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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

This was inspired by the political changes going on at the time, and was highly critical of the George Bush presidential administration (the first one). Some of the lyrics mock Bush's campaign speeches: "We got 1,000 points of light, for the homeless man," "We got a kinder, gentler machine gun hand."

This was released a few months before the fall of the Berlin Wall. It became kind of an anthem for the event as freedom spread through Eastern Europe.

Frank Sampedro, who was in Young's band Crazy Horse, came up with the title when he and Young were watching Chinese protests on TV. Sampedro said their tour should just "Keep on rockin' in the free world."

Young used members of his former backing group The Bluenotes to record this.

Young performed this with Pearl Jam at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards. He would join Pearl Jam on stage from time to time over the next few years.

Young performed this at the 7th annual Bridge School benefit in 1993 with all the artists involved joining Young on stage to close the show. Young puts on the concert every year for the school, which serves children with special needs.

Pearl Jam has used this as the closing song in many of their concerts. The band has played several times at Young's Bridge School concerts, as has lead singer Eddie Vedder solo. (thanks, John - Lancaster, CA)

Neil Young played with Pearl Jam on 1995's Merkin Ball, a 2-song EP that featured the songs "I Got ID" on one side and "The Long Road" on the other. Merkinball was a case of Young returning the favor to Pearl Jam. They had served as his "backing band" on his 1995 album Mirrorball. Contractual stipulations prevented Mirrorball from being credited to both artists and recognized as the collaborative effort it actually was (The name "Pearl Jam" was not legally allowed to appear on either the album's cover or within its liner notes). "I Got ID" and "Long Road" were actually recorded during the Mirrorball sessions. (thanks, Tony - Sunshine Coast, Qld, Australia)

Comments:

Neil is the man !
- Chip, stratford, CT

This song totally rocks!!! The lyrics are so profound that they stick with you.
- Farrah, Elon, NC

I love this song and have often thought I'd love to hear it performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. I seems like the Boss's type of song.
- Fred, Cannington, ON

Well, it was inevitable that 1989 possess certain transitional characteristics to be so close to a new decade, and folk-rock legend Neil Young's transition from crooner to snarling pre-grunge powder keg took place with a fury toward the end of the '80s. This track, filled with anger at an increasingly conservative, backward-looking American culture, undoubtedly laid the foundation for the rock music genre that would change the entertainment world by 1991. Much of this had to do with Young's dark political outlook, but listen to Young's unruly lead guitar for a real harbinger of Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
- Bertrand, Paris, France

Stef, what do you mean free word= little government? Without law and order we would have no freedom. Young was just singing about the governt at that time which was catagorically s--t.
- henry, London, England

The collaboration of U2 & Pearl Jam (UJam) for the Make Poverty History Concert in Melbourne, 2006, performed either this song or a redone version of this song.
- Chryssie, Canberra, Australia

Stef - You are a total idiot. You think Young's politics are undefined? Did you hear his last album? Wingnuts are always so stupid.
- Craig, melbourne, Australia

I don't like that this song is constantly tagged by liberals. Regardless of Young's politics, (which are undefined - just listen to Hawks & Doves), the "free world" by nature means small/little government; a fundamentally conservative concept. Leftists are for big goverment.
- Stef, NYC, NY

Damn this song is awesome I remember listening to this song when I was like 6 in my dad's car, and trust me just listening to music in his car was some of the best times of my life, and this song brings back a great memory :D Rock on!
- Josh, Toronto

The first time I heard this song was at the end of "Fahrenheit 9/11." I loved it after hearing the first few seconds. I hadn't gotten into Neil Young at that time, but hearing that song helped me start listening to more of his stuff. Keep inspiring us to-be-rebels out here, Neil!
- Bess, San Diego, CA

first song i learned to play on guitar, and still a good one. I wanted to say that back in the day my bro gave me a bunch of pj live tapes, had a couple diff. versions, you all know how veddar likes to take liberties with lyrics . . . two "alternatives" i really liked. One was "that's one more kid that will never fall in love, never get to go to school,NEVER GET TO BE YOU", and an other was "i don't feel like satan but i am to them, so I TRY TO FORGIVE 'EM ANYWAY I CAN", just liked those two better actually. . . word
- justin, lewiston, AL

I have a recording of Pearl Jam doing this live in 1998. In the middle of it, Vedder puts on the breaks and delivers one of the best rants that I have ever heard: "You know, it's so good to know, when you read in the paper, it's so good to know that there's a lot of high-paid representatives that you and I and a bunch of other people voted into office. Gave 'em good jobs and nice offices, and nice leather chairs and a limo to drive around in, and vacations for their wives and kids. That's all well and good. I'd like to think that they have clear heads when they make decisions that affect each one of us, each and every one of us. And I'm so glad to read that right now, once again, they're talking about the problem of the burning of the flag. 'Cause you know, if there's one thing that pisses me off every day of my life, it's walking down the street and seeing all these flags burning everywhere I turn. This is biggest f--king problem I've ever seen, and I'm f--king sick of it! I can't go out to get a cup of coffee and a paper without seeing a f--king flag burning. I can't go to a stadium. There's a flag burning everywhere! A flag burning here, a flag burning there! It doesn't matter that the oceans are going to COMPLETE S--T, and you get sick every time you go surfing! There're flags burning! I don't care about the empire! Let it go to s--t! Let's save the flag!!! Let's save the flag!!!"
- Ekristheh, Halath, United States

Well John your absolutely right...i retract my statement of living my life by "Keep On Rockin' In The Free World"...cause that seems to be the problem! I will keep on rockin' though.
- Derek, Sarnia, Canada

Mosteveryone misses the point of this song. It is Neil observing all the tragedy in this country such as people sleeping in their shoes, junkie homeless mothers, etc. While all this is going on and not much of anything is being done about it, we just keep on rockin in the free world, driving our big gas guzzeling cars as if everything is ok. Its a spoof and very few people understand what a bitting parody it is of our life in the so-called free world were so many unfortunates are anything but "free".
- john, Longmeadwo, MA

Aaron: Maroon 5 is brutal and should have never covered this song and I have trouble believing it was any good...anyways i love Neil Young and this has always been one of my favorite songs...i love how neil is always stickin it to bush...i think if i were to live by one line in my life it would be "Keep On Rockin' In The Free World"
- Derek, Sarnia, Canada

Great song, really fun to play in shows because everyone knows it.
- Spencer, McBride, Canada

Great Great Great Neil is the King
- Matúš, Trnava, Europe

i love Pearl Jams Verision, i saw them open for the stones last september and they closed with this song. this song is very addicting and fun to play on guitar.i think another meaning of this song is about homeless people dealing with their life
- Ryan, Pittsburgh, PA

Alex, Brussel, Belgium Ihate to break it to you but this song is about America, "The Free World". It has nothing to do with the French Revolution but I like that you were thinking outside the box
- Maurice, Philly, PA

"A kinder, gentler machine gun hand" is a paraphrase of the famous line "I want a kinder, gentler nation" from Bush I's nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in 1988. Bush included this line because he believed it would increase support from women and people in caring professions. "A thousand points of light" refers to Bush I's promise to cut government aid to the poor while encouraging churches, charities and businesses to pick up the slack.
- Ekristheh, Halath, United States

"A man of the people saying keep hope alive" is Rev. Jesse Jackson, who ran for President in 1984 and 1988 with "keep hope alive" as his campaign slogan. In some early performances, Eddie Vedder seemed not to be too clear on the lyrics and delivered this line "A man of the people, people alive".
- Ekristheh, Halath, United States

In Barrie,Canada,for the Live 8 concert, Neil Young played this for the closing show accompagnied by all the performers. I saw it on TV and it was pretty incredible.
- mampoop, Montreal, United States

I think this song definitely applies to what's going on in today's society.
- Stefanie magura, Rock Hill, SC

Maroon 5 covered this song at Live 8. I'm not a fan of the band, but I think they did a pretty good job.
- Aaron, Plover, WI

That's one cool mother, Kenneth. Bless her soul :-). Neil Young rocks.
- Leon, Waterbury, CT

My ma passed away a couple of years ago. One time on our way to Boston I had a tape on a nd Rockin In The Free World came on. I looked over at my my mother(79 yrs old)and she way playing air guitar.
- kenneth, augusta, GA

Neil is actually on guitar in both the solos and the chord progressions.
- Paul, Toledo, OH

Since when does neil not play his own guitar riffs? Mr. Paulus Tasmania
- Paul, Toledo, OH

the colours in the street "red, white and blue" refer to the colours of the french flag en stand for libertÃ?, Ã?galitÃ?, fraternitÃ? (poorly translated: liberty, equality, brotherhood). Three values that formed the reason for the french revolution in 1789.
- Alex, Brussel, Belgium

Classic song about freedom and fighting back when it's taken away!
- Ed, Chicago, IL

There is a line in the song "We got a kinder, gentler, Machine gun hand." This is an actual quote by George H. W. Bush. Neil, it is safe to say, was not a Bush fan, and I believe the same feelings that he had about Sr. he has for W. Neil's "Greendale" is part protest of conglomerate ownership of media and big business's hold on the United States.
- Chris, Philadelphia, PA

you know both CSN and neil made accustic and electric versions of there songs. in fact i have a song from a CSN concert and they say: where gonna do one more song and then take a 10 minute break and come back with some electric music" i also have to say that the one more song(if you can't be with the one you love be with the one your with) sucked!
- charlie, Thomaston, DC

Critics in general loved Neil for the message in the song which was an attack on the Domestic Policies of George Bush Senior however Neil was attacked by the Critics in the Early 80's for some his songs off the little known album Hawks and Doves which supported Ronald Reagan. The lesson to be learned, I guess, in Rock and Roll it's better to criticize then Support.
- Brian, Grand Forks, ND

This song is played during the closing credits of Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11"
- Justin, Felts Mills, NY

the song appears twice on his 'Freedom' album (1989); the first (track #1), an acoustic version; and the last song on the album, an electric version. The latter version features Crazy Horse guitarist, Frank "Poncho" Sampedro on guitar, Chad Cromwell on drums, Rick Rosas on bass & one of Neil's most often used musicians, Ben Keith, on Keyboard.
- Paulus, Tasmania, Australia