news item:
Rock group Heart says "Barracuda" use by RNC is fishy
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080905/en_nm/heart_palin_dc_1
I didn't realize ASCAP license fees gave politicians blanket coverage to use songs in campaigns. But this has happened before, and usually campaigns will stop using songs if asked. (Mellencamp asked some Repub last year to stop using "Our Country", and of course there was the Springsteen/Reagan "Born in the USA" dust-up.) If Palin keeps using it, the Wilsons should donate the royalties to the Obama campaign.
All of this makes me even more curious about the Dems' use of Brooks & Dunn last week, and whether B&D approved.
ETA, per Rolling Stone:
If it felt familiar when Brooks & Dunn’s “Only In America” played after Barack Obama’s acceptance speech last night, there was good reason: President George W. Bush used the same song four years ago when he was rallying against Democratic candidate John Kerry. Brooks & Dunn were big supporters of Bush, even playing W’s inauguration party back in 2001. So how does Kix Brooks feel about Obama’s use of the track? He wasn’t angry at Obama for using the song, a la Jackson Browne with John McCain. Instead Brooks said, “Seems ironic that the same song Bush used at the Republican Convention last election would be used by Obama and the Democrats now. Very flattering to know our song crossed parties and potentially inspires all Americans.”
So, they haven't complained, but they're clearly not Obama endorsers either.