If You Love Somebody Set Them Free

Album: The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985)
Charted: 26 3
Play Video
  • Free free, set them free
    Free free, set them free
    Free free, set them free
    Free free, set them free

    If you need somebody, call my name
    If you want someone, you can do the same
    If you want to keep something precious
    You got to lock it up and throw away the key
    If you want to hold onto your possession
    Don't even think about me

    If you love somebody
    If you love someone
    If you love somebody
    If you love someone set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)

    If it's a mirror you want, just look into my eyes
    Or a whipping boy, someone to despise
    Or a prisoner in the dark
    Tied up in chains you just can't see
    Or a beast in a gilded cage
    That's all some people ever want to be

    If you love somebody
    If you love someone
    If you love somebody
    If you love someone set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)

    You can't control an independent heart
    Can't tear the one you love apart
    Forever conditioned to believe that we can't live
    We can't live here and be happy with less
    So many riches, so many souls
    Everything we see that we want to possess

    If you need somebody, call my name
    If you want someone, you can, you can do, you can do the same
    If you want to keep something precious
    You got to lock it up and throw away the key
    Wanna hold onto your possession
    Don't even think about me

    If you love somebody
    If you love someone
    If you love somebody
    If you love someone set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free
    (Free, free, set them free)
    (Free, free, set them free)
    (Free, free, set them free)
    (Free, free, set them free)
    (Free, free, set them free)
    Set them free Writer/s: Gordon Sumner
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 1

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1985 {July 28th} "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" by Sting peaked at #3 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Top 100* chart, for the two weeks it was at #3, the #2 record was "Every Time You Go Away" by Paul Young and at #1 was "Shout" by Tears For Fears...
    As noted above, "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" reached #26 on the United Kingdom's Singles chart...
    Between 1985 and 2006 the Wallsend, Northumberland, England native, as a solo artist, had twenty-one records on the Top 100 chart, five made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "All For Love", with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart, for three weeks in January of 1994...
    Besides the above "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" and "All For Love", his three other Top 10 records were "Fortress Around Your Heart" at #8 {for 2 weeks} in October of 1985, "We'll Be Together" for one week in December of 1987, and "All This Time" for one week in March of 1991...
    Two of his twenty-one charted records were duets, one with Toby Keith {"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying", #87 in 1997}, and one with Sheryl Crowe {"Always On Your Side", #33 in 2006}...
    Sting, born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, will celebrate his 69th birthday in three months on October 2nd, 2020...
    * And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of Billboard's Top 10 on July 28th, 1985:
    At #4. "You Give Good Love" by Whitney Houston
    #5. "Glory Days" by Bruce Springsteen
    #6. "Never Surrender" by Corey Hart
    #7. "Power of Love" by Huey Lewis & The News
    #8. "Sentimental Street" by Night Ranger
    #9. "Get It On (Bang A Gong)" by The Power Station
    #10. "Who's Holding Donna Now" by DeBarge
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Bill Withers

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets

Curt Kirkwood of Meat PuppetsSongwriter Interviews

The (Meat)puppetmaster takes us through songs like "Lake Of Fire" and "Backwater," and talks about performing with Kurt Cobain on MTV Unplugged.

Song Cities

Song CitiesMusic Quiz

Nirvana, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen are among those who wrote songs with cities that show up in this quiz.

John Lee Hooker

John Lee HookerSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for Bruce Pollock's 1984 conversation with the esteemed bluesman. Hooker talks about transforming a Tony Bennett classic and why you don't have to be sad and lonely to write the blues.

Tom Waits Lyrics Quiz

Tom Waits Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

Pool balls, magpies and thorns without roses - how well do you know your Tom Waits lyrics?

Chris Rea

Chris ReaSongwriter Interviews

It took him seven years to recover from his American hit "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," but Chris Rea became one of the top singer-songwriters in his native UK.