| Looking for Freedom | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 German cover art | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 21, 1989 | |||
| Studio | Smash Tonstudio, Cool Cat Studio, Michael Boddicker, Inc. Recording Studios, Image Recording Studios, Hansa Ton Studios | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 51:06 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Jack White | |||
| David Hasselhoff chronology | ||||
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| David Hasselhoff studio album chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Looking for Freedom | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Looking For Freedom" onYouTube | ||||
Looking for Freedom is the thirdstudio album by American actor and singerDavid Hasselhoff, released on June 21, 1989, by White Records. It was produced by German music producerJack White and features writing from White,Charles Blackwell,Mark Spiro andDiane Warren, among others. The album includes Hasselhoff's biggest hit, "Looking for Freedom", which was a major chart hit in Europe, reaching number one in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Though Hasselhoff's first two albumsNight Rocker (1985) andLovin' Feelings (1987) failed to achieve success in the United States, both albums were very successful in Europe due to the popularity ofKnight Rider, series in which Hasselhoff starred at that time. Following his first headlining tour across Austria in 1987, Hasselhoff began working with German music producerJack White, who previously worked with several recording artists, includingLaura Branigan,Paul Anka andBarry Manilow. Their first collaboration was the song "Looking for Freedom", which was written by White and Gary Cowtan, and was first recorded and released in 1978 by German singer Marc Seaberg, and later released that year on its German version, titled "Auf der Straße nach Süden" and performed by German pop singerTony Marshall. White produced the song for a third time, with Hasselhoff's version being more popular than the original.
On June 21, 1989, Hasselhoff released his third studio album under the nameLooking for Freedom, due to the song's massive success in Germany, after spending eight consecutive weeks at number one. The album was re-released that year under the titleLonely Is the Night,[1] which was also the name of one of the tracks fromLooking for Freedom. This version contains 10 of its 13 original tracks, with the songs "Lady", "Avignon" and "After Manana Mi Ciello" not being included.
To promote the album, Hasselhoff embarked on several TV shows across Germany. Hasselhoff performed "Looking for Freedom" for the first time onHitparade, aired on March 22, 1989. Three months later, Hasselhoff returned toHitparade and performed "Looking for Freedom" for the second time, as well as received a Gold certification for the song. Other performances includes:Peters Pop Show,Na Siehste! and his performance at theBerlin Wall on New Year's Eve 1989.
Additionally, Hasselhoff embarked on his second headlining tour, the Freedom Tour, which took place across Germany and Switzerland between April and May 1990.
The album's lead single, which became thetitle track, was released in late 1988. It remains Hasselhoff's biggest hit, as well as hissignature song, reaching number one in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and becoming the best-performing single of 1989 in the former two countries. Additionally, it reached the top-twenty in France and Belgium; and the top-forty in the Netherlands. Eventually, the song was certifiedPlatinum in Germany.
"Is Everybody Happy" was released as the follow-up single. The song continued its success, reaching the top-ten in Germany and Switzerland.
Other singles includes: "Song of the Night", "Lonely is the Night", "Je T'Aime Means I Love You", "Torero - Te Quiero" and "Flying on the Wings of Tenderness", with the latter reaching number 22 in Germany.
In Austria, the album debuted at number 17 on the Austrian Albums chart, during the week of October 1, 1989, peaking at number five on its third week, and spent 21 total weeks on the chart. In Switzerland, the album debuted at number six on the Swiss Albums chart issue dated September 24, 1989, peaking at number three on its fifth week, remaining in that position for seven non-consecutive weeks, and spent 21 total weeks on the chart. In Germany, the album debuted at number 47 during the week of September 25, 1989, peaking at number five on its eighth week, and spent a total of 44 weeks on the German charts.
Looking for Freedom proved to be even more successful in Europe than his first two albums. Due to the continued success of "Looking for Freedom", the album became a commercial success in Europe, which was certifiedPlatinum in Germany and Austria; andthree-times Platinum in Switzerland.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Is Everybody Happy" | 4:28 | |
| 2. | "Lonely Is the Night" | 3:26 | |
| 3. | "Je T'Aime Means I Love You" |
| 4:09 |
| 4. | "Sheltered Heart" |
| 4:44 |
| 5. | "Torero - Te Quiero" |
| 4:01 |
| 6. | "Yesterday's Love" |
| 4:17 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Looking for Freedom" |
| 3:56 |
| 2. | "Flying on the Wings of Tenderness" |
| 3:50 |
| 3. | "Lady" |
| 3:48 |
| 4. | "Song of the Night" |
| 3:59 |
| 5. | "Avignon" |
| 3:40 |
| 6. | "After Manana Mi Ciello" |
| 3:19 |
| 7. | "Amore Amore (Elisabeth)" |
| 3:34 |
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Austria (IFPI Austria)[7] | Platinum | 50,000* |
| Germany (BVMI)[8] | Platinum | 500,000^ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[9] | 3× Platinum | 150,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
