You can make me free
You can make me rise You can make me see So open up your eyes The second song on Cold Spring Harbor, "You Can Make Me Free," is a free-wheeling love paean, reminiscent of the psychedelic pop of the late 1960s. It sounds like a Paul McCartney tune from the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/Magical Mystery Tour era, complete with harmonized "aah-aahs" such as in The Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye" and "Magical Mystery Tour." The original version also features a fun, raucous instrumental bridge and outro, including a great guitar solo by Don Evans.
The Beatles from the Sgt. Pepper period.
While the lyrics are a little cheesy at times ("I can take to the skies/I can soar like a bird with his heart full of song"), the song is quite fun, a guilty pleasure. And as always, there is an earnestness in Billy's voice that indicates the feelings behind the song are authentic.
Unfortunately, much of the song was substantially cut in the re-released version of the album in 1983. Compare the two versions at the bottom of this page. 
The Hassles with Billy Joel on keyboards.
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Words and Music by Billy Joel
You can make me free You can make me smile You can make me be Like a little child You can melt the ice that chills my body You can dry my every tear You make the lonely hours disappear You can make me free You can make me rise You can make me see So open up my eyes Don't you know my only real moments Are the ones I spend with you How I long to drink some wine again with you I can take to the skies I can soar like a bird with its heart full of song Won't you color my eyes I've been waiting so long You can make me free You can make me cry You can make it so much better If you would only try And if I must wait a lonely lifetime Until I am with you, my love I will wait but you'll be what I'm dreamin' of I can take to the skies I can soar like a bird with his heart full of song Won't you cover my eyes I've been waiting so long You can make me free You can make me cry You can make it so much better If you would only try And if I must wait a lonely lifetime Until I am with you, my love I will wait but you'll be what I'm dreamin' of I can take to the skies I can soar like a bird with his heart full of song Won't you cover my eyes I've been waiting so long You can make me free You can make me cry You can make it so much better If you would only try And if I must wait a lonely lifetime Until I am with you, my love I will wait but you'll be what I'm dreamin' of You can make me free You can make me cry You can make it so much better If you would only try |
Videos
This is a fun stop-motion lyrics video by Coral. It really captures the spirit and feeling of the song.
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This is the original 1971 version (audio only) of "You Can Make Me Free" re-mastered at the correct speed, by TheZestanor. Song is © 1971 Columbia Records.
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Studio version (audio only) of "You Can Make Me Free" from the 1983 version of the album with speed corrected. Unfortunately, this version cuts about two minutes from the original.
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(Note: The tie dye background on this page is Vector Art by Vecteezy).