Rockin' in the Free World

Last updated
"Rockin' in the Free World"
Rockin in the Free World single cover.jpg
Single by Neil Young
from the album Freedom
B-side "Rockin' in the Free World (acoustic live)"
ReleasedNovember 14, 1989
RecordedMarch 10, 1989
Studio The Barn, Redwood Digital, Woodside, California
Genre
Length3:38 (acoustic version)
4:40 (electric version)
Label Reprise
Songwriter(s) Neil Young
Producer(s)
Neil Young singles chronology
"Ten Men Workin'"
(1988)		"Rockin' in the Free World"
(1989)		"No More"
(1989)
Audio
"Rockin' in the Free World" on YouTube

"Rockin' in the Free World" is a song by Canadian-American singer-songwriter, and musician Neil Young, [4] released on Young's seventeenth studio album Freedom (1989). [5] Two versions of the song bookend the album, similarly to "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)" from Young's Rust Never Sleeps album, one of which is performed with a predominantly acoustic arrangement, and the other predominantly electric. Rolling Stone magazine ranked "Rockin' In the Free World" number 214 on its "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". [6]

Contents

Context

Young wrote the song while on tour with his band The Restless in February 1989. He learned that a planned concert tour to the Soviet Union was not going to happen and his guitarist Frank "Poncho" Sampedro said "we'll have to keep on rockin' in the free world". The phrase struck Young, who thought it could be the hook in a song about "stuff going on with the Ayatollah and all this turmoil in the world.” He had the lyrics the next day. [7]

The lyrics criticize the George H. W. Bush administration, then in its first month, quoting Bush's famous "thousand points of light" remark from his 1989 inaugural address and his 1988 presidential campaign promise for America to become a "kinder, gentler nation". [8] The song also refers to Ayatollah Khomeini's proclamation that the United States was the "Great Satan" and Jesse Jackson's 1988 campaign slogan, "Keep hope alive". The song was first performed live on February 21, 1989, in Seattle with The Restless, without the band having rehearsed it. [7]

The song is included on Young's Greatest Hits (2004) release. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. [9]

Saturday Night Live

Young would perform the song live in September 1989 for the television show Saturday Night Live . For the performance, Young played with Poncho Sampedro, Charley Drayton and Steve Jordan. In concert, Young would typically play the song well into the set, when the band's energy is at a high. To achieve the same level of energy, Young worked out with his trainer 30 minutes prior to the performance. He explained to author Jimmy McDonough:

"I don't like TV. Never have. It always sucks and there's nothing you can do about it. I was trying to get to the place where I would be when I did "Rockin’ in the Free World" during my live show. To do that I had to ignore Saturday Night Live completely. I had to pretend I wasn’t there. I had a dressing room, a little place with an amp in it, in another part of the building. And I walked from there into Saturday Night Live—and then left. I developed a whole new technique for television. I had my trainer, and we just lifted weights and I did calisthenics to get my blood to the level it would be at after performing for an hour and twenty-five minutes—which is usually how long I’d be onstage by the time I did that song. To perform that song the way it’s supposed to be performed, you have to be at peak blood level. Everything has to be up, your machine has to be stoked. You can’t walk on cold and do that or you’re gonna look like a fuckin’ idiot. So that’s what I did. I tried to warm up and come on, like, y’know, not part of the show. Like they changed the channel for a minute." [10]

Comedian and former SNL cast member Dennis Miller would later say that "Rockin' in the Free World" was the single greatest performance on the show in its history.

Charts

Chart (1989-1994)Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM) [11] 39
UK Singles (OCC) [12] 83
US Billboard Mainstream Rock [13] 2

Cover versions

"Rockin' in the Free World" has been recorded by numerous other artists. A version by The Alarm appears on their album Raw (1991). Pearl Jam, joined by Neil Young, performed the song at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards and frequently perform it live in concert. [14] Suzi Quatro covered it on her 2005 album Back to the Drive . It was also covered by Swiss hard rock band Krokus on their 2017 covers collection Big Rocks. Roots rock duo Larkin Poe released a cover on their 2020 album Kindred Spirits. American nu metal band Soil released a cover in 2022. [15] Numerous bands and artists have covered this song live, including Simple Minds, Bon Jovi, Joe Satriani and The_New_Roses

Use of the song in US politics

An edited cut of the electric version of the song was used over the final credits of Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11 and the song was re-released as a single at the time of the film's release.

Since its release the song has been used a number of times at different US political events.

In 2015 and 2016, the song was played during Donald Trump's entrance preceding his formal announcement that he would run as a Republican candidate for the 2016 presidency. [16] Young, a longtime supporter of Bernie Sanders, said that Trump's use of "Rockin' in the Free World" was not authorized. [17] The contention, later determined to be a licensing issue, was resolved, and Trump's campaign used the song. Young explained to Rolling Stone that he had no issue with the campaign using the song. [18]

Bernie Sanders also used the song at rallies for his 2016 presidential campaign. [19]

In 2020, Trump again used the song at a pre-Fourth of July speech at Mount Rushmore on July 3, along with two other Young songs ("Like a Hurricane" and "Cowgirl in the Sand"). A tweet from Young from the official Neil Young Archives Twitter account responded to the usage of "Rockin' in the Free World” by retweeting a tweet from Rapid City Journal reporter Morgan Matzen that contained a video with the song playing at the Trump event with Young adding "This is NOT ok with me…". A minute later Young retweeted a second Matzen tweet, this time one showing a video of Young's song "Like a Hurricane" playing before the President took the stage, with Young adding "I stand in solidarity with the Lakota Sioux & this is NOT ok with me." [20] On August 4, 2020, Young filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against the Trump campaign for copyright infringement for its use of "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Devil's Sidewalk" after both songs had been removed from ASCAP's political license. [21] On December 7, 2020, Young voluntarily dismissed the case. [22]

In May 2024, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sang and played rhythm guitar on the song with Ukrainian punk rock band 19.99 at a bar in Kyiv, Ukraine. Blinken was in the Ukrainian capital to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss battlefield updates and the significance of recent U.S. military aid. This visit was the first by a Biden administration official since the approval of U.S. supplemental funding for Ukraine. [23] [24]

The song was most recently used at the 2024 Democratic National Convention on August 21, 2024 after Tim Walz gave the final speech of the evening to the assembled, with Young's approval. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jello Biafra</span> American singer and activist (born 1958)

Eric Reed Boucher, known professionally as Jello Biafra, is an American singer, spoken word artist and political activist. He is the former lead singer and songwriter for the San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public Enemy</span> American hip hop group

Public Enemy is an American hip hop group formed by Chuck D and Flavor Flav on Roosevelt, New York, in 1985. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as American racism and the American media. Their debut album, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, was released in 1987 to critical acclaim, and their second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988), was the first hip hop album to top The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop critics' poll. Their next three albums, Fear of a Black Planet (1990), Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black (1991) and Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age (1994), were also well received. The group has since released twelve more studio albums, including the soundtrack to the 1998 sports-drama film He Got Game and a collaborative album with Paris, Rebirth of a Nation (2006).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Young</span> Canadian and American musician (born 1945)

Neil Percival Young is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining the folk-rock group Buffalo Springfield. Since the beginning of his solo career, often with backing by the band Crazy Horse, he has released critically acclaimed albums such as Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (1969), After the Gold Rush (1970), Harvest (1972), On the Beach (1974), and Rust Never Sleeps (1979). He was also a part-time member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, with whom he recorded the chart-topping 1970 album Déjà Vu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Vedder</span> American musician (born 1964)

Eddie Jerome Vedder is an American singer, musician, and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and one of three guitarists for the rock band Pearl Jam. He was previously a guest vocalist for supergroup Temple of the Dog, a tribute band dedicated to the late singer Andrew Wood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The White Stripes</span> American rock duo (1997–2011)

The White Stripes were an American rock duo formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1997. The group consisted of Jack White and Meg White. They were a leading group of the 2000s indie rock and garage rock revival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chad Smith</span> American drummer

Chad Smith is an American musician who has been the drummer of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1988. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Smith is also the drummer of the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot, formed in 2008, and of the all-instrumental outfit Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats, formed in 2007. He worked with the Chicks on Taking the Long Way, an album that won five Grammy Awards in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernie Sanders</span> American politician and activist (born 1941)

Bernard Sanders is an American politician and activist who is the senior United States senator from Vermont. Sanders is the longest-serving independent in U.S. congressional history, but maintains a close relationship with the Democratic Party, having caucused with House and Senate Democrats for most of his congressional career and sought the party's presidential nomination in 2016 and 2020.

<i>Freedom</i> (Neil Young album) 1989 studio album by Neil Young

Freedom is the 19th studio album by Canadian-American musician Neil Young, released on October 2, 1989. Freedom relaunched Young's career after a largely unsuccessful decade. After many arguments and a lawsuit, Young left Geffen Records in 1988 and returned to his original label, Reprise, with This Note's for You. Freedom brought about a new, critical and commercially successful album. It was released as an LP record, cassette tape, and CD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Can't Always Get What You Want</span> 1969 single by the Rolling Stones

"You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones from their 1969 album Let It Bleed. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone magazine in its 2004 list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" before dropping a place the following year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love, Reign o'er Me</span> Song by The Who

"Love, Reign o'er Me", subtitled "Pete's Theme", is a song by English rock band The Who. Written and composed by guitarist Pete Townshend, it was released on 27 October 1973 as the second single from the band's sixth studio album and second rock opera, Quadrophenia. It is the final song on the album, and has been a concert staple for years. The song peaked at number 76 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 54 on Cash Box.

"Cortez the Killer" is a song by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Neil Young from his 1975 album, Zuma. It was recorded with the band Crazy Horse. It has since been ranked No. 39 on Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos and No. 329 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

<i>Everybodys Rockin</i> 1983 studio album by Neil Young and the Shocking Pinks

Everybody's Rockin' is the 14th studio album by Canadian / American musician Neil Young, released on August 1, 1983. The album was recorded with the Shocking Pinks, and features a selection of rockabilly songs. Running 25 minutes, it is Young's shortest album. Everybody's Rockin' is typical of his 1980s period in that it bears little or no resemblance to the album released before it, nor the one released after it.

<i>Ragged Glory</i> 1990 studio album by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Ragged Glory is the 20th studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Neil Young, and his sixth album with the band Crazy Horse. It was released by Reprise Records on September 10, 1990. Ragged Glory was voted the 36th best grunge album of all time by Rolling Stone in 2019. A live recording of the album from November 2023 was released as Fuckin' Up in April 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Sampedro</span> American musician

Frank "Poncho" Sampedro is an American retired guitarist and member of the rock band Crazy Horse, known mainly for his longtime collaboration with singer-songwriter Neil Young. Sampedro has played and recorded with Young in many other configurations aside from Crazy Horse and earned co-writing credits on several Young songs. Out of all Young's musical collaborators, Sampedro has perhaps proven the most adept at working with the mercurial artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charley Drayton</span> American drummer

Charles Leslie Drayton is an American multi-instrumentalist and producer, known primarily as a drummer. Artists he has recorded or performed with include The Cult, Keith Richards, The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Johnny Cash, Chaka Khan, Mariah Carey, Seal, Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Janet Jackson, Courtney Love, Michelle Branch, Andrés Calamaro, Hiram Bullock, and many others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Icky Thump (song)</span> 2007 single by the White Stripes

"Icky Thump" is a song recorded by the American alternative rock band the White Stripes. Written by Jack White, it was the first single released from their sixth and final album of the same name. The song is a heavy garage-rock piece whose lyrics challenge anti-immigration pundits for their hypocrisy. It was recorded and mixed at Nashville's Blackbird studio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vampire Weekend</span> American indie rock band

Vampire Weekend is an American rock band formed in New York City in 2006 and currently signed to Columbia Records. The band was formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Ezra Koenig, multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, drummer Chris Tomson, and bassist Chris Baio. Batmanglij departed the group in early 2016 but has continued to occasionally contribute to subsequent albums as a songwriter, producer, and musician.

"Move On Up" is a song by Curtis Mayfield from his 1970 debut album, Curtis. Nearly nine minutes long on the album version, it was released as a single in the United States, but failed to chart. An edited version of the song spent 10 weeks in the top 50 of the UK Singles Chart in 1971, peaking at number 12, and it has become a soul classic over the years. In 2021, it was listed at No. 474 on Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

"Crime in the City " is a song written by Neil Young that was first released on his 1989 album Freedom, although Young had performed longer versions in concert earlier. It was not released as a single but reached number 34 on the Billboard Magazine Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It is a lengthy song, with a released version of almost nine minutes, but earlier versions were more than twice as long. It has been characterized as a document of moral rot in urban regions of the United States in the late 1980s.

A major aspect of Donald Trump's presidential election campaigns, in his 2016, 2020 and 2024 campaigns, are his prominent and frequent political rallies. Below are musicians who have voiced opposition to their music being used by Trump at his rallies, or for other political purposes, and the actions they took in response to their music's use.

References

  1. ↑ Rubin, Dave; Young, Neil (June 2013). Neil Young Greatest Hits Songbook. Hal Leonard. p. 34. ISBN   9781480356672.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Simon, Scott (September 17, 2005). "Neil Young Returns with 'Prairie Wind'". NPR. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  3. ↑ Keppler, Nick (February 10, 2019). "Rockin' in the Free World — Neil Young's state of the union address still resonates today". Financial Times. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
  4. ↑ Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock . Rough Guides. ISBN   978-1-84353-105-0.
  5. ↑ Buckley, 1206
  6. ↑ "Rolling Stone - 500 Greatest Songs (Music Database :: Dave Tompkins)". cs.uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  7. 1 2 Greene, Andy (14 July 2015). "Flashback: Neil Young unveils 'Rockin' in the Free World' at 1989 Seattle gig". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  8. ↑ "Rockin' In The Free World by Neil Young". Songfacts. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
  9. ↑ "Neil Young Chart History: Mainstream Rock Songs". Billboard Magazine . Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  10. ↑ McDonough, Jim (2002). Shakey: Neil Young's Biography. London, England: Jonathan Cape. ISBN   978-0-224-06914-4.
  11. ↑ "RPM100 Singles" (PDF). RPM. 4 November 1989. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  12. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  13. ↑ "Neil Young Mainstream Rock Airplay". Billboard . Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  14. ↑ "Pearl Jam: Rockin' in the Free World" . Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  15. ↑ Wiggins, Keavin (February 5, 2022). "SOiL Give 'Rockin' in the Free World' an Alt-Rock Makeover".
  16. ↑ Corn, David (16 Jun 2015). "Neil Young to Donald Trump: Don't Rock in My Free World". Mother Jones .
  17. ↑ Elkin, Ali (June 18, 2015). "Neil Young: Sorry, Donald, But I Support Bernie Sanders". Bloomberg News . Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  18. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (May 24, 2016). "Neil Young: I'm OK with Donald Trump Using 'Free World'". Rolling Stone .
  19. ↑ Bernie Sanders Rally in Portland, Oregon, 11 August 2015, retrieved 2019-10-31– via YouTube
  20. ↑ Walker, James (July 4, 2020). "Neil Young 'Not OK' With His Songs Played at Trump's Mt. Rushmore Event". Newsweek .
  21. ↑ Sisario, Ben (August 12, 2020). "Can Neil Young Block Trump From Using His Songs? It's Complicated". The New York Times . Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  22. ↑ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (December 8, 2020). "Neil Young drops lawsuit against Donald Trump". The Guardian . Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  23. ↑ Kolirin, Lianne (May 25, 2024). "Blinken plays 'Rockin' in the Free World' in Kyiv bar". CNN . Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Il segretario di Stato statunitense Antony Blinken che canta "Rockin' in the Free World" in un locale di Kiev, in Ucraina". Il Post (in Italian). May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  25. ↑ Avila, Daniela (22 August 2024). "Neil Young Personally Approved 'Rockin' in the Free World' for Tim Walz at the DNC After Suing Trump over It in 2020". People. Dotdash Meredith. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.