Foo Fighters Tell McCain: Stop Using Our Song

NEW YORK — Yet another band is complaining about John McCain's use of their song to promote his campaign. This time, it's the Foo Fighters.

The rockers sent out a missive telling the Republican presidential candidate to stop using "My Hero." They said they learned it was being use through news reports.

"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."

The band noted it's not the first time McCain has been told to stop using a song. John Mellencamp, Heart and Jackson Browne have also complained _ Browne even filed a lawsuit.

Soul legend Sam Moore also has asked the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to stop using "Soul Man."

"The McCain-Palin campaign respects copyright. Accordingly, this campaign has obtained and paid for licenses from performing rights organizations, giving us permission to play millions of different songs, including `My Hero,'" said McCain-Palin spokesman Brian Rogers.

Comments

[Gina322]

How about this one?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ytCEuuW2_A


ROFLMAO!

[betheliza]

they are actually using the kenny loggins song from top gun... you know, the movie with the key character of 'maverick'

the maverick connection is not the reason why 'highway to the danger zone' is appropriate to use at mccant campaign events.

[jesuslovesObama]

The irony is that Top Gun is filled with so much homoerotic imagery and subtext.

[SCVADem]

How about Fall Out Boy?

"Am I more than you bargained for yet
I've been dying to tell you anything you want to hear
Cause that's just who I am this week"

[progressivelady]

I love the fact that NONE of these talented artist and there has been 6-8 artist tell the rightwingnut's stayaway from our music, rightwingnut's have to steal everything, they achieve nothing on there own

[Chansmom]

Or, Highway to Hell.

Yes, the fools, or advisors should know better. Permission via ASCAP or BMI should always be asked, and if they're caught, they're fined. And most artists don't want their music used without permission. Funny how these rules tend to be flouted. Cindy has the money, I'm sure she can throw a few bucks away for Johnny boys folly.

[Bush 08]

In a related story Andrew Ridgeley of Wham! has asked McCain to start using "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go," in his campaign. Ridgeley said that the song "wasn't really doing much lately" and might put some vigor back into the GOP. He went on to say, "it's a good song for them because half i time I listen to him speak i get sleepy..." George Michael could not be reached for comment.

(full disclosure, this probably did not happen)

[DogTown]

love it

[imfedup]

I still say they should use McCain's favorite song: Dancing Queen by ABBA.

[littlepuffycloud]

He should use 'Psycho Killer' for his theme song.

[SunshineDaydream]

GNATI HAS POSTED A LINK TO A VIRUS.

DO NOT CLICK THE LINK, AND PLEASE FLAG AS ABUSIVE.

[RageAgainstTheNeoCons]

How about Beauty and the Beast
or
Running with the Devil?

[holyhandgrenaid]

Running with the Devil: clever, but it wouldn't fly... I think Van Halen already asked them not to play Jump or another song (not certain which) right around the time the Palin pick was announced (but before Heart demanded 'Barracuda' not be played)

[brovold]

"Right Now" was the one--the Van Halen brothers objected..­.though Sammy Hagar I believe played at the Republican Convention­...probabl­y with advertising for his tequila in plain view.

[sws3030]

How about the theme song from The Omen movies?

[JoeyMichaels]

I could be wrong, but it sounds like what the McCain camp is saying is that they have a general license with ASCAP or a similar organization. This gives you the right to play songs in certain contexts. For example, ambient pre-speech music.

The moment a song is used in a context that alters its meaning - and, again, I could be wrong - you need to pay for a different level of rights to the song. This is definitely true in regards to using songs in, for example, a movie theater. The songs that are played in the background before the movie starts are covered by a general ASCAP license, while the songs used in the film itself were acquired in an entirely different way.

To whit, if McCain played "Barracuda" as part of a general pre-show mix of songs, it would mean some different than playing it as Sarah Palin enters the stage. Using it to introduce Palin alters its meaning and, thus, requires a different kind of agreement with the artists' licensing agents.

While I could be wrong, I'm 99% sure I'm not. McCain's campaign folks really should know better.

[wdw101]

or BMI

[imfedup]

You're lying so low in the weeds
I'll bet you're gonna ambush me

And if the real thing don't do the quick
You'd better make up something quick

I think this is the PERFECT song for Miss Half Baked Alaska

[gascelebrations]

"When I'm Sixty Four" works for me.

[BushSunkOurShip]

Republicans are arrogantly telling us ,, the under class people that this country is "THEIR" country and they are the ones that will make the laws and tell who will obey them and who will not.....
Didn't the attorney general make it plain enough when he stated....
NOT EVERY CRIME IS A CRIME THAT WILL BE PROSECUTED AND THE REPUBLICANS AND THEIR CRIMES WILL NOT BE PROSECUTED­...ONLY THE DEMOCRATS AND THE REPUBLICAN NONE BELIEVERS.

Prosecuted = Law = action = (republicans = No ... Democrats = Yes)
a. To initiate civil or criminal court action against.
b. To seek to obtain or enforce by legal action.

[Saganslegacy]

Why don't they play the Beach Boys:

Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran?

That fits?

[JenIA]

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2008/10/06/gretchen-peters-donates-royalties-from-indpendenct-day-planned-parenthood-palins-name

When the GOP used "Independence Day" to usher Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin to the stage after the debate in St. Louis, [Gretchen] Peters realized the party was truly perverting the chorus of her composition to suit their agenda and it was high time for Peters to make her feelings known."
Independence Day," written by Peters, was a hit for country singer Martina McBride in 1994. The lyrics tell the story of a woman's response to domestic abuse from the point of view of her daughter.

"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 says.

"They are co-opting the song, completely overlooking the context and message, and using it to promote a candidate who would set women's rights back decades. I've decided to donate the royalties from 'Independence Day' during this election cycle to Planned Parenthood, in Sarah Palin's name. I hope with the additional income provided by the McCain/Palin campaign, Planned Parenthood will be able to help many more women in need."

[rukiddingmerightnow]

How about Crazy Train - Ozzy Osborne

[JodyMcg]

Ramones-Ps­ychotherap­y