Song Title

Artist

Writers

Producer

Arranger

Orchestra Conductor

Concertmaster/Orchestra

Release-
Date

I Wanna Make It on My Own

Evelyn Thomas
[with Peaches Faison, Beverly McLin, Sheila Hart, Joy Yates, Jacqui Sullivan, Stevie Lange, George Chandler, Jimmy Helms, Jimmy Chambers]

Ian Levine
Fiachra Trench
Evelyn Thomas

Ian Levine

Fiachra Trench

Ian Levine

David Katz/
London

1978

Note the powerful "male" brass and "female" strings during the intro and first verse as they together punctuate the lyrics like an exclamation-point on the sentiment, followed by the uncontrollable emotional outburst at the middle-break, building into a monumental dialog between "male" brass and "female" strings, and then culminating in whirling, screaming violins, viole, and celli that whip the conclusion into a philharmonic frenzy of metaphorical liberation of the mind, body, and soul.  And, as if all of this were not enough, the whole composition modulates to a higher key at the build of the middle-break, intensifying the emotional and spiritual rising, all the while elevating the listener onto the higher plane of melodic and philharmonic phantasmagoria.

Lyrics

Verse 1
I tried so many times to make the decision to leave you.
But something holds me back and I can't escape if I tried to.
Can't stop relying on your being by my side.
So I just have to keep swallowing my pride.


Refrain 1
I wanna make it on my own, make it on my own, make it on my own.
I wanna make it on my own, make it on my own, make it on my own.

Verse 2
You gotta understand I'm a lady with a lot ambition.
But I haven't got the strength I need to make a decision.
Deep-down I want happiness or success.
I'm so scared to put love to the test.

Refrain 2
I wanna make it on my own, make it on my own, make it on my own.
I wanna make it on my own, make it on my own, make it on my own.

Bridge 1
I wanna escape, but you're holding me back, holding me back, holding me back.

Bridge 2
If I don't make a move, I don't know how long I'll last.
I want you in my future, but I can't stop living in the past.

Bridge 3
I want you to go, but I've got to stay.
I need you too much to ever break away.

Conclusion
I wanna make it on my own, make it on my own, make it on my own.
I wanna make it on my own, make it on my own, make it on my own.
...Don't go ringing my telephone.
I'm gonna tell my mama to say that I'm not home.