Neil Young and his iconic anthem “Rockin’ in the Free World” are in the headlines this week after Donald Trump used the the song to announce his Republican presidential candidacy without the progressive musician’s permission.
Now Young is taking this opportunity to voice his frustrations over the United States political system, as well as subtly promote his new album, The Monsanto Years.
In an open letter to fans on Facebook Wednesday, Young addressed Trump’s “Rockin in the Free World” use and reiterated he had not given permission for it. He also clarified the circumstances of a photograph of he and Trump that had been circulating, stating it had been taken during a meeting when he was trying to raise funds for his Pono music service. But mostly, he wrote about the current American state of affairs.
“I am Canadian and I don’t vote in the United States, but more importantly I don’t like the current political system in the USA and some other countries,” he wrote. “Increasingly Democracy has been hijacked by corporate interests. The money needed to run for office, the money spent on lobbying by special interests, the ever increasing economic disparity and the well funded legislative decisions all favor corporate interests over the people’s.”
Young went on to take aim at the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling, saying it is proof of corruption and that corporations’ influence has gotten out of control.
“I do not trust self serving misinformation coming from corporations and their media trolls,” he continued. “I do not trust politicians who are taking millions from those corporations either. I trust people. So I make my music for people not for candidates.”
