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You know you're in bad shape when no one wants their songs to be associated with you!

The McCain-Palin is trying to emphasize the fact that Sarah is a woman. Not just a woman, but an attractive woman. Apparently her usual campaign theme song is Shania Twain's "She's Not Just a Pretty Face"

According to CNN's political ticker, "In another reminder that the campaign is actively promoting Palin?s feminine qualities while on the stump, the vice presidential candidate took the stage to Stevie Wonder?s ?Isn?t She Lovely?,? a departure from the usual campaign theme song, Shania Twain?s ?She?s Not Just a Pretty Face.?

American women are not going to vote for someone just because their VP is a woman. We're smarter than that and care more about the candidate's views than about her gender. A woman whose policies will set women's rights back will not get most women's votes, unless they're pretty darn conservative.

But that's not the only way music is making a splash when it comes to the McCain-Palin campaign. Apparently no one wants their music to be associated with them.

On 8/14/08, MTV reported that Jackson Browne was suing John McCain for copywrite infringement and false endorsement for using the song "Running on Empty" in one of his attack ads. According to Browne's lawyer: "They used a John Mellencamp song until he made them stop, and he used an ABBA song and a Frankie Valli song ? it's ridiculous and it's setting a terrible example," Iser said. "It's shocking that they don't even attempt to get permission. There's no copyright difference between using a song to sell cars or by people running for president. The music industry continues to suffer due to lack of respect for intellectual property rights, and a candidate for president has a duty to lead by example and ensuring their campaign does as well. The copyright protections are derived from the Constitution itself."

On 8/29/08, MTV reported that Van Halen had complaints about McCain's use of "Right Now" as he took the stage before announcing his choice of Palin as his running mate. According to MTV, the band's publicist stated that the band had not been asked permission to use the song, had no idea it would be used, and wouldn't have agreed to the request.

On 9/9/08, MTV reported that they had used Heart's Barracuda at the RNC and during campaign appearances despite the band's requests not to. The former guitar player from the band and co-writer of the song isn't upset that the Republicans are using it, but is pledging to donate part of the royalties from the song's use to the Obama campaign. Then again, they are only one of 6 bands who have complained about the use of their songs by the McCain-Palin campaign.

On 10/7/08 Gretchen Peters, who wrote the Martina McBride hit "Independence Day", complained when she noticed the song being played as Palin took to the stage at a rally after her debate with Joe Biden. According to the Dallas Morning News, "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," Ms. Peters says in an e-mail. "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." As a result, Peters is donating royalties accrued from the song to Planned Parenthood in Palin's name , saying "I hope with the additional income provided by the McCain-Palin campaign, Planned Parenthood will be able to help many more women in need."

On 10/8/08, the Foo Fighters issued an eloquent, scathing statement regarding the campaign's use of "My Hero", saying "This isn't the first time the McCain campaign has used a song without making any attempt to get approval or permission from the artist. It's frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people would repeatedly show such little respect for creativity and intellectual property. The saddest thing about this is that 'My Hero' was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song. We hope that the McCain campaign will do the right thing and stop using our song ? and start asking artists' permission in general."

On 10/14/08 Survivor complained about their use of "Eye of the Tiger" via a written statement on their website. "Survivor has no affiliation with John McCain or Sarah Palin. They have no right to use 'Eye Of The Tiger' in any way as part of their campaign. Using our music without our permission can give people the impression that we are supporters - this is not the case."

Yesterday, MTV reported that Van Halen was the latest in the string of musicians and songwriters complaining that their songs are being used without permission. McCain used the song "Who Says You Can't Go Home" at rallies last week.

Good thing for them that the campaign is down to its final weeks, but it's not exactly a good sign for McCain-Palin when musicians are protesting the campaign's use of their songs.

Full post as published by Random Ramblings About Life and Law School on October 18, 2008 (boomark / email).