Neil Young gives Tim Walz permission to use “Rockin’ in the Free World”

The post Neil Young gives Tim Walz permission to use “Rockin’ in the Free World” appeared first on Consequence.

At the 2024 Democratic National Convention, vice presidential candidate Tim Walz took the stage to Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.”

According to CNN, Walz personally sought Young’s permission to use the song and received the musician’s consent.

The song is a fitting choice, as it was previously used by Donald Trump in his first presidential announcement in 2015. However, Trump did not have Young’s permission to use the song at the time, and despite Young’s repeated threats to cease and desist, the song continued to be played on the campaign trail in the years that followed. In 2020, Young finally filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Trump.

Originally released on Young’s 1989 album Freedom“Rockin’ in the Free World” is a protest anthem inspired by Reagan-era politics and disillusionment with the American dream. Much like Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA,” it is often misunderstood as a purely patriotic anthem; in reality, the song expresses a more critical form of patriotism that questions and challenges the direction of the nation.

Like Walz, Kamala Harris also has her own campaign song, having received permission from Beyoncé to use “Freedom.” Earlier today, Beyoncé threatened legal action against Trump’s campaign after a spokesperson used the song in a promotional video for Trump. The video was subsequently removed.

Neil Young gives Tim Walz permission to use “Rockin’ in the Free World”
Scoop Harrison

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