On Friday night, Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” was played during the president’s Mount Rushmore event
Neil Young made clear once again Friday that he doesn’t like it when one of his songs is used during a public appearance by President Trump.
On Friday night, Young’s 1989 song, “Rockin’ in the Free World,” was played during the president’s Independence Day weekend event at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.
“This is NOT ok with me,” the Canadian-born rocker, who became a U.S. citizen in January after living in Northern California for decades, wrote on social media.
In another message, Young wrote, “I stand in solidarity with the Lakota Sioux & this is NOT ok with me.”
Prior to Trump’s arrival in South Dakota, Native American tribes planned to protest the event –long viewing Mount Rushmore as a desecration of land violently stolen from them and used to pay homage to leaders hostile to native people.
“Mount Rushmore is a symbol of white supremacy, of structural racism that’s still alive and well in society today,” Nick Tilsen, a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe and president of a local activist organization called NDN Collective, told The Associated Press. “It’s an injustice to actively steal Indigenous people’s land then carve the white faces of the conquerors who committed genocide.”
Young previously complained about the Trump campaign using the same song at least twice before — in 2018 and 2015.
Read more HERE.
Actually Neil, we don’t care, and Chief Nick, waddya going to do next? Tear down Mt. Rushmore?
as much as Ioved Neil’s music over the years. His politics Stink. He’s nothing but a Canadian Snowflake who uses his platform to attack the Truth. He’s a phony baloney
Bagoverheadguy, I think you need a second bag over your head. Neil Young can prevent Trump from playing his music if he so chooses. The Stones set a good example, ‘you play our music and we will take you to court’. ‘We dont support you’.
Maybe Neil doesn’t like “Rockin’ In The Free World” anymore.
May explain why he’s living in California.
Nick is basing his concerns on race. Does that make him racist ?
Asking for a friend.
It’s all very complicated but doesn’t ABCKO Records own the rights and recordings of Rolling Stones songs from that era? And 4 years ago, Neil Young told Reuters,”He actually got a license to use it. I mean, he said he did and I believe him. So I got nothing against him. You know, once the music goes out, everybody can use it for anything.”
First, Mr. Young, that was an official Presidential event, as long as the copyright holder (which you are not) is paid the official fee to use your song there is nothing an old pot head, hippie, anti American, anti liberty dip shit you have become can do about it.
NEXT EFF OFF about stolen Native Indian land. The United States Governments of the past negotiated treaties with various Indian tribes. One can debate if or what may have been fair or not but Native Indian past elders agreed to the treaties.
As to the land, well there was no official political and geographical borders between the various Indian tribes for the thousands of years they lived in North America. In fact there was no common brotherhood between many as they fought, slaughtered, enslaved, stole women and children and fought over the hunting grounds for thousands of years. SO ANYONE CAN KISS OFF WITH THIS BROTHERHOOD CRAP!
The White man brought civilization and eventual trade as well as development to the many Native Indian tribes. For crying out loud, Native Indians did not use the horse for work and aid in travel until the white man taught them how to break in a horse for eventual use. The Indians just hunted horses until the were educated by the white man in how to use the horse.
As to the lunacy of stolen land, if as the old hippie, fart Young says, the land should be given back, GIVEN BACK TO WHO? Multiple Native Indians tribes have at times claimed the land Mt. Rushmore is on, SO WHICH SHOULD GET IT?
NONE!!!
The United States of America as well as Canada and Mexico were going to be mapped, developed and settled on regardless of the Native Indians. This continent was not going to be left for a few million, mostly nomadic, bow and arrow hunting Indian tribes. The governments were more respectful than most governments of the rest of the world history, where borders and nations were drawn, redrawn and even eliminated, including GENOCIDE which never happened in NORTH AMERICA!
Were their conflicts with Native Indians in notably the USA but also Mexico and Canada? Of course, but the Native Indians were not just innocent in such, they killed and tormented the eventual expansion of settlements of people. So spare me any faux victim B.S.!
History throughout the world has often been UGLY! Boo Hoo, get over it.
North American Indians have as compared to many people of the rest of the world been better looked after and treated by western governments. Was it perfect? HELL NO! But it’s done. Join and move your Native Indian societies with pride and with the rest of North American society.
Finally as to the burned out hippie Neil Young, if you think the white man has only stolen land and exploited Native Indians. Well here is some advice. YOU ARE AN OLD WHITE MAN! You made millions of dollars off the free market economy in the free western world especially in the USA. You should sell off your properties and only to any North American Indians even if you must lose money, pack up your bags and drag your sorry white buttocks back to your European family roots which I figure is probably in GREAT BRITAIN! But we all know “YOU AIN’T GONNA DO JACK SHIT IN PACKING UP AND MOVING!”
You will live the life of luxury off your rightful earned millions of dollars, while you bitch about President Trump and the bullshit nonsense of white supremacy, you jerk off hypocrite!
Les, I think you should do some background work on Neil Young, and I challenge you to find a single artist who has given so much to do many. Charitable concerts and donations in the millions to a variety of causes ranging from children with severe speech impediments, to unemployed support, voter education and of course, Farm Aid. He’s been a social activist since the 60s, and has used the power of his celebrity to help millions, black, white, and yes, red.
Oh, poor Les is triggered! Snowflake.
Normal people would be honoured when the President of the United States selects one of their songs for a rally or campaign.
Note that I said “normal people”. Apparently, when you become a celebrity, you begin to inhabit a different reality than the rest of us, and experience things differently.
When the next Crusades fires up. And we are blasting down the plains on horseback, ready to attack those that threaten civilization, we play “Rockin’ in the free world”. Good and Loud!
I honestly do not see the problem with any so called mainstream politician using a popular hit song for their campaign .
I would never have supported Barack Obama or PM Justin but I would have never opposed their use of my only hit song for their respective Campaigns, I would not be opposed to either one of them using my number one hit song as often as they wished .
The title of my one and only Number One Hit Song ?
“The Hypocrite Song” !!
BMCQ. Do a mash-up of your “The Hypcrite Song” with Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the free world” and post it on Youtube.
Might just do that, only thing is as hard as I try I cannot sing as badly as Poor Neil .
The words to my song more or less cover the Hypocrisy of Enviro Warrior Young who Sometimes has travelled around on a Train complete with Diesel Engine .
They are all the same are they not ?
How the Hell did he sell so many records ?