Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)


"Everybody's Free " is a song by Zambian-born Zimbabwean singer Rozalla. It was released in September 1991 as the second single from her album, Everybody's Free. The song peaked at number-one on the Hot Dance Club Play chart in the US. In Europe, "Everybody's Free" reached number 2 in Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. It was also a Top 10 hit in Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. On the Eurochart Hot 100, the single reached number 6. And in Zimbabwe, it peaked at number 4. Today, the song is widely regarded as one of the biggest dance anthems of the 1990s and it has been remixed and re-released several times.

Critical reception

editor William Cooper described "Everybody's Free" as a "catchy, cathartic rave anthem that managed to cross over to the Top 40 pop charts." Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that "charismatic belter has been dubbed the "Queen of Rave" in many circles, thanks to the virtually universal approval bestowed upon this brain-embedding anthem in the U.K. and Europe. With heavy top 40 buzz here already in effect, she is poised for major success. Fresh remixes will sustain club activity, while radio programmers at several formats will likely revel in her crystalline voice." In 2017, BuzzFeed listed the song at number 47 in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs Of the '90s". Amy Linden from Entertainment Weekly described the song as "soaring" and noted that Rozalla "radiates independence" and "seizes the mystical, richly textured, techno-house reins and rides, stating her case with total clarity and power, injecting heart and depth into a genre that is often soulless." Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report commented that "one of the most electrifying tracks around is far from new to audiences around the world. Just think of a country and chances are good that this has been #1 there. Following some lengthy delays on the official U.S. release, here it is ready to explode at Top 40." Pop Rescue wrote that "Everybody's Free" "really showcases Rozalla’s vocal range", adding it as "brilliant".

Chart performances

"Everybody's Free " first charted in the United Kingdom in 1991, peaking at number 6. The success soon crossed over to the rest of Europe, reaching the Top 10 in numerous countries. Although it failed to reach the Top 5 in the weekly charts, it still made the Top 40 best selling UK singles of 1991, at position 40.
The song was not released in the United States until 1992, when she was signed to Epic Records after a sought-after bidding war. It performed extremely well on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, climbing to number one. On the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the track was a top 40 Hit, reaching number 37.
Rozalla performed the song at the start of The X Factors companion show, The Xtra Factor, on 21 October 2013.

Music video

Various music videos exist for "Everybody's Free ". One of them was directed by Nick Burgess-Jones. It first aired in September 1991.
Rozalla's original label Pulse 8 promoted the song with a semi-live performance video. In the United States, Epic had Rozalla record a different video. Rozalla also shot a video for her 1996 remix in Africa, and another for the 2002 version with German eurodance group Aquagen. Australian TV network Ten and affiliates used the Global Deejays remix to advertise the 2009 series of So You Think You Can Dance Australia.

Remixes

"Everybody's Free " has been remixed various times. In 1996, a remix reached number 30 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2000, she re-recorded with Richard 'Humpty' Vission and had a minor US dance hit. In 2002 came the Aquagen remix of the song, which reached number 22 in Germany, followed by a Delerium & Faze remix in 2005. The following year came from Italian Kortezman the new remix of the song. A shortened version of the Aquagen remix was used in the introduction to The Venture Bros. episode, "Powerless in the Face of Death". In 2015, the single received an updated remix, billed as the "Crazy Ibiza Remix," which Rozalla loved, and then commented on her Facebook page thanking the fans and mixers who continue to keep the song alive to this day.

Accolades

indicates the list is unordered.

Cover versions

released a version of "Everybody's Free" in 2008 that was credited to Global Deejays featuring Rozalla. It features guitars and strong dance beats. It was used in television promotions for So You Think You Can Dance Australia and debuted at number 33 on the ARIA Singles Chart. It climbed to number 7, which made it Rozalla's highest-charting single in Australia.
Quindon Tarver performed a choir cover for the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet. His version was later sampled for Baz Luhrmann's single "Everybody's Free ".
Australian singer Nat Conway released a synthpop cover produced by MNEK on 19 August 2016 as her debut single. In 2015, Conway had performed the track as her audition song on the seventh series of The X Factor Australia. She went on to finish 6th and she signed a record deal with label Sony Music Australia.
Kylie Minogue covered the song for her 2016 album . The cover was used in a Christmas TV advertisement for British pharmacy chain Boots.
In the same year, Chase & Status sampled the track's chorus for their song "Spoken Word", featuring George the Poet.
Blumchen - Ich Bin Wieder Hier German cover in happy hardcore style.

Track listings

Original version

;CD single
  1. "Everybody's Free " – 3:25
  2. "Everybody's Free " – 3:58
;CD maxi – Australia
  1. "Everybody's Free " – 3:37
  2. "Everybody's Free " – 6:21
  3. "Everybody's Free " – 6:10
;CD maxi – France, Belgium
  1. "Everybody's Free " – 6:21
  2. "Everybody's Free " – 6:05
  3. "Everybody's Free " – 6:06
  4. "Everybody's Free " – 7:17
;CD maxi – Germany
  1. "Everybody's Free " – 6:20
  2. "Everybody's Free " – 5:57
  3. "Everybody's Free " – 3:33
;CD maxi – UK
  1. "Everybody's Free " – 6:28
  2. "Everybody's Free " – 6:06
  3. "Faith " – 7:23
;7" single
  1. "Everybody's Free " – 3:35
  2. "Everybody's Free " – 4:00
;12" maxi
  1. "Everybody's Free " – 6:35
  2. "Everybody's Free " – 6:05
;12" maxi – Italy
  1. "Everybody's Free " – 6:22
  2. "Everybody's Free " – 3:30
  3. "Everybody's Free " – 6:00
;Cassette
  1. "Everybody's Free "
  2. "Everybody's Free "

    Aquagen featuring Rozalla version

;CD maxi
  1. "Everybody's Free" – 3:34
  2. "Everybody's Free" – 3:40
  3. "Everybody's Free" – 8:47
  4. "Everybody's Free" – 6:10
  5. "Everybody's Free" – 7:23
  6. "Everybody's Free" – 8:44
  7. "Everybody's Free" – 5:35

    Global Deejays featuring Rozalla version

;CD maxi
  1. "Everybody's Free" – 7:00
  2. "Everybody's Free" – 6:37
  3. "Everybody's Free" – 6:38
  4. "Everybody's Free" – 6:07

    Charts

Weekly charts

;Original version
Chart Peak
position

;Remix versions
Chart 1Peak
position
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play18
Chart 2Peak
position
Austria 17
Germany 22
Netherlands 61
Switzerland 75
Chart 3Peak
position
Netherlands 70
Chart 3Peak
position
Australia 7
Austria 57

1 By Richard Vission featuring Rozalla
2 By Aquagen featuring Rozalla
3 By Global Deejays featuring Rozalla

Year-end charts