Loretta Lynn’s pre-eminence on the nation music scene of the early Nineteen Seventies was such that when her 1971 single “I Wanna Be Free” reached No.3, it was her twentieth Prime 10 hit in 9 years. The self-composed observe, produced as typical by Owen Bradley, made its first look on Billboard’s Scorching Nation Singles on March 27 that yr.
There was a lot using on the Decca launch, as a result of it adopted consecutive No.1s for the forthright figurehead from Butcher Holler, Kentucky. She had topped the nation survey on her personal with the autobiographical “Coal Miner’s Daughter” for per week in December 1970.
Then got here the primary in Loretta’s collection of duet releases with Conway Twitty, “After The Fire Is Gone,” which had two weeks at No.1. Certainly, it moved to the highest on the exact same chart on which “I Wanna Be Free” made its debut. The duet was, not unreasonably, described in Decca’s commerce promoting as “the country music event of the year.”
‘Powerful change of pace’
Lynn’s new solo single was a sometimes outspoken name for independence, and one other instance of her fearless struggle for girls’s rights. “I’m gonna take this chain from around my finger,” she sang, “and throw it just as far as I can sling-er, cause I want to be free.” Billboard’s evaluate was filled with reward. “Powerful change of pace from her ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ is this strong rhythm ballad,” wrote the journal, “and it can’t miss going right to the top.”
It didn’t fairly do what Billboard predicted, however “I Wanna Be Free” climbed steadily to No.3, setting the scene for the album of the identical title, which arrived in Might, made on the producer’s Bradley’s Barn studio, east of Nashville in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. That made No.5 in a 20-week chart run and by July, Lynn was again on the nation singles countdown with a brand new hit that itself made No.5 and wasn’t on the LP, “You’re Looking At Country.” With Loretta, you all the time had been.
Purchase or stream “I Wanna Be Free” on Loretta Lynn’s Gold compilation.
