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Wednesday, December 01, 2004

The Jury is Still Out on New Video for RITFW

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Opinions are all over the map on the new video for "Rockin' In The Free World" with somewhat predictable responses from various Internet discussions.

Over on Democratic Underground, calimary posted:

"Neil Young's credentials are impeccable, as is his integrity. And if somebody wants to resurrect some of his stuff and apply it to a different/later era, then all the better for the rest of us. The best, most powerful and most relevant songs or artworks or commentaries are those that can apply to conditions that repeat themselves due unfortunately to relentless human stoooopidity across the years. A worthwhile message is a worthwhile message."

Over on Metafilter, there was this response by Sir BoBoMonkey Pooflinger Esquire III:

"But as for the video itself, what does it really show?

That both Neil Young and M. Moore are capitalist pigs exploiting their own art for financial gain? Probably not. Warner Reprise execs, probably more likely thinking along these routes.

Egomaniacs in self-masturbatory excess? Debatably possible.

Clinging desperately to their hopefilled ideals that they can make a difference in this nation seemingly on a downward slope of moral ignorance disguised/manipulated/confused as Patriotic fervor and self-defined good Christian Morality? Probably most likely, in my pathetic, tree-hugging opinion."

Over on Chromewaves, Frank posted:

"Interspersing footage from Fahrenheit 9/11 and live performances from Neil's recent Greendale tour, it's a pretty severe edit of the song and it plays more like a commercial for the film than a video for the song. Consider that Neil's Weld tour, which spawned a live album, came during the height of the first Gulf War and made this song a protest anthem of sorts, and now almost fifteen years later, a second Gulf War led by Bush Jr provides fresh, yet familiar, visuals for a second video. Well, that's just messed."

Also on Democratic Underground, Pigwidgeon posted:

"The Southern rockers got over "Southern Man" after a few years, but a lot of lefties can't forgive him for his infatuation with Reagan Conservatism in the early 1980s -- but, if I recall, it lasted all of about a year.

Neil drank the Kool-Aid, and then puked it up. Sadder, wiser, etc. He makes mistakes and learns from them, which is more than most people can say."

And so what does Neil himself have to say about music and politics? From over on BNB a story on World Entertainment News Network (via COMTEX):

YOUNG: "Half the people feel musicians should be listened to simply as artists and shouldn't step outside their area as political spokesmen.

"But the other half feel what musicians have to say is meaningful. Maybe it's not going to change your mind. But it's going to reinforce what you feel if someone whose music you relate to agrees with you.

"It can be a very effective thing if people go and vote for whatever they feel the music says."

On Kool 104, Young said about the video: "I just saw it for the first time half an hour ago. [Moore's] done a great job.'"

Surprisingly, the Rust list has been pretty quiet about the video. What's up with those oh-so chatty Rusties?!

So what did you think of the new video for "Rockin' In The Free World"? Vote and comment below.

Vote here.

More on this poll and previous polls. Also, see analysis of the song "Rockin' In The Free World" and the original music video.


4 Comments:

At 12/01/2004 09:46:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

That line about "one more kid that will never go to school, never get to fall in love, never get to be cool" really hits home with me. can't shake it after viewing the vid.
democracy above ground

 
At 12/02/2004 06:35:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I haven't seen the new video, but what is the benefit of the new clip? Is it to in part promote Michael Moore's film? I know it won't serve much benefit to Neil, apart from raising the profile of his 'Greatest Hits' Release. Maybe Neil should have included the new clip on the GH cd/dvd. One positive about this is we have something new to talk about I guess. I have to leave you now for my daily prayers which go a little something like this. "Dear Heavonly Father, give me the strength to fight another day without the knowledge that Neil Young will ever release Volume 1 of his archives project before I die, amen"
Hitchhiker.

 
At 12/02/2004 10:33:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Seems like it's just marketing fodder. I find it no more interesting than one of those singles played on AM radio when I was a kid. It's just an edited version of an old released song overlayed on two sources of video. Would have much preferred video and audio of a real contemporary performance. It's not worthy of much thought. I have no problem with the politics.

Tom H

 
At 12/20/2005 02:29:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I enjoyed the video (entertainment purposes only) but I feel Neil is a sell out for letting Michael Moore change the orignal lyrics. It's changed the total meaning of the song. If it wasn't for the servicemen defending our freedoms, Neil & Moore wouldn't be able to express their opinions. They should think about that before they generate leftwing propaganda. Hitler had the same theology "If you tell a lie long enough, people will believe it."

 

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