Do political people even listen to their campaign songs?

[aimeeandbeatles]

While in the process of doing ... my research ... I found this article from The Island Packet, February 8, 2008. (Just ignore the article on the right)

Spoiler :

So to discuss, do you think political candidates should pay more attention to the campaign songs? What are some other silly choices you've seen? What songs did you think were good choices? What songs would you choose for a specific political person?

 

[Annex]

Some do, some dont. Some do but dont get the real meaning of the lyrics. I remember seeing one video of Reagan praising Bruce Springsteen for his song "Born in the USA"

 

[SuperJay]

Haha, that's a hilarious article.

And no, I don't think most politicians even know what their campaign songs really are. Though, Bill Clinton used Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" in his first (?) campaign and IIRC, he basically persuaded the band to get back together to perform it at his inaugural celebration... so presumably he actually knew the song.

While the intent of the song isn't so ridiculously contradictory (as in the case of "Born in the USA"), Christine McVie (keys) wrote the song about her divorce from bassist John McVie. The sentiment is pleasant enough in a generic way, but I always thought it was odd that Clinton used a breakup song for a campaign anthem.

 

[downtown]

This was a running joke on my last campaign. Some weirdo fanboy wrote a song for the guy I worked for, which he HATED...but if his wife got pissed at him, she'd come into the office and blast it on repeat.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Haha, that's a hilarious article.

I know, which is why I posted it. (FWIW, "American Girl" actually wasnt about suicide. But thats for another topic).

I could swear Ive seen a buncha political people use "I Won't Back Down," including Bush. Which lead to another interesting thing: Do musicians get associated with the political people who use their songs, even if they're not endorsement? There may be a study somewhere.

 

[Ajidica]

Given the attention given to campaign songs (never knew they existed until now), if I was running for an office I would play 'The Internationale' just to get some reactionaries riled up.

 

[bhsup]

This would be my campaign song. And...if you cannot see it due to copyright issues, that fits too!


Link to video.

/me sings, "We'll raise up our glasses against evil forces singing 'Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses!'"

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

This would be my campaign song. And...if you cannot see it due to copyright issues, that fits too!

Isn't giving beer to horses a bad idea?

 

[bhsup]

Only if they're not a true horse.

 

[madviking]

Ugh. "Anything by Nickelback or Daughtry..."??? That's gotta be the surest way to lose votes.

 

[The Yankee]

Eliot Spitzer used "This Little Light of Mine" in one (maybe more) of his commercials. My opposing campaign made fun of it, but it never got anywhere. He was the "Steamroller" then.

With what happened to his governorship, maybe we could apply it to Client 9 jokes.



Generally, I don't think most campaigns pay attention to anything but the chorus or what they see on Chevy commercials.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

This would be my campaign song. And...if you cannot see it due to copyright issues, that fits too!


Link to video.

/me sings, "We'll raise up our glasses against evil forces singing 'Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses!'"

What is Jonas Quinn doing there with that obnoxious chinstrip goatee (and, later, wig, high heels, and cloths like a prostitute)?

 

[Godwynn]

Link to video.

Ultimate campaign song

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I so enjoyed the outrage when Hilly used "When the Lady Smiles".

"Oh noes, the clip has raped nun!"

Gawd I love America

 

[Cutlass]

I just love it when the artist who created the song tells the politician to cut out using it.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I just love it when the artist who created the song tells the politician to cut out using it.

Like the example I posted?

 

[Cutlass]

Sure. I think there were others, but I don't have the articles saved, so I can't prove it. Pretty sure Dee Snyder once told a politician he couldn't use a Twisted Sister song.

edit: A bit of google-fu shows Don Henley, Rush (against Rand Paul), The Foo Fighters (against John McCain), and John Mellencamp (against John McCain).

 

[bhsup]

IIRC, in 92 Bush had to quit using a song as well, but darned if I can remember who it was... I do remember that Clinton/Gore used Fleetwood Mac but I think that was okay.

 

[Evil_Abe]

Its not a campaign song, but Sean Hannity's radio show's theme song is "Independence Day" which is about an abused woman burning her husband in a house fire...

 

[The Yankee]

This would be my campaign song. And...if you cannot see it due to copyright issues, that fits too!

/me sings, "We'll raise up our glasses against evil forces singing 'Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses!'"

Actually sing the song in a commercial, and you got my vote.

Ultimate campaign song

You also got my vote. Make sure you and the Conspiracy don't run for the same office.

Its not a campaign song, but Sean Hannity's radio show's theme song is "Independence Day" which is about an abused woman burning her husband in a house fire...

But the song says "Let freedom ring!"

Which must mean that Britain was the abusive father/husband.

Yet another example of campaigns/hosts/etc. just using the chorus while forgetting there's about two minutes of other material.

Hannity also uses (or used, haven't heard the radio show in a while) "The Way It Is." Again, I'm still not sure what that has to do with Hannity's politics.