The book Shakey by Jimmy McDonough claims the song originated when Young was on tour in the late 1980s. He and Frank "Poncho" Sampedro saw newspaper photos of the Ayatollah Khomeini's body being carried to his grave as mourners were burning American flags in the street. Sampedro commented, "Whatever we do, we shouldn't go near the Mideast. It's probably better we just keep on rockin' in the free world." Young asked if Sampedro intended to use this idea as the basis of a song and when Sampedro said no, Young said that he would do so instead. However Khomeini's death occurred months after the first live performance of the song.
The lyrics criticize the George H. W. Bush administration and the social problems of contemporary American life, directly referencing Bush's famous "thousand points of light" remark from his 1989 inaugural address.
An edited version of the song accompanies the end credits of Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11; the phrase "That's one more kid that’ll never go to school / Never get to fall in love, never get to be cool," which originally referenced the second verse's abandoned child, now appears to reference a US soldier killed in Iraq.
The song is rated number 214 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
Rockin' in the Free World
Neil Young Lyrics
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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
There's an old street light (near a garbage can)
Near a garbage can (near a garbage can)
And now she put 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'll 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
Neil Young's "Rocking the Free World" is a politically charged song that addresses the issues of the dispossessed and marginalized. It opens with an image of a nation that appears divided, with colors of the flag represented in the street. People are shuffling their feet and sleep in their shoes, a metaphor which suggests that the nation is in a state of paralysis where change is not forthcoming. The next few lines of the song warn of the impending danger and highlight the fear and despair felt by the people. They recognize that the road ahead is treacherous, and many feel like they would be better off dead. Neil Young here references the sense of hopelessness that many people felt during the Reagan era, with a lost generation of young people who were failed by the system. Although not feeling like Satan himself, he's seen as an outsider, a threat to the status quo.
The song then tells the story of a woman with a baby in her hand, walking in the night. She stops near a garbage can and puts the baby away so she can get high. She hates her life and what she's done to it, a critique of society where many fall through the cracks because they do not have the means to access help like rehab facilities and mental health support. The song highlights the feelings of apathy and neglect that pervade society; the woman's kid will never go to school, never fall in love, never be cool. Young's politically charged lyrics cleverly illustrate the injustices of the current political climate, and the commentary on a society that has many deep-rooted problems.
Line by Line Meaning
There's colors on the street
The world is a diverse and vibrant place.
Red, white and blue
The colors of the American flag, representing patriotism and national identity.
People shufflin' their feet
Society is stagnant and uninspired.
People sleepin' in their shoes
Society is worn out and overworked.
But there's a warnin' sign on the road ahead
There are signs of trouble on the horizon.
There's a lot of people sayin' we'd be better off dead
Some believe that society is beyond repair and that death would be preferable to life as it is now.
Don't feel like Satan, but I am to them
Despite his good intentions, some people see Neil Young as a threat or an enemy.
So I try to forget it any way I can
Neil Young attempts to cope with the negativity and hostility by putting it out of his mind.
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Despite the challenges, it is important to continue enjoying life and expressing oneself.
I see a woman in the night
Neil Young observes the struggles of people who are suffering in society.
With a baby in her hand
The woman is responsible for a child, which makes her situation all the more difficult.
There's an old street light (near a garbage can)
The setting is a run-down and neglected part of town.
Near a garbage can (near a garbage can)
The woman and her child are surrounded by refuse and filth.
And now she put the kid away and she's gone to get a hit
The woman turns to drugs or alcohol as a way of coping with her struggles.
She hates her life and what she's done to it
The woman is filled with regret and self-loathing.
There's one more kid that'll never go to school
The cycle of poverty and addiction is perpetuated through future generations.
Never get to fall in love, never get to be cool
These children will never have the chance to experience the joys and freedoms of a normal childhood and adolescence.
We got a thousand points of light
Politicians and society in general claim to care about the plight of the less fortunate.
For the homeless man
Specifically, there is talk of helping those who are homeless.
We got a kinder, gentler machine gun hand
Society is becoming more subtle and insidious in its repression of individual liberty and expression.
We got department stores and toilet paper
We have consumerism and a disposable culture.
Got Styrofoam boxes for the ozone layer
We claim to be helping the environment, but our actions are paradoxical.
Got a man of the people, says keep hope alive
Politicians and leaders offer empty platitudes and false promises to the masses.
Got fuel to burn, got roads to drive
The system and infrastructure that society is based on is heavily reliant on cheap energy and transportation.
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Despite these contradictions and challenges, it is important to persevere and enjoy life to the fullest extent possible.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Frank M. Sampedro, Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind