Video hit Kid Rock

Kid Rock - Born Free

This is the lead single and title track from American Southern rock/hip hop artist Kid Rock's eighth album. The record was produced by American producer Rick Rubin whom MTV called in 2004, "the most important producer of the last 20 years."

Kid Rock described this song as being about, "how lucky each and every one of us are, no matter where you're from, to be born in a country that's free."

Rock told MTV News that while this is a patriotic song, he didn't write it solely for an American audience. Rather, he hopes its message will be heard by people the world over. "I think that song already has kinda gotten a little bit construed that it's just this big, patriotic American song, which it is in its own right, but it first came to mind to write something like this when I was on one of my trips to Afghanistan, Iraq, playing for our soldiers," he said. "I started to just think about no matter where somebody was born in this world, how lucky you are just by the grace of God to be born free."

The bulk of the album was recorded live in a two week span in Los Angeles with a stellar cast of musicians including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Los Lobos singer/guitarist David Hidalgo and Chavez guitarist Matt Sweeney. Rock told MTV News that Rick Rubin's no frills approach was a pretty new experience for him. "[Rubin] kinda pulls out of the artists he works with. ... He has this vision of where he thinks you might be heading, or want to head, and really pulls that out of you and keeps you focused on that," said the rocker. "And, for me, he kind of took me out of my element, which was a little bit weird. I got a pretty good comfort zone: made all my records in Detroit, right by my house, and it's worked out pretty well so far. And to be pulled out of there, and go to L.A., and record this whole record there with these phenomenal musicians in a studio [was different].

I'd play the song on acoustic guitar, we'd chart it out, we'd sit in a room as a band, play it three, four times, listen back, come out, play it three, four more times — done," he continued with a smile. "We got the record recorded in two weeks. ... I didn't know what to do with my free time. I didn't get a lot of positive things done in that off time."

Cable network TBS used this song for its coverage of the 2010 Major League Baseball postseason.

The Born Free album was Kid Rock's first not to feature a Parental Advisory sticker.

Mitt Romney used this as his official campaign song during his 2012 run to be the Republican candidate for the presidency. Rock was happy for him to do so. "He and everyone else who wants to use my song do not need my permission," the singer said in a statement. "I said he could use it and I would say the same for any other candidate."

The lyrics:

Fast, on a rough road riding

High, through the mountains climbing

Twisting, turning further from my home.

Young, like a new moon rising

Fierce, through the rain and lightning

Wandering out into this great unknown.

And I don't want no one to cry, but tell em'

If I don't survive

[Chorus]

I was born free

I was born free

I was born free

Born Free

Free, like a river raging

Strong, if the wind I'm facing.

Chasing dreams and racing father time.

Deep like the grandest canyon,

Wild like an untamed stallion.

If you can't see my heart you must be blind.

You can knock me down and watch me bleed

But you can't keep no chains on me.

[Chorus]

And I'm not good at long goodbyes but look down

Deep into my eyes.

I was born free!

Hey yaya yayaya

Oh hoo

Calm facing danger

Lost, like an unknown stranger

Grateful for my time with no regrets.

Close to my destination

Tired, frail and aching

Waitin' patiently for the sun to set

And when its done believe that

I will yell it from that mountain high

[Chorus]

And I will vow to the shining seas

And celebrate God's Grace on me.

[Chorus]

Oh, oh oh oh wah hoo