Kashmir
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Rockers Versus Politicians - Over the years, many politicians have had a tendency to use rock songs as part of their campaign movement. However, it blew up in their face in many of the situations, as the artists did not want to be associated with the pol, in any way shape or form. Heres a list below, compiled from: Stories
Let's you know where most stand. Doesn't it.
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Tom Petty vs. Michele Bachmann
Petty sent Bachmann a cease-and-desist order after the Minnesota congresswoman used his song “American Girl” when announcing her candidacy for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. Bachmann complied, but not before accidentally playing a 29-second clip of the song at an event the following day.
Katrina & The Waves vs. Michele Bachmann
The 1980s rockers became the second band to speak out against Michele Bachmann after the latter used their 1985 hit “Walking on Sunshine” at a campaign rally without permission. “Katrina & The Waves would like it to be known that they do not endorse the use of 'Walking on Sunshine' by Michele Bachmann and have instructed their lawyers accordingly,” they said in a statement.
David Byrne vs. Charlie Crist
David Byrne hit former Florida governor Charlie Crist with a million-dollar lawsuit for using the Talking Heads’ 1985 song “Road to Nowhere” without permission in an attack ad during his 2010 run for senator. As part of a settlement, Crist filmed a 90-second apology that aired on YouTube.
Sam Moore vs. Barack Obama
In 2008, Sam Moore (half of legendary vocal duo Sam & Dave) sent a cease-and-desist letter to Barack Obama’s campaign after his song “Hold On! I’m Coming” was used at several rallies without his permission. Moore, who claimed to support no candidate, felt that the use of his song implied his endorsement of Obama.
Bon Jovi vs. Sarah Palin
Jon Bon Jovi lashed out a Sarah Palin for using his band’s song “Who Says You Can't Go Home” during a 2008 rally. In a statement, the singer said he and his band “do not approve” of the song’s use – not a big surprise, considering Bon Jovi had thrown a $30,000 per plate fundraiser for Obama the month before.
Survivor vs. John McCain
The band Survivor called foul when their “Rocky” anthem “Eye of the Tiger” was used as part of the McCain / Palin campaign. “Using our music without our permission can give people the impression that we are supporters of their campaign,” the band said in a statement. “This is not the case.”
Heart vs. Sarah Palin
The band Heart had its record label issue a cease-and-desist notice to the McCain / Palin campaign after its song “Barracuda” was used as a theme song of sorts for Sarah Palin, who said she had been nicknamed "Sarah Barracuda" in high school due to her competitive streak. "The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song,” the band wrote in a statement, “nor would they have been granted that permission," the statement read.
Jackson Browne vs. John McCain
Browne sued John McCain after his song was used without permission in an attack ad during the 2008 presidential race. Team McCain claimed the ad was not a McCain campaign ad, but one orchestrated by the Ohio Republican Party. Regardless, Browne received an apology and an undisclosed sum of money from the Republican nominee.
Tom Petty vs. George W. Bush
In early 2000, Petty’s publishers sent a cease-and-desist letter to then-Texas governor George W. Bush after the latter used the song “I Won’t Back Down” during his presidential campaign. The letter claimed Bush’s use of the song "creates, either intentionally or unintentionally, the impression that you and your campaign have been endorsed by Tom Petty, which is not true." Bush backed down.
Bruce Springsteen vs. Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan’s use of Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” during his reelection bid in 1984 was wrong for two reasons. One, he didn’t have permission. And two, “Born in the U.S.A.” is a song of sorrow and protest, lamenting the loss of American ideals, making it the polar opposite of the fist-pumping, jingoistic anthem Reagan and his handlers believed it to be.
John Mellencamp vs. John McCain
After the McCain campaign began playing “Our Country” and “Pink Houses” at rallies during the 2008 presidential race, Mellencamp began quietly, and then not-so-quietly, requesting that they stop. "Mr. Mellencamp identifies very strongly with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and was supportive (with these same songs!) of the candidacy of John Edwards, on whose behalf he made several campaign appearances," Mellencamp’s publicist wrote to McCain’s team. "Are you sure you want to use his music to promote Senator McCain's efforts? Logic says that the facts might prove to be an embarrassment, were they to be circulated widely."
Don Henley vs. Chuck DeVore
During his 2009-2010 run for the California senate, republican candidate Chuck DeVore parodied two Don Henley hits, “The Boys of Summer” (which became “Hope of November”
and “All She Wants to Do Is Dance” (“All She Wants to Do Is Tax”. An un-amused Henley sued DeVore for copyright infringement. "My colleagues and I brought this lawsuit to protect our music from being taken and used, without permission, to promote someone else's agenda,” he said in statement. “It was not a question of political ideology, but the right of artists to control the use of the works they create, and protect their livelihoods."
Orleans vs. George W. Bush
In 2004, the Bush campaign often spiced up public events with the 1976 Orleans’ hit “Still the One.” That sparked the ire of the song’s co-writer, John Hall, who later became a New York congressman. Needless to say, when John McCain repeated the mistake at a 2008 campaign stop, Hall was none too pleased. "This is yet another example of John McCain not learning anything from George Bush's mistakes," Hall wrote to NBC News. "First, McCain adopted Bush's failed policy of an open-ended war in Iraq, then he wrapped his arms around the failed Bush economic policies that have put the squeeze on middle class families. Now, he's making the same mistake George Bush made illegally using a copyrighted song without asking either the writers or the performers for permission."
Foo Fighters vs. John McCain
Dave Grohl and company were upset to learn presidential candidate John McCain had been using their hit “My Hero” as his campaign theme songs. The republican nominee had apparently neglected to ask for permission first. "The saddest thing about this is that `My Hero' was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential," the band said in a statement. "To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song."
Gretchen Peters vs. Sarah Palin
After vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin used her song "Independence Day" a rally during the 2008 race, Peters struck back in a creative way: She donated all royalties earned during the election cycle to Planned Parenthood – in Sarah Palin’s name – and urged fans to make donations of their own. “The fact that the McCain / Palin campaign is using a song about an abused woman as a rallying cry for their vice presidential candidate, a woman who would ban abortion even in cases of rape and incest, is beyond irony,” Peters told CMT.
Van Halen vs. John McCain
At the conclusion of the rally at which he announced Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain cranked up the volume on Van Halen hit “Right Now.” Little did he know that both Eddie and Alex Van Halen were Obama supports. Needless to say, the band wasn’t too happy. "Permission was not sought or granted,” Van Halen said in a statement, “nor would it have been given."
Let's you know where most stand. Doesn't it.
_____________
Tom Petty vs. Michele Bachmann
Petty sent Bachmann a cease-and-desist order after the Minnesota congresswoman used his song “American Girl” when announcing her candidacy for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. Bachmann complied, but not before accidentally playing a 29-second clip of the song at an event the following day.
Katrina & The Waves vs. Michele Bachmann
The 1980s rockers became the second band to speak out against Michele Bachmann after the latter used their 1985 hit “Walking on Sunshine” at a campaign rally without permission. “Katrina & The Waves would like it to be known that they do not endorse the use of 'Walking on Sunshine' by Michele Bachmann and have instructed their lawyers accordingly,” they said in a statement.
David Byrne vs. Charlie Crist
David Byrne hit former Florida governor Charlie Crist with a million-dollar lawsuit for using the Talking Heads’ 1985 song “Road to Nowhere” without permission in an attack ad during his 2010 run for senator. As part of a settlement, Crist filmed a 90-second apology that aired on YouTube.
Sam Moore vs. Barack Obama
In 2008, Sam Moore (half of legendary vocal duo Sam & Dave) sent a cease-and-desist letter to Barack Obama’s campaign after his song “Hold On! I’m Coming” was used at several rallies without his permission. Moore, who claimed to support no candidate, felt that the use of his song implied his endorsement of Obama.
Bon Jovi vs. Sarah Palin
Jon Bon Jovi lashed out a Sarah Palin for using his band’s song “Who Says You Can't Go Home” during a 2008 rally. In a statement, the singer said he and his band “do not approve” of the song’s use – not a big surprise, considering Bon Jovi had thrown a $30,000 per plate fundraiser for Obama the month before.
Survivor vs. John McCain
The band Survivor called foul when their “Rocky” anthem “Eye of the Tiger” was used as part of the McCain / Palin campaign. “Using our music without our permission can give people the impression that we are supporters of their campaign,” the band said in a statement. “This is not the case.”
Heart vs. Sarah Palin
The band Heart had its record label issue a cease-and-desist notice to the McCain / Palin campaign after its song “Barracuda” was used as a theme song of sorts for Sarah Palin, who said she had been nicknamed "Sarah Barracuda" in high school due to her competitive streak. "The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song,” the band wrote in a statement, “nor would they have been granted that permission," the statement read.
Jackson Browne vs. John McCain
Browne sued John McCain after his song was used without permission in an attack ad during the 2008 presidential race. Team McCain claimed the ad was not a McCain campaign ad, but one orchestrated by the Ohio Republican Party. Regardless, Browne received an apology and an undisclosed sum of money from the Republican nominee.
Tom Petty vs. George W. Bush
In early 2000, Petty’s publishers sent a cease-and-desist letter to then-Texas governor George W. Bush after the latter used the song “I Won’t Back Down” during his presidential campaign. The letter claimed Bush’s use of the song "creates, either intentionally or unintentionally, the impression that you and your campaign have been endorsed by Tom Petty, which is not true." Bush backed down.
Bruce Springsteen vs. Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan’s use of Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” during his reelection bid in 1984 was wrong for two reasons. One, he didn’t have permission. And two, “Born in the U.S.A.” is a song of sorrow and protest, lamenting the loss of American ideals, making it the polar opposite of the fist-pumping, jingoistic anthem Reagan and his handlers believed it to be.
John Mellencamp vs. John McCain
After the McCain campaign began playing “Our Country” and “Pink Houses” at rallies during the 2008 presidential race, Mellencamp began quietly, and then not-so-quietly, requesting that they stop. "Mr. Mellencamp identifies very strongly with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and was supportive (with these same songs!) of the candidacy of John Edwards, on whose behalf he made several campaign appearances," Mellencamp’s publicist wrote to McCain’s team. "Are you sure you want to use his music to promote Senator McCain's efforts? Logic says that the facts might prove to be an embarrassment, were they to be circulated widely."
Don Henley vs. Chuck DeVore
During his 2009-2010 run for the California senate, republican candidate Chuck DeVore parodied two Don Henley hits, “The Boys of Summer” (which became “Hope of November”
and “All She Wants to Do Is Dance” (“All She Wants to Do Is Tax”. An un-amused Henley sued DeVore for copyright infringement. "My colleagues and I brought this lawsuit to protect our music from being taken and used, without permission, to promote someone else's agenda,” he said in statement. “It was not a question of political ideology, but the right of artists to control the use of the works they create, and protect their livelihoods." Orleans vs. George W. Bush
In 2004, the Bush campaign often spiced up public events with the 1976 Orleans’ hit “Still the One.” That sparked the ire of the song’s co-writer, John Hall, who later became a New York congressman. Needless to say, when John McCain repeated the mistake at a 2008 campaign stop, Hall was none too pleased. "This is yet another example of John McCain not learning anything from George Bush's mistakes," Hall wrote to NBC News. "First, McCain adopted Bush's failed policy of an open-ended war in Iraq, then he wrapped his arms around the failed Bush economic policies that have put the squeeze on middle class families. Now, he's making the same mistake George Bush made illegally using a copyrighted song without asking either the writers or the performers for permission."
Foo Fighters vs. John McCain
Dave Grohl and company were upset to learn presidential candidate John McCain had been using their hit “My Hero” as his campaign theme songs. The republican nominee had apparently neglected to ask for permission first. "The saddest thing about this is that `My Hero' was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential," the band said in a statement. "To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song."
Gretchen Peters vs. Sarah Palin
After vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin used her song "Independence Day" a rally during the 2008 race, Peters struck back in a creative way: She donated all royalties earned during the election cycle to Planned Parenthood – in Sarah Palin’s name – and urged fans to make donations of their own. “The fact that the McCain / Palin campaign is using a song about an abused woman as a rallying cry for their vice presidential candidate, a woman who would ban abortion even in cases of rape and incest, is beyond irony,” Peters told CMT.
Van Halen vs. John McCain
At the conclusion of the rally at which he announced Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain cranked up the volume on Van Halen hit “Right Now.” Little did he know that both Eddie and Alex Van Halen were Obama supports. Needless to say, the band wasn’t too happy. "Permission was not sought or granted,” Van Halen said in a statement, “nor would it have been given."
