You can skip the instructions right into the lyrics/chords but note that Neil plays Em7 (add your pinky on the D on the second string) in the verses instead of the Em at the beginning of each line, and that he plays C and Cadd9 in the chorus instead the C here. Enjoy, ameen.
This is the acoustic version of "Rockin' In The Free World" from Neil Young's "Freedom Album", 1989.
This is a great song, (and the second one I ever learned), not difficult to play and a great strumming exercise for beginners (information is included about nearly every beat of the measure).
INTRO and VERSES: ----------------- For the verses you basically need: Em, D and C but the strumming pattern and fretting actually involve a G. Here's how to strum the Em measure (intro and verse alike):
| (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +) DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP - $ $ - $ $ $
Meaning it is an Em chord for the whole measure, play only the bass note (the E string) on the first beat (indicated by the 'B' -from Bass- above), the '-' means don't strum on the strings and a '$' means play the chord indicated above (Em in this case).
The D and C measure is strummed as follows: D N C N | | | | DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP $ $ $ $ - $ $ $
Meaning play a D chord for the first beat then on the down stroke of the second beat hit the strings without any fretting (indicated by 'N' above), this would actually sound as a G (especially that you're most likely to hit only the D, G, B and E strings). Then directly play a C chord on the up-stroke of the second beat (in fact you'd ready your fingers for the C chord while hitting the "G chord"). The same trick is done at the last up-stroke of the 4th beat where you, again, play the open strings just before hitting the bass of the Em chord of the following measure (as indicated in the Em measure).
CHORUS: -------- As for the chorus: it is G, D, C and Em which is easy to play:
The 3 measures of G D and C are the same:
| DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP $ - ($) $ - $ $ $
The ($) means optional. In fact you'd interleave all kinds of strumming patterns here.
The last measure (4th) of each line in the chorus goes like this:
| | DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP $ $ $ $ - $ $ $
Here you'd notice that in fact you'd naturally hammer on the Em on the upstroke of the 2nd beat.
Between chorus and verses: --------------------------------- Basically 4 measures of A (interleaved with A7) anyways if you want to get a flavor of how it is played (read I play it ;-):
1) 2)
| | | | | DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP $ - $ - $ $ $ $ - $ $ $ $ $ $ $
3) 4)
| | | | | DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP DN UP - $ $ $ $ $ $ $ - $ $ - $ - $ -
The second time the bridge is played a different pattern is used but who cares (I'm tired of typing ;-).
VERSION and NOTES: ------------------ 1) BTW I have 3 versions of the song, 2 electric (from Freedom and Weld) and one acoustic, this is the acoustic version from Neil Young's "Freedom" album. 2) Note though that he plays it by tuning all the strings one WHOLE NOTE down: (E A D G B E -: D G C F A D). Except this, he seems to add a D note on the second string when playing the Em making it an Em7 (or actually, in his tuning, a C note when playing Dm) but that's a minor detail and it sounds just beautiful with the Em. 3) The acoustic version has only 2 verses while the "plugged" ;-) ones contain one additional verse. I have included it here too.
Sounds complicated? not really.
ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD Neil Young - Freedom
Intro: Em D C (4 times in total)
Verse1:
Colours 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'm to them
so I try to forget it anyway I can
CHORUS: -------
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
A(7) x4 (interleave A with A7) Em D C x4 (just like in the intro)
Verse2: I see a girl 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 That'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 x 4 times A(7) x4 (interleave A with A7) Em D C x4
Verse3 (not included in the acoustic version): We got a thousand points of light For the homeless man We got a kinder gentler machine gun hand ---:(Here add an additional Em, D and C without lyrics) We got department stores and toilet paper Got styrophone 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 x 4 times A(7) x4 (interleave A with A7) Em D C x4
Rockin' In the Free World - Neil Young
Progression: Intro: E5 (0799xxx) D (x577xx) C (x355xx)
Verses: Em D C (standard position)
There's colors on the street. Red white and blue. People shufflin' their feet. People sleepin' in thier shoes
There's a warning 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 that I can
*****
Keep on Rockin' in the free world X 4 *****
A ... (INTRO) X 4 ...
There's a woman in the night With a baby in her hand. There's 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 X 4 ****
We got a thousand points of light For the homeless man. We got a kinder gentler machine gun hand.
We got de-partment 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, we got roads to drive. ****
