The song "Small Price To Be Free" by Colin Hay is about the feeling of being free and the sacrifices that come with it. The lyrics express the idea that freedom comes at a cost, but it is worth it nonetheless. The song begins with the narrator cooking on the run, with boiling water and rising with the sun. He is living a life on the move and feeling free. However, he knows that he is fading into the crowd and not catching anyone's eye - a sacrifice he is willing to make for his freedom. The lyrics then flashback to the year 1963, when the narrator was young and carefree. He remembers the world smiling back at him and longing for fun. He also knows that this time was not long to be, suggesting that even then he knew that his freedom would come at a cost. The next verse describes the narrator sleeping at the wheel and getting pulled over by the police. He tips his hat to his own nerves of steel and continues on his journey, despite the risk it entails. In the final verse, the narrator finds himself in a stranger's land, where things don't always go as planned. He knows that he is not long for this world and has had close brushes with death. Despite this, he still has things to see and experience before he feels truly free. The repeated line "small price to be free" suggests that the narrator believes that the sacrifices he has made are worth the freedom he has gained. The song ends with a hope for a little more time and a little more freedom - a sentiment that many can relate to.
