What is up with “Philadelphia Freedom”? I mean seriously, what’s that song about? Every time I hear it lately, I try to puzzle my way through it. OK, so this is a … disco anthem about … patriotism? It is an eminently danceable, admittedly catchy song about … gay rights? That line about being knee high to a man, that doesn’t mean … no, surely that means … wait, what the hell does it mean? Also, why is a Brit so excited about Philadelphia. Wait — wait — is this a disco tribute released in honor of the Bicentennial? Made all the more powerful by the fact that a Brit sang it?

Ooh, I hope that’s it. Although I do like the patriotic gay rights angle. Wikipedia to the rescue! Let’s consult and find out.

Whaaaaaat:

The song was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin as a favour to Elton’s friend, tennis star Billie Jean King. King was part of the Philadelphia Freedoms tennis team.

Whaaaaaaaat? Various other sources report that Elton and Billie met at a party, that they became fast friends, that Billie had a custom track-suit made for Elton (yessss!), and that Elton’s form of thanks was to write a hit song. A hit song not so much about her, but dedicated to her on the labels of all the 45s that were pressed. A 45 that had, on its other side, a live duet of Elton and John Lennon singing “I Saw Her Standing There.”

Still other sources deconstruct the meaning of the lyrics in various ways, including a (fairly convincing) line by line explanation of the gay-rights references, an assertion that “knee-high to a man” actually refers to Billie Jean’s tennis skirt, and one impassioned declaration that the song is in fact about Paul McCartney leaving The Beatles.

Before I go any farther down this rabbit hole I must return to work. But one final note — here’s Bernie Taupin on the words:

… on ‘Philadelphia Freedom,’ or any of the uptempo things, the words just aren’t that important. If they’re palatable, and you can sing them, that’s all that matters.

Man, I think the whippoorwill of freedom just zapped me right between the eyes.