{"source":"Free Chord Book","source_url":"https://www.free-chords.com","license_note":"Free for personal use. Lyrics and compositions © their respective songwriters and publishers.","tab_id":88605,"song":"Rockin In The Free World","artist":"Neil Young","content_type":"chord","tab_type":"Chords","url":"https://www.free-chords.com/song/88605-rockin-in-the-free-world-chords-by-neil-young/","api_url":"https://www.free-chords.com/api/v1/songs/88605?type=chord","rating":4.69219,"votes":91,"content":"You can skip the instructions right into the lyrics/chords but note\r\nthat Neil plays Em7 (add your pinky on the D on the second string) in\r\nthe verses instead of the Em at the beginning of each line, and that he\r\nplays C and Cadd9 in the chorus instead the C here. Enjoy, ameen.\r\n\r\nThis is the acoustic version of \"Rockin' In The Free World\" from\r\nNeil Young's \"Freedom Album\", 1989.\r\n\r\nThis is a great song, (and the second one I ever learned), not difficult to\r\nplay and a great strumming exercise for beginners (information is included\r\nabout nearly every beat of the measure).\r\n\r\n[INTRO and VERSES:]\r\n-----------------\r\nFor the verses you basically need: Em, D and C\r\nbut the strumming pattern and fretting actually\r\ninvolve a G. Here's how to strum the Em measure\r\n(intro and verse alike):\r\n\r\n[ch]Em[/ch]\r\n|\r\n(1 +  2  +  3  +  4  +)\r\nDN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP\r\nB  -  $  $  -  $  $  $\r\n\r\nMeaning it is an Em chord for the whole measure,\r\nplay only the bass note (the E string) on the first\r\nbeat (indicated by the 'B' -from Bass- above), the '-' means don't\r\nstrum on the strings and a '$' means play the chord indicated\r\nabove (Em in this case).\r\n\r\nThe D and C measure is strummed as follows:\r\n[tab][ch]D[/ch]     N  [ch]C[/ch]           N\r\n|     |  |           |[/tab]\r\nDN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP\r\n$  $  $  $  -  $  $  $\r\n\r\nMeaning play a D chord for the first beat then on the\r\ndown stroke of the second beat hit the strings without\r\nany fretting (indicated by 'N' above), this would actually\r\nsound as a G (especially that you're most likely to hit only\r\nthe D, G, B and E strings). Then directly play a C chord on\r\nthe up-stroke of the second beat (in fact you'd ready your fingers\r\nfor the C chord while hitting the \"G chord\"). The same trick is\r\ndone at the last up-stroke of the 4th beat where you, again, play the\r\nopen strings just before hitting the bass of the Em chord of the\r\nfollowing measure (as indicated in the Em measure).\r\n\r\n[Chorus]\r\n--------\r\nAs for the chorus: it is G, D, C and Em which is easy to play:\r\n\r\nThe 3 measures of G D and C are the same:\r\n\r\n[ch]G[/ch]/[ch]D[/ch]/[ch]C[/ch]\r\n|\r\nDN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP\r\n$  - ($) $  -  $  $  $\r\n\r\nThe ($) means optional. In fact you'd interleave all kinds of strumming\r\npatterns here.\r\n\r\nThe last measure (4th) of each line in the chorus goes like this:\r\n\r\n[tab][ch]C[/ch]        [ch]Em[/ch]\r\n|        |[/tab]\r\nDN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP\r\n$  $  $  $  -  $  $  $\r\n\r\nHere you'd notice that in fact you'd naturally hammer on\r\nthe Em on the upstroke of the 2nd beat.\r\n\r\nBetween chorus and verses:\r\n---------------------------------\r\nBasically 4 measures of A (interleaved with A7) anyways if you want\r\nto get a flavor of how it is played (read I play it ;-):\r\n\r\n1)                       2)\r\n[tab][ch]A[/ch]              [ch]A7[/ch]        [ch]A7[/ch]          [ch]A[/ch]        [ch]A7[/ch]\r\n|              |         |           |        |[/tab]\r\nDN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP  DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP\r\n$  -  $  -  $  $  $  $   -  $  $  $  $  $  $  $\r\n\r\n3)                       4)\r\n[tab][ch]A7[/ch]          [ch]A[/ch]        [ch]A7[/ch]  [ch]A7[/ch]    [ch]A[/ch]\r\n|           |        |   |     |[/tab]\r\nDN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP  DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP\r\n-  $  $  $  $  $  $  $   -  $  $  -  $  -  $  -\r\n\r\nThe second time the bridge is played a different pattern is used\r\nbut who cares (I'm tired of typing ;-).\r\n\r\nVERSION and NOTES:\r\n------------------\r\n1) BTW I have 3 versions of the song, 2 electric (from Freedom and Weld)\r\nand one acoustic, this is the acoustic version from Neil Young's \"Freedom\"\r\nalbum.\r\n2) Note though that he plays it by tuning all the strings one WHOLE NOTE\r\n[tab]down: ([ch]E[/ch] [ch]A[/ch] [ch]D[/ch] [ch]G[/ch] [ch]B[/ch] [ch]E[/ch] -> [ch]D[/ch] [ch]G[/ch] [ch]C[/ch] [ch]F[/ch] [ch]A[/ch] [ch]D[/ch]). Except this, he seems to add\r\na D note on the second string when playing the Em making it an Em7[/tab]\r\n(or actually, in his tuning, a C note when playing Dm) but that's a minor\r\ndetail and it sounds just beautiful with the Em.\r\n3) The acoustic version has only 2 verses while the \"plugged\" ;-) ones\r\ncontain one additional verse. I have included it here too.\r\n\r\nSounds complicated? not really.\r\n\r\n\r\nROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD\r\nNeil Young - Freedom\r\n\r\n[Intro]\r\nEm D C (4 times in total)\r\n\r\n[Verse 1]\r\n[tab][ch]Em[/ch]                     [ch]D[/ch] [ch]C[/ch]\r\nColours on the street[/tab]\r\n[tab]    [ch]Em[/ch]                 [ch]D[/ch] [ch]C[/ch]\r\nRed white and blue[/tab]\r\n[tab]       [ch]Em[/ch]                    [ch]D[/ch] [ch]C[/ch]\r\nPeople shufflin' their feet[/tab]\r\n[tab]       [ch]Em[/ch]                      [ch]D[/ch] [ch]C[/ch]\r\nPeople sleepin' in their shoes[/tab]\r\n[tab]              [ch]Em[/ch]                  [ch]D[/ch]    [ch]C[/ch]\r\nBut there's a warnin' sign on the road ahead[/tab]\r\n[tab]          [ch]Em[/ch]                           [ch]D[/ch]           [ch]C[/ch]\r\nThere's a lot of people sayin' we'd be better off dead[/tab]\r\n[tab]      [ch]Em[/ch]                  [ch]D[/ch]       [ch]C[/ch]\r\nDon't feel like Satan but I'm to them[/tab]\r\n[tab]     [ch]Em[/ch]                  [ch]D[/ch]      [ch]C[/ch]\r\nso I try to forget it anyway I can[/tab]\r\n\r\n[Chorus]\r\n-------\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D[/ch]                        [ch]C[/ch]  [ch]C[/ch] [ch]Em[/ch]\r\n  KEEP ON ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D[/ch]                        [ch]C[/ch]  [ch]C[/ch] [ch]Em[/ch]\r\n  KEEP ON ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D[/ch]                        [ch]C[/ch]  [ch]C[/ch] [ch]Em[/ch]\r\n  KEEP ON ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD[/tab]\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]         [ch]D[/ch]                        [ch]C[/ch]  [ch]C[/ch] [ch]Em[/ch]\r\n  KEEP ON ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD[/tab]\r\n\r\n[tab][ch]A(7)[/ch] x4 (interleave [ch]A[/ch] with [ch]A7[/ch])\r\nEm D C x4 (just like in the intro)[/tab]\r\n\r\n[Verse 2]\r\nI see a girl in the night\r\nWith a baby in her hand\r\nUnder an old street light\r\nNear a garbage can\r\nNow she puts the kid away and she's gone to get a hit\r\nShe hates her life and what she's done to it\r\nThat's one more kid that will never go to school\r\nNever get to fall in love never get to be cool\r\n\r\nKEEP ON ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD x 4 times\r\n[ch]A(7)[/ch] x4 (interleave [ch]A[/ch] with [ch]A7[/ch])\r\n[ch]Em[/ch] [ch]D[/ch] [ch]C[/ch] x4\r\n\r\nVerse3 (not included in the acoustic version):\r\nWe got a thousand points of light\r\nFor the homeless man\r\nWe got a kinder gentler machine gun hand\r\n--->(Here add an additional Em, D and C without lyrics)\r\nWe got department stores and toilet paper\r\nGot styrophone boxes for the ozone layer\r\nGot a man of the people says keep hope alive\r\nGot fuel to burn got roads to drive\r\n\r\nKEEP ON ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD x 4 times\r\n[ch]A(7)[/ch] x4 (interleave [ch]A[/ch] with [ch]A7[/ch])\r\n[ch]Em[/ch] [ch]D[/ch] [ch]C[/ch] x4\r\n\r\n\r\n[tab]From: dawsob@cii3112-11.its.rpi.edu (b-[ch]B[/ch]-[ch]B[/ch]-[ch]B[/ch]-[ch]B[/ch]-Brian Dawson)\r\nSubject: Re: Help:Young - Keep on Rockin'[/tab]\r\n\r\n                  Rockin' In the Free World - Neil Young\r\n\r\n                Figured out by Brian Dawson (dawsob@rpi.edu)\r\nProgression:\r\nIntro:          [ch]E5[/ch] (0799xxx)     [ch]D[/ch] (x577xx)    [ch]C[/ch] (x355xx)\r\n\r\n[Verse]\r\n[ch]Em[/ch]    [ch]D[/ch]    [ch]C[/ch]    (standard position)\r\n\r\n[tab]        [ch]Em[/ch]                     [ch]D[/ch]    [ch]C[/ch]\r\nThere's colors on the street.[/tab]\r\nRed     white and blue.\r\nPeople  shufflin' their feet.\r\nPeople  sleepin' in thier shoes\r\n\r\n[tab]          [ch]Em7[/ch]                          [ch]D[/ch]          [ch]C[/ch]\r\nThere's a warning      sign     on the road      ahead.[/tab]\r\nThere's a lot of people sayin' we'd be better off dead.\r\n    Don't feel    like   satan  but I  am    to   them,\r\n     So I try to forget    it     any  way that I can\r\n\r\n*****\r\n\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]            [ch]D[/ch]                          [ch]C[/ch]  [ch]C[/ch]+9 [ch]Em[/ch] [ch]G[/ch]\r\n     Keep on Rockin' in the free world[/tab]\r\n                   X  4\r\n*****\r\n\r\n   A  ... (INTRO)   X 4  ...\r\n\r\n[tab]          [ch]Em[/ch]                 [ch]D[/ch]      [ch]C[/ch]\r\nThere's a woman in the night[/tab]\r\nWith a    baby in her hand.\r\nThere's an old street light.\r\nNear a    garbage can.\r\n\r\n[tab]          [ch]Em[/ch]                            [ch]D[/ch]             [ch]C[/ch]\r\n  Now she puts the kid away and she's   gone to get a hit[/tab]\r\n      She hates her life and what she's done     to   it\r\n  THERE'S ONE   MORE    KID   THAT WILL NEVER  GO TO  SCHOOL\r\n    NEVER GET   TO  FALL   IN  LOVE     NEVER GET TO BE COOL\r\n\r\n****\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]           [ch]D[/ch]                         [ch]C[/ch]  [ch]C[/ch]+9 [ch]Em[/ch] [ch]G[/ch]\r\n    Keep on rockin' in the free world[/tab]\r\n                X   4\r\n****\r\n\r\nWe got a thousand points of light\r\nFor the homeless man.\r\nWe got a kinder gentler machine gun hand.\r\n\r\n[tab]          [ch]Em[/ch]                       [ch]D[/ch]          [ch]C[/ch]\r\nWe got de-partment stores      and toilet   paper.[/tab]\r\n      Got styrofoam boxes  for the ozone    layer.\r\n    Got a man of the people,  says keep hope alive.\r\n      Got fuel to burn,     we got roads  to drive.\r\n****\r\n\r\n[tab][ch]G[/ch]           [ch]D[/ch]                         [ch]C[/ch] [ch]C[/ch]+9 [ch]Em[/ch] [ch]G[/ch]\r\n    Keep on rockin' in the free world[/tab]\r\n\r\nFrom: PePPeRs01@aol.com\r\nDate: Mon, 10 Jul 1995 21:46:52 -0400\r\nSubject: neil young-btab-keep on rockin in the free world\r\n\r\nKeep On Rockin In The Free World by Neil Young\r\n\r\nall i know for this is the basic bass rif\r\n\r\n[tab]g----------------------------------------|\r\nd----------------------------------------|\r\na---------------------5---3--------------|\r\ne-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--------------------------|[/tab]\r\n\r\nits not a lot but it helps.\r\nif u know any more or have any coments write me","plain_text":"You can skip the instructions right into the lyrics/chords but note\nthat Neil plays Em7 (add your pinky on the D on the second string) in\nthe verses instead of the Em at the beginning of each line, and that he\nplays C and Cadd9 in the chorus instead the C here. Enjoy, ameen.\n\nThis is the acoustic version of \"Rockin' In The Free World\" from\nNeil Young's \"Freedom Album\", 1989.\n\nThis is a great song, (and the second one I ever learned), not difficult to\nplay and a great strumming exercise for beginners (information is included\nabout nearly every beat of the measure).\n\n[INTRO and VERSES:]\n-----------------\nFor the verses you basically need: Em, D and C\nbut the strumming pattern and fretting actually\ninvolve a G. Here's how to strum the Em measure\n(intro and verse alike):\n\nEm\n|\n(1 +  2  +  3  +  4  +)\nDN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP\nB  -  $  $  -  $  $  $\n\nMeaning it is an Em chord for the whole measure,\nplay only the bass note (the E string) on the first\nbeat (indicated by the 'B' -from Bass- above), the '-' means don't\nstrum on the strings and a '$' means play the chord indicated\nabove (Em in this case).\n\nThe D and C measure is strummed as follows:\n\nDN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP\n$  $  $  $  -  $  $  $\n\nMeaning play a D chord for the first beat then on the\ndown stroke of the second beat hit the strings without\nany fretting (indicated by 'N' above), this would actually\nsound as a G (especially that you're most likely to hit only\nthe D, G, B and E strings). Then directly play a C chord on\nthe up-stroke of the second beat (in fact you'd ready your fingers\nfor the C chord while hitting the \"G chord\"). The same trick is\ndone at the last up-stroke of the 4th beat where you, again, play the\nopen strings just before hitting the bass of the Em chord of the\nfollowing measure (as indicated in the Em measure).\n\n[Chorus]\n--------\nAs for the chorus: it is G, D, C and Em which is easy to play:\n\nThe 3 measures of G D and C are the same:\n\nG/D/C\n|\nDN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP\n$  - ($) $  -  $  $  $\n\nThe ($) means optional. In fact you'd interleave all kinds of strumming\npatterns here.\n\nThe last measure (4th) of each line in the chorus goes like this:\n\n\nDN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP\n$  $  $  $  -  $  $  $\n\nHere you'd notice that in fact you'd naturally hammer on\nthe Em on the upstroke of the 2nd beat.\n\nBetween chorus and verses:\n---------------------------------\nBasically 4 measures of A (interleaved with A7) anyways if you want\nto get a flavor of how it is played (read I play it ;-):\n\n1)                       2)\n\nDN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP  DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP\n$  -  $  -  $  $  $  $   -  $  $  $  $  $  $  $\n\n3)                       4)\n\nDN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP  DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP\n-  $  $  $  $  $  $  $   -  $  $  -  $  -  $  -\n\nThe second time the bridge is played a different pattern is used\nbut who cares (I'm tired of typing ;-).\n\nVERSION and NOTES:\n------------------\n1) BTW I have 3 versions of the song, 2 electric (from Freedom and Weld)\nand one acoustic, this is the acoustic version from Neil Young's \"Freedom\"\nalbum.\n2) Note though that he plays it by tuning all the strings one WHOLE NOTE\n\n(or actually, in his tuning, a C note when playing Dm) but that's a minor\ndetail and it sounds just beautiful with the Em.\n3) The acoustic version has only 2 verses while the \"plugged\" ;-) ones\ncontain one additional verse. I have included it here too.\n\nSounds complicated? not really.\n\n\nROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD\nNeil Young - Freedom\n\n[Intro]\nEm D C (4 times in total)\n\n[Verse 1]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Chorus]\n-------\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Verse 2]\nI see a girl in the night\nWith a baby in her hand\nUnder an old street light\nNear a garbage can\nNow she puts the kid away and she's gone to get a hit\nShe hates her life and what she's done to it\nThat's one more kid that will never go to school\nNever get to fall in love never get to be cool\n\nKEEP ON ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD x 4 times\nA(7) x4 (interleave A with A7)\nEm D C x4\n\nVerse3 (not included in the acoustic version):\nWe got a thousand points of light\nFor the homeless man\nWe got a kinder gentler machine gun hand\n--->(Here add an additional Em, D and C without lyrics)\nWe got department stores and toilet paper\nGot styrophone boxes for the ozone layer\nGot a man of the people says keep hope alive\nGot fuel to burn got roads to drive\n\nKEEP ON ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD x 4 times\nA(7) x4 (interleave A with A7)\nEm D C x4\n\n\n\n\n                  Rockin' In the Free World - Neil Young\n\n                Figured out by Brian Dawson (dawsob@rpi.edu)\nProgression:\nIntro:          E5 (0799xxx)     D (x577xx)    C (x355xx)\n\n[Verse]\nEm    D    C    (standard position)\n\n\nRed     white and blue.\nPeople  shufflin' their feet.\nPeople  sleepin' in thier shoes\n\n\nThere's a lot of people sayin' we'd be better off dead.\n    Don't feel    like   satan  but I  am    to   them,\n     So I try to forget    it     any  way that I can\n\n*****\n\n\n                   X  4\n*****\n\n   A  ... (INTRO)   X 4  ...\n\n\nWith a    baby in her hand.\nThere's an old street light.\nNear a    garbage can.\n\n\n      She hates her life and what she's done     to   it\n  THERE'S ONE   MORE    KID   THAT WILL NEVER  GO TO  SCHOOL\n    NEVER GET   TO  FALL   IN  LOVE     NEVER GET TO BE COOL\n\n****\n\n                X   4\n****\n\nWe got a thousand points of light\nFor the homeless man.\nWe got a kinder gentler machine gun hand.\n\n\n      Got styrofoam boxes  for the ozone    layer.\n    Got a man of the people,  says keep hope alive.\n      Got fuel to burn,     we got roads  to drive.\n****\n\n\n\nFrom: PePPeRs01@aol.com\nDate: Mon, 10 Jul 1995 21:46:52 -0400\nSubject: neil young-btab-keep on rockin in the free world\n\nKeep On Rockin In The Free World by Neil Young\n\nall i know for this is the basic bass rif\n\n\n\nits not a lot but it helps.\nif u know any more or have any coments write me","chords":["D","Em","C","Cadd9","G","B","E","A","A7","F","Dm","A(7)","E5","Em7"],"chord_diagrams":{"A":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,0,1,2,3,0],"frets":[-1,0,2,2,2,0]},"A7":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,0,1,0,2,0],"frets":[-1,0,2,0,2,0]},"B":{"barres":[2],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,1,2,3,4,1],"frets":[-1,2,4,4,4,2]},"C":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,3,2,0,1,0],"frets":[0,3,2,0,1,0]},"D":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,0,0,1,3,2],"frets":[-1,-1,0,2,3,2]},"E":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,2,3,1,0,0],"frets":[0,2,2,1,0,0]},"Em":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,2,3,0,0,0],"frets":[0,2,2,0,0,0]},"Em7":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[0,1,2,0,3,0],"frets":[0,2,2,0,3,0]},"F":{"barres":[1],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[1,3,4,2,1,1],"frets":[1,3,3,2,1,1]},"G":{"barres":[],"baseFret":1,"fingers":[2,1,0,0,0,3],"frets":[3,2,0,0,0,3]}}}