Neil Young Gave Tim Walz Permission To Use “Rockin’ In The Free World” After Suing Trump Over It

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Last night, Minnesota governor Tim Walz officially accepted the vice presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention. When Walz finished his speech, Neil Young’s pissed-off 1989 anthem “Rockin’ In The Free World” boomed over the arena speakers. This is nothing new. “Rockin’ In The Free World” is a staple at political events, even though its lyrics paint a notably bleak picture of that free world. But this time, there was something different: Neil Young actually approved the song’s use.

Neil Young has never been shy about his political inclinations. In 2020, Young sued Donald Trump to block him from using “Rockin’ In The Free World” at campaign events. (Young had already written about being upset over the song’s usage, but the Trump campaign didn’t stop using it.) Last night was different. According to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Walz, a big classic rock head, chose “Rockin’ In The Free World” as his song, and Neil Young personally approved it. Unlike DJ Snake, Neil Young is happy to have is song played at a political convention, as long as it’s not the wrong political convention.

“Rockin In The Free World” has remained in the political space over the years; Secretary Of State Antony Blinken covered the song at a Kyiv bar a few months ago. Last night, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, and Maren Morris all performed at the DNC. (Jason Isbell and Lil Jon performed on previous nights.) Tonight, Pink will perform there.