Thunderheads powered through the eastern Wyoming sky as my Dad and I made our way back home to Salt Lake City. He popped Neil Young’s Freedom into the CD player. When the first chords of “Rockin’ In The Free World” hit, I—a twelve year old at the time—truly began to appreciate Neil Young for more than just some shakey-voiced singer my Dad listened to.
I had probably heard this tune before that night, but I had never really listened to, processed, and appreciated it. The powerful opening minor riff played on an acoustic guitar and the repeated, anthemic chorus line of “keep on rockin’ in the free world” are what drew me to the song initially. Interestingly, this song—specifically its chorus—also drew in thousands of people who sang it as an anthem celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall, which occurred only a month after this song was released in 1989. The George H.W. Bush references to “a thousand points of light” and “a kinder, gentler machine-gun hand” flew over my head, as did the mention of Jesse Jackson’s 1988 DNC speech of “keep hope alive.” It is worth noting that Young doesn’t seem to take sides in the political debate; instead, he is presenting a complex critique of American society. The nuanced images Young presents—one of them being a homeless junkie mother—didn’t resonate until later in my life; the music itself resonated from the first listen.
The time and place of first listening to this track is key to its importance in my own life. Although at the time, I knew next to nothing about the Cold War tensions that existed before my lifetime, the sentiment to “keep on rockin’ in the free world,” coupled with the powerful music hit home at a gut level. My Dad and I had just been on a successful hiking trip the day before, so feelings of accomplishment and pride were already present in my state of mind. The chorus line just reaffirmed these feelings. Lines such as “got fuel to burn, got roads to drive” fit perfectly with the situation of driving across the picturesque Wyoming landscape. Because of the lightning and thunder going on in the distance, the air that night was truly “electric.”
I had probably heard this tune before that night, but I had never really listened to, processed, and appreciated it. The powerful opening minor riff played on an acoustic guitar and the repeated, anthemic chorus line of “keep on rockin’ in the free world” are what drew me to the song initially. Interestingly, this song—specifically its chorus—also drew in thousands of people who sang it as an anthem celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall, which occurred only a month after this song was released in 1989. The George H.W. Bush references to “a thousand points of light” and “a kinder, gentler machine-gun hand” flew over my head, as did the mention of Jesse Jackson’s 1988 DNC speech of “keep hope alive.” It is worth noting that Young doesn’t seem to take sides in the political debate; instead, he is presenting a complex critique of American society. The nuanced images Young presents—one of them being a homeless junkie mother—didn’t resonate until later in my life; the music itself resonated from the first listen.
The time and place of first listening to this track is key to its importance in my own life. Although at the time, I knew next to nothing about the Cold War tensions that existed before my lifetime, the sentiment to “keep on rockin’ in the free world,” coupled with the powerful music hit home at a gut level. My Dad and I had just been on a successful hiking trip the day before, so feelings of accomplishment and pride were already present in my state of mind. The chorus line just reaffirmed these feelings. Lines such as “got fuel to burn, got roads to drive” fit perfectly with the situation of driving across the picturesque Wyoming landscape. Because of the lightning and thunder going on in the distance, the air that night was truly “electric.”
At the end of Freedom, “Rockin’ in the Free World” makes a reprise, but instead of the solo acoustic Neil, it is the full-throated Neil Young & Crazy Horse tearing through a grungy, electric version. This version is considered by many to be “the first true alternative song,” with Freedom being “the first true alternative album” (All Sands). As my own musical landscape developed over the subsequent years, I came to realize the impact Young had on what became known as “grunge” or “alternative” music; the fuzzed-out—rather than distorted—guitars, heavy drums, and powerful riffs were all there. These influences abound in Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and countless other early “grunge” and “alternative” band’s music.
Before listening to “Rockin’ In The Free World,” my musical listening was limited to The Beatles’ catalogue and a few select tracks from George Harrison and John Lennon’s solo work. After listening to the song, a whole world of music soon presented itself to me. Neil Young led not only to Led Zeppelin, The White Stripes, Rush, and others in the “hard rock” vein, but also to Bob Dylan, The Band, Van Morrison and countless more in a different “folkier” vein. Although at the time I didn’t understand the complexities of the issues Young was presenting, I owe the exponential expansion of my musical spectrum to that night spent driving through Wyoming.
-rob dunn
Before listening to “Rockin’ In The Free World,” my musical listening was limited to The Beatles’ catalogue and a few select tracks from George Harrison and John Lennon’s solo work. After listening to the song, a whole world of music soon presented itself to me. Neil Young led not only to Led Zeppelin, The White Stripes, Rush, and others in the “hard rock” vein, but also to Bob Dylan, The Band, Van Morrison and countless more in a different “folkier” vein. Although at the time I didn’t understand the complexities of the issues Young was presenting, I owe the exponential expansion of my musical spectrum to that night spent driving through Wyoming.
-rob dunn
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