At the Purchaser's Option

Album: Freedom Highway (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the opening track from Freedom Highway, an album in which Rhiannon Giddens talks about different aspects of the African-American experience. The title of this song is a phrase from a contemporary slave advertisement that Giddens read. She told Uncut:

    "That's an aspect of slavery that is the subtext for other things, and a song can apply to people in slavery today. I sang the song at a gala for an organisation that helps to free women who have been trafficked. Modern slavery is huge, and there are still women who have no control over their bodies and their children."
  • Giddens was originally going to title the record after this song as she felt it right to name the album after such an enormous topic as modern slavery. "Then the election happened," she explained. "And it just don't feel right anymore. So we changed it to Freedom Highway."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.

Gentle Giant

Gentle GiantSongwriter Interviews

An interview with Ray and Derek Shulman of the progressive rock band Gentle Giant to discuss counterpoint, polyrhythms, and... Bon Jovi.

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Edwin McCain

Edwin McCainSongwriter Interviews

"I'll Be" was what Edwin called his "Hail Mary" song. He says it proves "intention of the songwriter is 180 degrees from potential interpretation by an audience."