Congressman (John Hall) to McCain: Stop using my song

[sabra]

Source: MSNBC

<snip>

New Hampshire picked up McCain in the 2000 Republican primary and stayed true to him in 2008. It was fitting, then, that McCain concluded a Nashua event yesterday with the 1976 Orleans' hit celebration of monogamy, "Still the One."

Well, almost fitting.

Proving that campaign vetting should extend beyond vice presidential contenders (or those vetting the potential veeps), McCain sparked the ire of the song's co-writer, the founding member of Orleans and current New York congressman, John Hall.

"This is yet another example of John McCain not learning anything from George Bush's mistakes,” Hall wrote First Read in an interview over e-mail. “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."

Read more: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/06/13/1138458.aspx

---

*** UPDATE *** McCain camp sends over this response to MSNBC's David Shuster. "We love John Hall's stuff," spokesman Brian Rogers said. " We will take his concerns under consideration. Beyond that, we have no other comment."

[Amonester]

1. The Republican "moral value" at work: break all laws first...

then manage to get away with it scot-free later.

McSame is no exception.

[Virginia Dare]

2. Maybe Shania will let him use hers..

I hope Congressman Hall sues their asses. What a farce of a campaign he's running..:rofl: :rofl:

[underpants]

4. Maybe the braintrust in Camp McCain will use this as a backdrop

[ejpoeta]

12. is that the actual cover? if it is.... that's kind of funny.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Jeez, my first thought was "Hall and Oates"--got my cheezy 70's acts confused.

[JohnnyRingo]

5. Payback!

Obama should start using John Ashcroft's "When The Eagle Soars" at events!

I'm kidding, there's no such thing as good right wing music.

Pity the poor Republicans, forced to use public use songs from 100 years ago, or stealing liberal tunes and bastardizing the meaning, like when Tom DeLay used "If I Had A Hammer".

McCain bit off more than he can chew with John Hall however. Apparently no one in his camp knows that Buxh using his song was one of the reasons he went into Democratic politix.

[ladywnch]

6. " We will take his concerns under consideration. ........"

you'll take the law into consideration?!!!! How gracious of you!!!! How patriotic of you!!!!!

Thanks, but we already have a nut who takes the law "into consideration" before he ignores it. We don't need another.

[Fiendish Thingy]

7. Well, at least he's still got Lee Greenwood, doesn't he? ;-) n/t

[lurky]

8. I guess he's gonna be stuck with Ted Nugent.

Imagine McCain entering the convention to the sounds of Cat Scratch Fever.

"Well I am running a slight fever, so I guess it makes sense..."

[wryter2000]

16. Why not rip off something good?

Like Sympathy for the Devil.

Please, allow me to introduce myself...

[Mythsaje]

20. No,,, Maybe 'Dog Eat Dog' would be more appropriate...n/t

[DinahMoeHum]

9. Let McCain use Black Sabbath's "War Pigs". . .

IF he can get permission from Ozzy Osburne.

:evilgrin:

[Indenturedebtor]

10. You know I'm sure that he could! That would be awesome! McBush could

Enter with sparks and a lazer show and bight the head off an Iraqi Baby! The Fundies would love that!

Seriously though I hope that Congressman Hall sues the campaign.

[Zambero]

11. Hall should allow McCain to use another one of his songs

"Dance With Me" would be a perfect companion piece to the infamous huggy-kissy picture of McCain awkwardly wrapping his arms around a less than enthusiastic looking Bush.

[DinahMoeHum]

13. Either that song or "This Kiss", sung by Faith Hill

although I doubt she or her hubby Tim McGraw will allow him that - their allegiances are with Democrats and they were well-nigh pissed about Bush in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

:evilgrin:

[gratuitous]

14. Shorter McCain response: Who knew songs were written by people?

We can't just rip off anything we want?

[chelsea0011]

15. I love it when artists tell pols to stop using their music. I can't download

their music for free but pols think the music is free to use.

[last_texas_dem]

19. Me, too

It's the flip-side to when the wingnuts tell liberal artists to "shut up and sing." Repugs forget that the vast majority of artists don't agree with them politically and, while the right can bitch about artists expressing their political views, the artists can actually deny right-wing pols the right to use their music- and have legal standing to do so.

[LeftishBrit]

17. Might I suggest this for his campaign song?

If I Only Had a Brain


I could while away the hours
Conferrin' with the flowers
Consultin' with the rain
And my head, I'd be scratchin'
While my thoughts were busy hatchin'
If I only had a brain.


I'd unravel ev'ry riddle
For any individ'le
In trouble or in pain


With the thoughts you'd be thinkin'
You could be another Lincoln,
If you only had a brain.


Oh, I could tell you why
The ocean's near the shore,
I could think of things I never thunk before
And then I'd sit and think some more.


I would not be just a nuffin'
My head all full of stuffin'
My heart all full of pain.
I would dance and be merry
Life would be a ding-a-derry
If I only had a brain--Whoa!

[peacefreak]

18. Too bad he didn't try to use John Hall's "Power"

Just give me the warm power of the sun
Give me the steady flow of a waterfall
Give me the spirit of living things as they return to clay
Just give me the restless power of the wind
Give me the comforting glow of a wood fire
But won't you take all your atomic poison power away

Everybody needs some power I'm told
To shield them from the darkness and the cold
Some may seek a way to take control when it's bought and sold
I know that lives are at stake
Yours and mine of our descendants in time
There's so much to gain and so much to lose
Everyone of us has to choose

(boy, this second verse could be read more than one way these days)