"Freed from Desire" is aEurodance song by Italian singer and songwriterGala. Produced by DJ Molella and Phil Jay it was released in 1996 as the firstsingle from her debut album,Come into My Life (1997). It was a hit in many European countries, reaching number one in France and Belgium (Flanders andWallonia). The track was released in the UK in July 1997, peaking at number two and spending eight weeks inside the top 10 and 14 weeks in total in the top 75. Gala achieved a diamondrecording certification in France, a double-platinum certification in Belgium and Italy, and a triple-platinum certification in United Kingdom.
In a list of "The Top 10 Dance Tunes of the '90s" forAttitude in 2016, "Freed from Desire" was ranked at number three.[2]Melody Maker complimented its "driller-killerEuropop irresistibility".[3] A reviewer fromMusic Week gave the song four out of five, writing, "A chart topper across Europe, this has similar appeal toCrystal Waters' "Gypsy Woman". That reached number two and, with the right exposure, this could, too."[4]Pop Rescue called it a "great" song, noting "the handclaps, the beats, drum fills, whirling synths and that bassline, and of course that catchy 'ner ner ner ner-ner ner her' section." They added it as "a fine specimen" of "90s dance".[5] Dave Fawbert fromShortList described it as an "absolute, total banger", and "a song thatthe Beatles would have been proud to have written."[6]
"Freed from Desire" went on to become a huge hit all over Europe, becoming the singer's most successful single. It peaked at number one in Belgium (in both Flanders and Wallonia) and France, and entered the top 10 also in Denmark (7), Iceland (9), Ireland (2), Italy (2), the Netherlands (5), Scotland (3), and the United Kingdom. In the latter, the song reached number two on theUK Singles Chart on August 3, 1997.[7] It spent 8 weeks inside the top 10 and 14 weeks in total in the top 75, while peaking at number four on theUK Dance Singles Chart in the same period. On theEurochart Hot 100, "Freed from Desire" also peaked within the top 10, reaching its best position as number four in December 1996. Additionally, it was a top 20 hit in Austria (16), Finland (17), Germany (14) and Switzerland (13).
The single was awarded a diamondrecording certification in France, a double-platinum certification in Belgium and the United Kingdom, and a gold certification in Italy.
The accompanyingmusic video for "Freed from Desire" was filmed inHamburg at theSpeicherstadt[8] under the direction of German director and photographer Nina Bittel.[9] It was shot in a sepia tone filter while Gala is chased around by several different men. Other scenes feature the singer driving a 1962Austin-Healey 3000.[8]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.
The song has had a significant usage inassociation football, where fans from countries such as England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy etc. have made their own iterations of the song with changed lyrics.[64]
It has been used as afootball chant by fans ofBohemian FC in Dublin as far back as April 2011, where at a game away to Sligo Rovers it was sung with the lyrics amended to "The Bohs have got no money, we've got a bag of E's." (Ecstasy) Reference was made to the chant in theIrish Independent at the time, who wrote "For 45 minutes the visiting fans – who clearly planned around dry Good Friday – roared out 1990s dance classic 'Freed From Desire' seemingly oblivious to their team being dismantled on the park"[65] and was recorded by Sligo Rovers fans in the opposite stand.[66]
The chorus was used for afootball chant in 2012 byStevenage F.C. fans for wingerLuke Freeman as: "Freeman's on fire, your right back is terrified!"[67]Bristol City then adopted the chant following the signing of Freeman from Stevenage in June 2014. Following that, in early 2016,Newcastle United supporters adapted the song for their strikerAleksandar Mitrović, the refrain being: "Mitro's on fire, your defence is terrified", which has also been used by fans of Fulham FC after his transfer there.[68] However, Mitrović suffered poor form; the chant went viral in May of that year, asWigan Athletic supporter Sean Kennedy uploaded onYouTube his version of "Freed from Desire" titled "Will Grigg's on Fire", in recognition of the recent goal-scoring feats ofWill Grigg, a Wigan player.[69][70] This version was recorded by dance producers Blonde under the alias DJ Kenno, and it reached No. 76 on the UK single chart.[71][72] Fans from Northern Ireland also sang "Will Grigg's on Fire", notably duringUEFA Euro 2016, as he played forNorthern Ireland.[73][74] Fans of Ireland, Wales, England, and France made their own versions of the song for their players, such as "Vardy's on Fire" and "Grizi's on Fire".[75][76] It was later seen as the unofficial song of UEFA Euro 2016.[77]
From January 2022, "Freed from Desire" was chosen via a fan poll as the post-match victory song ofMelbourne Victory FC; the song will be played overAAMI Park's loudspeakers after every Melbourne Victory home win.[81]
In the run-up to theUEFA Euro 2024 football tournament, and during their matches at the tournament itself,Scotland fans- the "Tartan Army "- used the lyrics: "Scotland's on fire, your defence is terrified".
Gala herself has expressed support for the use of the song as a sports anthem, stating that "it’s such a beautiful thing that a song has an energy by itself":
Music and sport both gather people of different backgrounds together – a rich guy and a poor guy, they both love the same song, they both cheer for the same football team. It really brings people together from different backgrounds and countries.[83]
In October 2022, a video of fans singing about Will Grigg was re-captioned "Kerch Bridge on fire, your defence is terrified!" in the aftermath of the2022 Crimean Bridge explosion.[84] The video gained further traction in mid-2023, with at least one news channel mistaking it for Ukrainians celebrating.[84]
During the2022–23 Serie A, which the team would go on to win,SSC Napoli fans ironically reprised a version of the chorus with the lyrics "Vesuvio, erutta, tutta Napoli è distrutta" ("Vesuvius, erupt, all ofNaples is destroyed"), previously used by rivals ashate speech against the city of Naples and its people.[85][86]
