"Rockin' in the Free World" (Neil Young, 1989). “Rockin’ In the Free World” is a slashing critique of the hypocrisy in American politics. The story is that Crazy Horse guitarist Frank Sampedro gave birth to the song when, after seeing images of American flags being burned in Iran (in 1989!), he commented, "Whatever we do, we shouldn't go near the Mideast. It's probably better we just keep on rockin' in the free world."
Specific references are made by Young on George H. W. Bush’ s 1988 presidential campaign promise to make America a “kinder, gentler nation” and his “thousand points of light” remark in his 1989 inaugural address. The song subsequently became the anthem of the fall of the Soviet Union. More recently, Donald Trump used the song during his announcement to run for President in June. Young quickly announced that he had not authorized Trump to use the song and authorized its use by Bernie Sanders, whom Young supports.
The version we include is legendary in itself. Young performed the song on SNL on September 30, 1989 and without exaggeration it is considered one the greatest live performances in rock history. We include a link to the description of the performance and its aftermath. As one YouTube comment put it: “THIS, children, is HOW you play FUCKING ROCK-AND-ROLL!!!!"
Turn this shit up and enjoy!: "That's one more kid that’ll never go to school / Never get to fall in love, never get to be cool"
There's colors on the street
Red, white and blue
People shufflin' their feet
People sleepin' in their shoes
But there's a warnin' sign on the road ahead
There's a lot of people sayin' we'd be better off dead
Don't feel like Satan, but I am to them
So I try to forget it, any way I can.
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world.
I see a woman in the night
With a baby in her hand
Under an old street light
Near a garbage can
Now she puts the kid away, and she's gone to get a hit
She hates her life, and what she's done to it
There's one more kid that will never go to school
Never get to fall in love, never get to be cool.
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world.
We got a thousand points of light
For the homeless man
We got a kinder, gentler,
Machine gun hand
We got department stores and toilet paper
Got styrofoam boxes for the ozone layer
Got a man of the people, says keep hope alive
Got fuel to burn, got roads to drive.
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world.