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Rockers to McCain/Palin: Stop Using Our Songs

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 10:58:00 AM EST
Tags: John McCain, Sarah Palin (all tags)
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ABC has an article about rock stars telling McCain/Palin to stop using their music at campaign events. Jackson Browne and Heart are among them.

I heard another group yesterday blaring from the speakers at one point during the Colorado Springs event, held in a jet aviation hangar and on the tarmac: The B-52's.

< Sunday Open Thread | My Report on McCain/Palin at the Colorado Springs Rally >

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    Rockers to McCain/Palin: Stop Using Our Songs | 17 comments (17 topical)

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    When I Heard the GOP (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by BDB on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 10:58:33 AM EST
    was using Barracuda, I laughed.  Does anyone think the Dems would have the guts to embrace such a nickname in these post-partisan days?


    A Purely Symbolic Request... (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by Strick on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 11:23:12 AM EST
    Since the Republicans are paying the licensing fees to play the music at their rallies and don't need performer's permission to do so.  I think that's been made clear from a number of experts on the matter.

    It'd be different if they tried to use the music in an ad or something, but there's no sense that's the case.

    Brroks and Dunn (5.00 / 0) (#11)
    by JAB on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 11:54:23 AM EST
    same thing happened last week after Obama's speech - they played the Brooks & Dunn song "Only in America" without "permission".  Seems Brooks & Dunn had a better response - they were happy that people were hearing their music, but found it ironic that it was the exact same song that was played at the 2004 Republican convention for GWB.

    Some person doing advance for the Dems boo-booed there!  :)

    Not At All (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by daring grace on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 12:50:35 PM EST
    It's part of Obama's post partisan cred. :)

    Parent
    Grrrr!!! (5.00 / 0) (#13)
    by txpolitico67 on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 12:11:14 PM EST
    I'm a HUGE 80s music person (graduated high school in 86) and I totally grew up listening to the B's.  Ricky Wilson, the founding member of the B 52's died of AIDS back in 1985.

    Considering their gay roots and their super friendly gay stance, I can HARDLY see the B52's giving any kind of approval for their songs to be used by the R's.

    Goes to show you that the real talented rockers and artists are NON supportive of republican and conservative causes.

    Anyone remember when The Boss told Reagan to STOP using "Born in the USA"?  I sure do!

    Good thing these rock stars (2.00 / 0) (#12)
    by gentlyweepingguitar on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 11:54:43 AM EST
    are denying any affiliation with McCain/Palin. If they can't control the playing rights to their music, maybe they'll encourage their fans to get out there and vote for Obama.

    Well, John Hall got a seat in the House (none / 0) (#1)
    by andgarden on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 10:55:10 AM EST
    over similar objections.

    How does this help the dems? (none / 0) (#3)
    by PssttCmere08 on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 11:02:40 AM EST


    it's about the rockers (5.00 / 0) (#4)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 11:19:31 AM EST
    not the Dems.

    Parent
    My local paper reported on this today (none / 0) (#7)
    by scribe on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 11:33:52 AM EST
    and noted that Heart has found out they can't stop McCain from using "Barracuda", because that song is licensed out under a blanket licensing arrangement and McSame has paid the applicable licensing fees.  

    In response to this development, the report continued, Heart has announced they will be donating the royalties to Democrats.

    I guess it all depends on the intricacies of music licensing and the relevant agreements;  The Pretenders had a similar problem a few years back when Rush Limbaugh appropriated the very distinctive guitar riffs from "Back to Ohio" to use as his bumper music.  He thought it really, really funny to twit the liberal musicians by playing it and then remarking on how they couldn't stop him from doing so.  He (Rush) might be fat, but he sure is small, too.

    Parent

    at least he has to pay for his joke (none / 0) (#17)
    by DFLer on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 04:04:01 PM EST


    Parent
    no its doesnt help (5.00 / 0) (#8)
    by AlSmith on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 11:37:52 AM EST
    probably a small minus:

    • takes up oxygen that the fraction of non-Palin news gets
    • it is in effect another celeb endorsement. At this point I would consider those a negative.


    Parent
    Is the GOP paying for the ability (none / 0) (#5)
    by kredwyn on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 11:20:39 AM EST
    to use those songs?

    Presumably, the event organizers are paying... (none / 0) (#9)
    by DanAllNews on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 11:41:48 AM EST
    ...the applicable licensing fees. If they're not, they should be, but in any case it's not like individual artists retain the legal right to control whether their songs are played in a particular bar, on a particular radio station, or by a particular politician -- at least as I understand the system.

    I think the bigger question is whether political campaigns, as a matter of ethics or courtesy, ought to clear the use of songs with the songs' creators.

    Parent

    consumers.... (none / 0) (#10)
    by kredwyn on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 11:47:24 AM EST
    When they pay the fees, the candidates are consumers.

    Once the rights are sold under a licensing agreement, the music goes out to the larger audience of listeners. Once that music hits the shelves, the musicians don't get to pick who can and cannot buy their CDs and play their music any more than writers get to choose who can and cannot buy their books.

    Parent

    The B-52s are appropriate.... (none / 0) (#14)
    by jerry on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 12:20:11 PM EST


    Naw - SCOTS (none / 0) (#15)
    by Fabian on Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 12:49:06 PM EST
    At least half the Southern Culture On The Skids songs are about sex, even if they aren't explicitly about S-E-X.  And you know how the SoCons looooove to talk about carnal relations!

    Parent
    Rockers to McCain/Palin: Stop Using Our Songs | 17 comments (17 topical)

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