Freedom

Album: Climate Change (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The chorus of this party tune heavily samples British band The Soup Dragons' 1990 hit "I'm Free." That song in turn was a cover of The Rolling Stones' 1965 track also titled "I'm Free."
  • The song represents Pitbull's response to the thawing of relations between America and his ancestral home of Cuba. The lyrics include the line "Cuba, can't wait to live free, yeah," and the cover art features a bowtie decorated by the US and Cuban flags.

    The son of Cuban exiles, Pitbull has made his feelings known in the past about the island's regime. The rapper wrote a song in 2006 called "Ya Se Acabo (It's Over)," after finding out that Cuban President Fidel Castro had transferred his duties to his brother Raúl Castro. That track was adopted as an anti-Castro anthem by exile groups in Miami.

    Pitbull later told The Guardian: "I won't perform in Cuba until there's no more Castro and there's a free Cuba."
  • An advertising campaign was launched to coincide with the release of the single on January 7, 2016. The TV ad plugged Norwegian Cruise Lines' Pitbull After Dark Party cruise on the Norwegian Pearl, scheduled for March 10-13, 2017.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.

Art Alexakis of Everclear

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley of The Righteous BrothersSongwriter Interviews

Medley looks back on "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - his huge hits from the '60s that were later revived in movies.

Dave Mason

Dave MasonSongwriter Interviews

Dave reveals the inspiration for "Feelin' Alright" and explains how the first song he ever wrote became the biggest hit for his band Traffic.

Michael W. Smith

Michael W. SmithSongwriter Interviews

Smith breaks down some of his worship tracks as well as his mainstream hits, including "I Will Be Here For You" and "A Place In This World."

Matt Sorum

Matt SorumSongwriter Interviews

When he joined Guns N' Roses in 1990, Matt helped them craft an orchestral sound; his mezzo fortes and pianissimos are all over "November Rain."