Rockin~ In The Free World - Neil Young
00:00 / 00:00
Tabs and lyrics
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
Keep on rockin' in the free world (performed live acoustic by Neil Young)

Transcribed by Soenen Martijn (martijnsoenen@hotmail.com) 20:01 19/12/2000

NOTES: this is the acoustic version of the song. Neil plays it tuning his guitar
one step down (DGCFAD). I play it in standard tuning. On my guitar the song seems
the best in standard tuning. This is one of the most beautiful songs I know with
extremely good lyrics.

In the times of a commie-hater like Nixon, America seemed the promised land
and the USA was called "the free world" as a reaction against communism. But
although America wasn't a dream or the promised land. In the USA, there was
also poverty, there was a lot of hypocrisy, there was a lot of violence (certainly
by the government backed army and police). I guess this song by Neil is a quite
cynical or ironical (call it what you want) protest against the examples of the
"American Dream". Or maybe the message is just: keep on rockin' in the free world!


CHORDS used in this song:

EADGBE EADGBE
Em7 022030 Em 022000
D 000323 A x02220
C x32010 G/A x00000
G 320003

This is an example of how you can play the intro and the verse. It's hard to put this intro in tabs.
You have to find it out yourself actually. When you start to play the intro with the Em chord it
sounds good if you add your little finger (Em7) just before the chord change to D.

INTRO:

Em Em7 D C

e |----0--0--0--0--0--2--2--0--0--0--0----------------------------------------|
B |----0--0--0--3--3--3--3--1--1--1--1----------------------------------------|
G |----0--0--0--0--0--2--2--0--0--0--0----------------------------------------|
D |----2--2--2--2--2--0--0--2--2--2--2----------------------------------------|
A |----2--2--2--2--2--------3--3--3--3----------------------------------------|
E |--0------------------------------------------------------------------------| X 4

VERSES:

Em D C

e |--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0------------------2--2--2-------0--0--0--0---------------------|
B |--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0------------------3--3--3-------1--1--1--1---------------------|
G |--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0------------------2--2--2-------0--0--0--0---------------------|
D |--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2------------------0--0--0-------2--2--2--2---------------------|
A |--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--------------------------------3--3--3--3---------------------|
E |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Colors on the street
Red, white, and blue
People shuffling their feet
People sleeping in their shoes
There's a warning sign in the road ahead
There's a lot of people saying we'd be better off dead
Don't feel like Satan, but I am to them
So I try forget them any way I can

I see a girl in the night
with a baby in her hands
Under an old street light
near a garbage can
Now she put her kid away, she's gone to get a hit
She hates her life, and what she's done with it
That's one more kid, that'll never go to school
Never get to fall in love, never get to be cool

CHORUS:

G D C Em G/A

e |--3--3--3----2--2--2--2--2--2--2-------0----0--|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0------|
B |--0--0--0----3--3--3--3--3--3--3-------1----1--|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0------|
G |--0--0--0----2--2--2--2--2--2--2-------0----0--|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0------|
D |--0--0--0----0--0--0--0--0--0--0-------2----2--|--2--2--2--0--0--0--0------|
A |--2--2--2------------------------------3----3--|--2--2--2--0--0--0--0------|
E |--3--3--3--------------------------------------|---------------------------| X 4

Keep on rocking in the free world X 4

INTERLUDE: (played after each chorus goes something like this:)

A G/A A G/A A G/A

e |--0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0----0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0------------|
B |--2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0h2----2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0h2---2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0h2------------|
G |--2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0h2----2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0h2---2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0h2------------|
D |--2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0h2----2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0h2---2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0h2------------|
A |--0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0----0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0------------|
E |---------------------------------------------------------------------------|


OUTRO: (Neil ends live with hitting the chords once quite hard)

e |--3~~~~~~~~------2----0---------------------------------------|
B |--0~~~~~~~~------3----1---------------------------------------|
G |--0~~~~~~~~------2----0---------------------------------------|
D |--0~~~~~~~~------0----2---------------------------------------|
A |--2~~~~~~~~-----------3---------------------------------------|
E |--3~~~~~~~~---------------------------------------------------|

Keep on rocking in the free world
keep on rocking in the free world
keep on rocking in the free world
keep on rocking in the free world
Tunning: Nashville (E A D G B E)
I havent seen many good tabs for this so i thought id post this up.
I know that this is 100% correct, so enjoy.


[Intro]

E|----------------------|
B|----------------------|
G|-----------------7--5-|
D|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-7--5-| Repeat 4x
A|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-5--3-|
E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0------|


[Verse]

Guitar 1-play intro chords

Guitar 2
repeat
E|---0-0-----0------2-------0--0-0-0------2-----0----------|
B|---------3---3----3------1------3-3-----3-----1----------|
G|-------0-------0----2--------------0-----2---------------|
D|-2---------------0---2------2-------2-0----2-------------| 2x
A|---------------------3---------------------3-------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|

Guitar 1
repeat 4x behind guitar 2
E|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------|
A|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-7-7-7-5-5-5-5-5---------------------------|
E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3---------------------------|

Guitar 2
repeat twice over guitar 1
E|-0-0-0-0----2---0--0---0-----------------------------|
B|----3-----------1--1---1-----------------------------|
G|----------2---2------2-------------------------------|
D|----------0---0---2--0-------------------------------|
A|------------------3----------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------|


guitar 1 (still going with 4x)

Guitar 2
E|--3---3-------2--0---0--0-------0------2--0--0---0-|
B|----3--3---------1---1--1----3----3-------1--1---1-|
G|-0---0--0---2--2------2----0---0---0-2---2-----0---|
D|---------2--0--0---2--0--------------0---0--3--2---|
A|-------------------3------------------------2------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|


[Chorus]

E|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|
G|------7----5---5-2-2-2-----|
D|-5----7----5---5-2-2-2--5--| repeat x4
A|-5----5----3---3-4-4-2--5--|
E|-3-------------------0--3--|

E|----------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------|
G|-5-4-4-2---2--2---------2---------------|
D|-5-4-4-2---2--2---------2----2-2-2-2-2\-|
A|-3-2-2-2---0--0-----0-0-0----0-0-0-0-0\-|
E|-------0--------------------------------|

Guitar 1-play verse chords over guitar 2 solo


[Solo]

E|-12-12---12---------------------------------------------15-|
B|-12-12-12--15-15-12--------12--12--12--12--12--------17----|
G|----12-12-----------14-12~---14--14--14--14--14b-14~-------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------|

E|-15b--15b--15--15-x-x-12-----------------------------------|
B|------------------------x-x12------------------------------|
G|------------------------------(14)-(12)-11------14-12-11---|
D|-------------------------------------------14-12--------14-|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------|

E|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|-12------------12------------12--15-12-------------12-15-|
G|-12-14-12------12------12-14-14b------14b-14-14b-14------|
D|---------14-12---14--14----------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|

E|-12b-12b-12b-15--------------12-12--12----15~-15--15-|
B|-15b-15b-15b--15-12-------------15b-15b-15----18b-15-|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------12-10~~~-------------------------|

E|-12-12-15--14-12--15-14-12---12-14-12---12-15b-15~~~~~~~~~~~~~-|
B|---------------------------15----------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|


[Verse]

Guitar 1-play intro chords

Guitar 2
repeat
E|---0-0-----0------2-------0--0-0-0------2-----0----------|
B|---------3---3----3------1------3-3-----3-----1----------|
G|-------0-------0----2--------------0-----2---------------|
D|-2---------------0---2------2-------2-0----2-------------| 2x
A|---------------------3---------------------3-------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|

Guitar 1
repeat 4x behind guitar 2
E|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------|
A|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-7-7-7-5-5-5-5-5---------------------------|
E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3---------------------------|

Guitar 2
repeat twice over guitar 1
E|-0-0-0-0----2---0--0---0-----------------------------|
B|----3-----------1--1---1-----------------------------|
G|----------2---2------2-------------------------------|
D|----------0---0---2--0-------------------------------|
A|------------------3----------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------|


guitar 1 (still going with 4x)

Guitar 2
E|--3---3-------2--0---0--0-------0------2--0--0---0-|
B|----3--3---------1---1--1----3----3-------1--1---1-|
G|-0---0--0---2--2------2----0---0---0-2---2-----0---|
D|---------2--0--0---2--0--------------0---0--3--2---|
A|-------------------3------------------------2------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|


[Chorus]

E|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|
G|------7----5---5-2-2-2-----|
D|-5----7----5---5-2-2-2--5--| repeat x4
A|-5----5----3---3-4-4-2--5--|
E|-3-------------------0--3--|

E|----------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------|
G|-5-4-4-2---2--2---------2---------------|
D|-5-4-4-2---2--2---------2----2-2-2-2-2\-|
A|-3-2-2-2---0--0-----0-0-0----0-0-0-0-0\-|
E|-------0--------------------------------|
Solo- Im too lazy to tab the second (outro)solo right now so ill do it later.



************************************

| x Dead note
| (n) Ghost note
| b Bend
| \ Slide down
| ~ Vibrato

************************************
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)

[Intro]
Em D C
e|---------2-2-0-0-|\
B|---------3-3-1-1-| \
G|---------2-2-0-0-| \ 4x
D|-2-2-2-2-0-0-2-2-| /
A|-2-2-2-2-----3-3-| /
E|-0-0-0-0-----0-0-|/

[Verse 1]

Em D C
e|---------2-2-0-0-|\
B|---------3-3-1-1-| \
G|---------2-2-0-0-| \ 8x
D|-2-2-2-2-0-0-2-2-| /
A|-2-2-2-2-----3-3-| /
E|-0-0-0-0-----0-0-|/

[Chorus]
G D C Em
e|-3-3-3-3-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|\
B|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-1-1-1-1-1-1-0-0-| \
G|-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| \ 4x
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-| /
A|-2-2-2-2---------3-3-3-3-3-3-2-2-| /
E|-3-3-3-3---------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|/

[Interlude]
G
e|-3-3-0-0-0-0-|\
B|-3-3-2-2-2-2-| \
G|-0-0-2-2-2-2-| \
D|-0-0-2-2-2-2-| / 3x
A|-2-2-0-0-0-0-| /
E|-3-3---------|/

[Verse 2]
Em D C
e|---------2-2-0-0-|\
B|---------3-3-1-1-| \
G|---------2-2-0-0-| \ 8x
D|-2-2-2-2-0-0-2-2-| /
A|-2-2-2-2-----3-3-| /
E|-0-0-0-0-----0-0-|/

[Chorus]
G D C Em
e|-3-3-3-3-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|\
B|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-1-1-1-1-1-1-0-0-| \
G|-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| \ 4x
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-| /
A|-2-2-2-2---------3-3-3-3-3-3-2-2-| /
E|-3-3-3-3---------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|/

[Interlude]
G
e|-3-3-0-0-0-0-|\
B|-3-3-2-2-2-2-| \
G|-0-0-2-2-2-2-| \
D|-0-0-2-2-2-2-| / 3x
A|-2-2-0-0-0-0-| /
E|-3-3---------|/

[Solo]
Unknown effect. Not sure what they use, maybe Echo or Rotovibe?
Use lots of reverb to get the true Neil Young & Crazy Horse effect.

e|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12---^^^^^^^^^-------------------------------|
B|-12-12-12-12-12-12----15--15-15-15-12-------^^^^^^^--12-------12|
G|--------------------------------------15-12-12-12h14----14-14---|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------^^^^^12-15b15b15^^^15b---12--------------------------|
B|-12-------12----12---------------15-------------------14--------|
G|----14b14-14-14------------------------14-14-12-^^^^^-14-12-----|
D|------------------------------------------------14-14-----------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-------------------------------0---------------------12-12-12-12|
B|-------------------------------0-15---------------15-15-15-15-15|
G|12----------12--^^^^^------12b14b---14-12-14b-14b---------------|
D|---14-12----12-14----14-14--------------------------------------|
A|---------14-----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-12-12---------^^^^^-12----12-12b---15-15^^^^14 15--------------|
B|-15-15-12-15-15---------15b---15b15----------------15-----------|
G|-------------------------------0-------------------15-----------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-15-14-12^^^^12^^^15-14-12----12-14-12-15b----------------------|
B|---------------------------15-----------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|

[Bass Verse]
(i think its)
G|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-------------5-5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-|
E|-0-0-0-0-0-0---------------------|

[
Chorus]
G D C Em
e|-3-3-3-3-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|\
B|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-1-1-1-1-1-1-0-0-| \
G|-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| \ 4x
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-| /
A|-2-2-2-2---------3-3-3-3-3-3-2-2-| /
E|-3-3-3-3---------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|/

Give me an email or something and tell me what you think
dannolder@yahoo.com, and always, Keep on rockin in the free world.

Kerry-Edwards 2004
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
Song: Rockin' in the Free World (TAB)
Artist: Neil Young
Album: Freedom, Weld, and others
(Electric Version)

Here is the correct version solo and all

(PEARL JAM VERSION USE POWER CHORDS)

whole song done with Neil Young distortion
[Intro]
Em D C
e|---------2-2-0-0-|\
B|---------3-3-1-1-| \
G|---------2-2-0-0-| \ 4x
D|-2-2-2-2-0-0-2-2-| /
A|-2-2-2-2-----3-3-| /
E|-0-0-0-0-----0-0-|/

[Verse 1]
Em D C
e|---------2-2-0-0-|\
B|---------3-3-1-1-| \
G|---------2-2-0-0-| \ 8x
D|-2-2-2-2-0-0-2-2-| /
A|-2-2-2-2-----3-3-| /
E|-0-0-0-0-----0-0-|/

[Chorus]
G D C Em
e|-3-3-3-3-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|\
B|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-1-1-1-1-1-1-0-0-| \
G|-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| \ 4x
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-| /
A|-2-2-2-2---------3-3-3-3-3-3-2-2-| /
E|-3-3-3-3---------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|/

[Interlude]
G
e|-3-3-0-0-0-0-|\
B|-3-3-2-2-2-2-| \
G|-0-0-2-2-2-2-| \
D|-0-0-2-2-2-2-| / 3x
A|-2-2-0-0-0-0-| /
E|-3-3---------|/

[Verse 2]
Em D C
e|---------2-2-0-0-|\
B|---------3-3-1-1-| \
G|---------2-2-0-0-| \ 8x
D|-2-2-2-2-0-0-2-2-| /
A|-2-2-2-2-----3-3-| /
E|-0-0-0-0-----0-0-|/

[Chorus]
G D C Em
e|-3-3-3-3-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|\
B|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-1-1-1-1-1-1-0-0-| \
G|-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| \ 4x
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-| /
A|-2-2-2-2---------3-3-3-3-3-3-2-2-| /
E|-3-3-3-3---------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|/

[Interlude]
G
e|-3-3-0-0-0-0-|\
B|-3-3-2-2-2-2-| \
G|-0-0-2-2-2-2-| \
D|-0-0-2-2-2-2-| / 3x
A|-2-2-0-0-0-0-| /
E|-3-3---------|/

[Solo]
e|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12---^^^^^^^^^-------------------------------|
B|-12-12-12-12-12-12----15--15-15-15-12-------^^^^^^^--12-------12|
G|--------------------------------------15-12-12-12h14----14-14---|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------^^^^^12-15b15b15^^^15b---12--------------------------|
B|-12-------12----12---------------15-------------------14--------|
G|----14b14-14-14------------------------14-14-12-^^^^^-14-12-----|
D|------------------------------------------------14-14-----------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-------------------------------0---------------------12-12-12-12|
B|-------------------------------0-15---------------15-15-15-15-15|
G|12----------12--^^^^^------12b14b---14-12-14b-14b---------------|
D|---14-12----12-14----14-14--------------------------------------|
A|---------14-----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-12-12---------^^^^^-12----12-12b---15-15^^^^14 15--------------|
B|-15-15-12-15-15---------15b---15b15----------------15-----------|
G|-------------------------------0-------------------15-----------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-15-14-12^^^^12^^^15-14-12----12-14-12-15b----------------------|
B|---------------------------15-----------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|

[Last Verse] is different
e|---------------------------------|\
B|---------------------------------| \
G|---------------------------------| \
D|---------------------------------| / 8x
A|-----------------5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-| /
E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----------------|/

[Chorus]
G D C Em
e|-3-3-3-3-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|\
B|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-1-1-1-1-1-1-0-0-| \
G|-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| \ 4x
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-| /
A|-2-2-2-2---------3-3-3-3-3-3-2-2-| /
E|-3-3-3-3---------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|/

Song info
Rockin~ In The Free World
Neil Young
2001
  • Rock
  • Classic Rock
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