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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNeil Young Issues Another Statement About Donald Trump’s Usage of “Rockin’ in the Free World”
https://www.relix.com/news/detail/neil_young_issues_another_statement_about_donald_trumps_usage_of_rockin_in_the_free_worldNeil Young issued a brief statement surrounding the usage of his tune "Rockin' in the Free World" during Donald Trump's presidential candidacy announcement. The statement was brief, as Young explained that the use of the song was not authorized, and he supported Bernie Sanders.
Now, Young has fired off another, far lengthier response via his Facebook page. In it, Young says that even if he were asked by Trump to use the song, he would've said no. In addition, Young also shared his thoughts on the current political landscape and outlined some of his other beliefs. Read it in its entirety below.
A picture of me with this candidate was also circulated in conjunction with this announcement but It was a photograph taken during a meeting when I was trying to raise funds for Pono, my online high resolution music service.
Music is a universal language. so I am glad that so many people with varying beliefs get enjoyment from my music, even if they don't share my beliefs.
But had I been asked to allow my music to be used for a candidate - I would have said no.
I am Canadian and I don't vote in the United States, but more importantly I don't like the current political system in the USA and some other countries. Increasingly Democracy has been hijacked by corporate interests. The money needed to run for office, the money spent on lobbying by special interests, the ever increasing economic disparity and the well funded legislative decisions all favor corporate interests over the people's.
The Citizens United Supreme Court ruling is proof of this corruption as well as are the proposed trade deals which would further compromise our rights.
These Corporations were originally created to serve us but if we don't appropriately prioritize they will destroy us. Corporations don't have children. They don't have feelings or soul. They don't depend on uncontaminated water, clean air or healthy food to survive. They are beholden to one thing - the bottom line.
I choose to speak Truth to this Economic Power. When I speak out on corporations hurting the common man or the environment or other species, I expect a well financed disinformation campaign to be aimed my way.
Such is the case with the reaction to my new album The Monsanto Years, which covers many of these issues. I support those bringing these issues to light and those who fight for their rights like Freedom of Choice.
But Freedom of Choice is meaningless without knowledge.
Thats why its crucial we all get engaged and get informed.
That's why GMO labeling matters. Mothers need to know what they are feeding their children. They need freedom to make educated choices at the market. When the people have voted for labeling, as they have in Vermont, they need our support when they are fighting these corporate interests trying to reverse the laws they have voted for and passed in the democratic process.
I do not trust self serving misinformation coming from corporations and their media trolls. I do not trust politicians who are taking millions from those corporations either. I trust people. So I make my music for people not for candidates.
Keep on Rockin in the Free World.
Neil Young
daleanime
(17,796 posts)63splitwindow
(2,657 posts)erronis
(15,370 posts)SamKnause
(13,110 posts)Response to G_j (Original post)
1000words This message was self-deleted by its author.
calimary
(81,519 posts)But there's a bit of delicious irony at work here, seeing how the song is about people just like him.
randys1
(16,286 posts)Neil Young, BTW, is one of the greatest rocknroll legends belonging in the same category as The Beatles, Stones, Dylan, etc.
FlatBaroque
(3,160 posts)More than i hate T-rump.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)I am huge Neil Young fan anyway.
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)Neil rocks
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)ProfessorGAC
(65,224 posts)We've been playing the G3 version of that song for several years now!
Of course, we don't actively play for money anymore. Just at jam nights and stuff. Too old to do it seriously!
bluesbassman
(19,379 posts)I was in a Rock cover band in the early nineties and we played Rockin' in the Free World too. Aside from the great message in the song, it was fun to play and the crowd always enjoyed it!
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)Octafish
(55,745 posts)A relatively small number of people can make beautiful music that's also intelligent.
Thanks, Neil! Thanks, G_j!
wordpix
(18,652 posts)I've always been a fan without knowing your political persuasion since, "4 Dead in Ohio." Every voice counts and I love yours
Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)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.
It reminds me of Reagan using "Born in the USA," totally clueless as to the meaning of the song.
ChiciB1
(15,435 posts)passnobuck
(92 posts)I'm sure Fox News and all other media outlets will read it or have Neil come on to state it publicly, right?
turbinetree
(24,720 posts)I don't think they will be to happy about this-------------time to write a letter / e-mail and ask
John1956PA
(2,658 posts)Your post is the first that I heard about the usage of BTO's work.
turbinetree
(24,720 posts)and you will hear its Overdrive------(Overdrive II album)-------------since he paid actors to be at his first one---------- I hope BTO gets more than $50.00 bucks
Thanks
turbinetree
(24,720 posts)show after Neil Young said hey dude-----------where the paper work that I gave you permission to use my copyrighted music
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)They can pay singers! They can produce records! The people who own them or who work for them can sing. But corporations can't sing!
Singing is the expression of the soul. If you don't have a voice, you can still sing inside.
But corporations can't even do that. They are innately tone deaf and no music teacher can ever change that.
So, corporations are not human. They can't sing.
Even deaf people can feel the rhythm of music and dance. Corporations cannot dance either.
Corporations are not people. They have no souls. They cannot tune into the rhythm and song of the universe.
Let's don't ever forget that.
Thanks to Neil Young for his beautiful affirmation.
G_j
(40,372 posts)well said
marble falls
(57,319 posts)HassleCat
(6,409 posts)I guess people don't listen to the actual lyrics, or maybe they just hear the parts they want to hear. This is exactly like when Reagan used Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA." Anyway, Neil Young is a person of integrity. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I believe he has never allowed his music to be used for selling things, commercial advertisements, etc.
K&R!
Skittles
(153,205 posts)thanking Mr. Young
oberliner
(58,724 posts)Pono Player review: A tall, refreshing drink of snake oil
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/02/pono-player-review-a-tall-refreshing-drink-of-snake-oil/
whatchamacallit
(15,558 posts)but I don't believe he's purposely trying to deceive. His interest in audio fidelity goes way back, and coming from the analog recording world (tape) he's always been wary of technology that creates new audio by taking discrete samples of continuous, presumably higher resolution, waveforms at low sampling rates and bit depths.
That said, yeah once you get above 48/24 most will not recognize or appreciate a difference. Funny thing is many of the cherished qualities of analog recordings were created by characteristics or flaws in the recording hardware of the time. Whether tube or ss circuit, the hardware in the recording chain (microphones, mic preamps, compressor/limiters, mix board inputs and busses, the properties of tape...) introduced distortions and colorations that became synonymous with "the sound". The testament to this being the vast number of plugins for digital audio workstations that aim to recreate these characteristics to "warm up sterile digital audio".
I don't know much about the Pono, but imagine it's only real advantage over the average audio player would be higher quality DACs. Would that be enough to justify the cost for the typical user? Probably not. A well known guitarist friend called me to rave about it, and we had a long conversation about the efficacy of a portable super-highres player. The question I had was, considering the ambient noise level of your typical listening environment for a portable player (noisy house, car, earbuds in a city or suburban din...), what's the point?
zeemike
(18,998 posts)That is why I love him and always will.