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Neil Young (Keep on rockin in the free world.)

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(@rodders)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 1086
Topic starter  

I've been harping on about & singing the praises of this gem so I thought I'd better post it.

Neil Young's song "Rockin' In The Free World" from the album Freedom is one of his most popular, important and prophetic songs and one of my all time favourites

The song has become an iconic anthem and it's status continues to rise as more and more artists cover the song. Young's lyrics are considered to be an indictment of the politics of the 1980's. In today's post-9/11 world, the lyrics seem prophetic and even more meaningful than when originally written on the eve of the '90's.
ROCKIN IN THE FREE WORLD

NEIL YOUNG

Tabbed by Rodders

PM-------------------} let ring
e--------------------------2-2-2--0--
B--------------------------3-3-3--1--
G--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--2-2-2--0--
D--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--0-0-0--2--
A--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2---------3--
E------------------------------------
colours in the street

PM-------------------} let ring
e--------------------------2-2-2--0--
B--------------------------3-3-3--1--
G--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--2-2-2--0--
D--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--0-0-0--2--
A--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2---------3--
E------------------------------------
Red white and blue

PM-------------------} let ring
e--------------------------2-2-2--0--
B--------------------------3-3-3--1--
G--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--2-2-2--0--
D--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--0-0-0--2--
A--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2---------3--
E------------------------------------
people shufflin their feet

PM-------------------} let ring
e--------------------------2-2-2--0--
B--------------------------3-3-3--1--
G--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--2-2-2--0--
D--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--0-0-0--2--
A--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2---------3--
E------------------------------------
People sleepin'in their shoes

e---------------------------------2-2-2--0--
B---------------------------------3-3-3--1--
G--0-----0----0----0----0----0----2-2-2--0--
D--2-----2----2----2----2----2----0-0-0--2--
A--2-----2----2----2----2----2-----------3--
E-------------------------------------------
But there's a warnin' sign on the road ahead

e---------------------------------2-2-2--0--
B---------------------------------3-3-3--1--
G--0-----0----0----0----0----0----2-2-2--0--
D--2-----2----2----2----2----2----0-0-0--2--
A--2-----2----2----2----2----2-----------3--
E-------------------------------------------
a lot of people sayin'we'd be better off dead

e---------------------------------2-2-2--0--
B---------------------------------3-3-3--1--
G--0-----0----0----0----0----0----2-2-2--0--
D--2-----2----2----2----2----2----0-0-0--2--
A--2-----2----2----2----2----2-----------3--
E-------------------------------------------
Don't feel like Satan, but I am to them

e---------------------------------2-2-2--0--
B---------------------------------3-3-3--1--
G--0-----0----0----0----0----0----2-2-2--0--
D--2-----2----2----2----2----2----0-0-0--2--
A--2-----2----2----2----2----2-----------3--
E-------------------------------------------
So I try to forget it, any way I can.

Thats the first verse done now we flow into the chorus

CHORUS
e--3----3---2---2---2---2---3------------0-0-0-----
B--3----3---3---3---3---3---3------------1-1-1-----
G--0----0---2---2---2---2---0-----0------0-0-0--0--
D--0----0-------------------0-----2------2-2-2--2--
A--2----2-------------------2-----2------3-3-3--2--
E--3----3-------------------3----------------------
Keep on rocking in the Free World

PLAY CHORUS 4 TIMES

THEN PLAY A FEW (A) CHORDS TO CREATE AN INTERLUDE
BEFORE YOU RUN INTO THE NEXT VERSE

and thats just about all there is to it apart from
the solo, which I'm not going to post ,as this is
the Easy Song Database

Here are the remainder of the lyrics

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,

Be excellent to each other & party on dudes!
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=686668


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 10264
 

Nice job Rodders, even if it is already here.....

http://forums.guitarnoise.com/viewtopic.php?t=8173

albeit way back on page 14 - Wes Inman tabbed it out way back then....

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
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(@rodders)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 1086
Topic starter  

Oh b*gg*r, and I did check first. :x

I think my version is easier to follow and play :?

Sorry Wes :wink:

Be excellent to each other & party on dudes!
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=686668


   
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 GWR
(@gwr)
Trusted Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 64
 

Sorry, but the first part; colors on the steet,,,red white and blue; doesn't seem to sound right. The riff sounds like it's going up in tones, but the cd sounds like it's going down in tones. I keep looping a recording the first riff and trying to match it, but it just don't sound the same.

G W Roach (Don't BUG me while I'm practicing!)


   
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(@davidhodge)
Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 4472
 

That's because of the voicing of the chords. If you use A-shaped barre chords or power chords like these:

Em (x79987) or E5 (x799xx)

D (x5777x) or D5 (x577xx)

C (x3555x) or C5 (x355xx)

that should give you the sound you're hearing.

Hope this helps.

Peace


   
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 GWR
(@gwr)
Trusted Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 64
 

Thanks! Gives me a good excuse to leard a few more chords. :mrgreen:

G W Roach (Don't BUG me while I'm practicing!)


   
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