freedom music credits

music composed & produced by
Don Walker
Music Consultants
Cherry Pie Records
Music Mix
Paradise Studios
The music by Don Walker (using Michael Hutchence, Ian Moss and Walker's Cold Chisel mates)
is more than competent, and retains a cult following.
It's possible to see the song that runs over the head credits on YouTube, with a number of copies
derived from the ABC's music clip program Rage, either here or here, at time of writing.
Walker was one of the key creative forces behind the domestically very successful band Cold
Chisel.
Walker has a wiki here.
Don Walker later published in 2010 a book of memoirs of growing up and his life in music:
(Below: Don Walker as he appears in the film clip)
The theme that ran over the head credits, featuring Michael Hutchence, was released as
Hutchence first solo single by WEA in early 1982, but it didn't chart well
Hutchence, well known for his performances with INXS, his love life and his unfortunate demise,
has a wiki here.
(Below: Michael Hutchence as he appears in the film clip)
When the film's score was released as an album, Mike Daly gave it a warm welcome in The Age
on 8th April 1982:
Don Walker's film soundtrack album, Freedom (WEA 600119) contains the best rock music
written for an Australian movie. Walker, Cold Chisel's keyboard player and major composer, gets
help from group members Ian Moss (guitar), bassist Phil Small and drummer Steve Prestwich …
but not vocalist Jim Barnes.
The acoustic guitar of Peter Walker (who produced Cold Chisel's debut album) plays a prominent
role: he is on five of the nine tracks. His slow bluesy playing pervades the opening tune, Port
Adelaide, and its refrain, Port Adelaide II, with some nice solo lines. He is also on the tough
rocker Speed Kills, which stars the vocals of Mark Hutchence (sic) (from INXS) and stylish
electric guitar by Ian Moss.
Sedan Hoot is a Peter Walker duel with Mark Collins's banjo, while David blight on harmonica
provides the country hoots. On the final Forest Theme (which echoes the earlier instrumental,
Freedom Theme) lyrical acoustic guitars are set against Don Walker's harmonium, spoken lines
and a unison vocal chorus.
Ian Moss provides some exciting electric lead guitar in the hypnotic rocker, Eleuptheria, and
atmospheric solo work on the dream-like Last Stretch.
It was Walker's first work outside the Cold Chisel band (in the same review, Daly reported
favourably on Cold Chisel's album Circus Animals, for which Walker wrote five of the ten songs).
The lyrics for the song Speed Kills which runs over the head titles run as follows.
(The song is preceded by an electronic voice doing a countdown from nine to one, followed by
several electronic cries, and it then runs over credits and images of the hero Jon Blake and Chris
Haywood playing various video games, before fading away under footage of Blake at work in a
factory)
The lyrics are obscured by electronic distortion, guitar and are mixed well down and also
obscured by sound effects, and accordingly a number of variations have been discerned by
various listeners. This version seems reasonably close:
Speed kills
(Female voice: You beat eighty-five and ninety-five
Running each day on fuel injected things)
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Thursday, Friday, Saturday most of all
And I'm goin' it my way (alternative transcription: knowin' it my way)
(Female voice: If you can catch the cab, crawl up north
Touch your sunstroke clouds, I'll be comin' too)
One step forward, two steps back
Two dollars on the video track
I love you, but can't you see
This speed is killing me, killing me (alternative transcription: the big beat)
(indistinct background talking)
One shift down, two shifts late
You need your man who's at the factory gate
I love you, but can't you see
This speed is killing me, killing me (alternative transcription: the big beat)
(Male voice: All my friends blow me off)
Album details:
LP (stereo) WEA 600119 (CA M5 600119) 1982
Music Composed by Don Walker
All Music Australian Compositions - Published by Burdikan Pty. Ltd.
Produced by Don Walker for Burdikan and The South Australian Film Corporation. Fairlight CMI
programmed by Duncan McGuire
Michael Hutchence appears courtesy of INXS and Deluxe Records
Jason Currie appears courtesy of St. Maryʼs Cathedral Choir, Sydney
Soundtrack recorded in Paradise Studios, Sydney, March and April 1981
Co-ordinated by Phil Matthews, Graeme Rule and Jenny Hunter-Brown
Engineered by Peter Walker and David Walsh, Mixed by Mark Optiz
SIDE 1:
1. Port Adelaide (1'56") (Don Walker) Vocals: Don Walker
Don Walker - Harmonica, Peter Walker - Guitar
Phil Small - Bass, Backing Vocals - Don Walker,
Peter Walker, Ian Moss, Steven Prestwich, Quito Ray
2. Speed Kills (3'43") (Don Walker) Vocals: Michael Hutchence
Quito Ray - Vocals, Ian Moss - Electric guitars
Peter Walker - Acoustic Guitars. Billy Rogers -
Saxophone. Phil Small - Bass. Steven Prestwich - Drums.
3. Port Adelaide II (2'40") (Don Walker) Peter Walker - Guitars
Don Walker - Piano, Phil Small - Bass.
4. Freedom Theme (3'35") (Don Walker), Billy Rogers - Saxophone
Ian Moss - Guitars, Don Walker - Piano Synthesiser
Phil Small - Bass, Steven Prestwich - Drums
5. Sedan Hoot (5'26") (D. Walker - D. Blight), David Blight - Harmonica
Peter Walker - Guitar, Mark Collins - Banjo
Phil Small - Bass, Steven Prestwich - Drums
SIDE 2:
1. Eleuptheria (7'04") (Don Walker, Latin by Cicero)Vocals: Jason Currie
Ian Moss - Guitars, Don Walker - Piano, Synthesiser
David Blight - Harmonica, Phil Small - Bass, Steven Prestwich - Drums
Backing Vocals - Quito Ray, Miranda Brown, Don Walker
2. Fascist Sounds (2'03") (Don Walker) Vocals: Liz Watters, Ian Moss
Ian Moss - Vocals, Guitar, Don Walker - Piano
Phil Small - Bass, Steven Prestwich - Drums
3. Last Stretch (2'34") (Don Walker - Ian Moss), Played by Ian Moss
4. Forest Theme (3'48") (Don Walker) Vocals: Michael Hutchence
Kayellen Hutchence - Backing Vocals, Peter Walker - Guitars.
Don Walker - Harmonium, Phil Small - Bass
A 45 was also released but didn't chart well:
45 (stereo) WEA 100201 1982
Side A:
“Speed Kills”
Side B:
“Fascist Sounds”
The score was also released on CD:
CD (stereo) Orion Recordings OR026 1996 (Remastered June 1996)