the light, shine the light
Shine the light, won't you shine the light?
Philadelphia freedom, I lo-o-ove ya, yes I do
[Post-Chorus]
Oh, Philadelphia freedom, shine on me
I love ya
Shine the light through the eyes of the ones left behind
Shine the light, shine the light
Shine the light, won't you shine the light?
Philadelphia freedom, I lo-o-ove ya
You know I lo-o-ove ya, yeah
You know I lo-o-ove you, yes I do!
[Outro]
(Philadelphia freedom)
I lo-o-ove you, yes I do, Philadelphia freedom
You know that I lo-o-ove you, yes I do!
(Philadelphia freedom)
Oh, don't you know that I lo-o-ove you, yes I do!
(Philadelphia freedom)
Don't you know that I lo-o-ove you, yes I do!
(Philadelphia freedom)
Don't you know that I lo-o-ove you, yes I do!
Elton: Jewel Box
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- Get Out Of This Town (Piano/Tambourine Demo)
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- Nina (Band Version)
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- Hourglass (Band Version)
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- Tortured*
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- Dick Barton Theme (Devil’s Gallop) (Bread And Beer Band)
- Breakdown Blues (Bread And Beer Band)
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- The Last Song
- House
- The Emperor’s New Clothes
- Sartorial Eloquence
- Ticking
- Border Song
- Empty Sky
- My Father’s Gun
- Where to Now St. Peter?
- Mellow
- I Think I’m Going to Kill Myself
- Blues for My Baby and Me
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- Tell Me When the Whistle Blows
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- Freaks In Love
- Tactics
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- Love So Cold
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- Hey Papa Legba
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- The North Star
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- Velvet Fountain (Piano Demo)
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- Gone to Shiloh
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- My Quicksand
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- The Bridge
- Song for Guy
- Lady Samantha
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- Cartier
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- White Man Danger
- Fools in Fashion
- Je Veux De La Tendresse
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- Greatest Hits Volume II (1977)
- Very Best of Elton John (1990)
- One Night Only (2000)
- Ultimate Seventies: 1975 (2003)
- Greatest Hits 1970-2002 (2003)
- Rocket Man - The Definitive Hits (Australian Tour Edition 2011) (2011)
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (40th Anniversary Celebration/Super Deluxe Edition) (2014)
- Diamonds (Deluxe) (2017)
- Elton: Jewel Box (2020)
- Your Song
- Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
- Tiny Dancer
- Bennie and the Jets
- I’m Still Standing
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight (End Title)
- Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me
- Candle in the Wind
- Daniel
- Saturday Night’s Alright (for Fighting)
- Crocodile Rock
- I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues
- Candle in the Wind 1997
- Sacrifice
- Levon
- Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
- Someone Saved My Life Tonight
- Border Song
- Honky Cat
- The One
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