http://www.wnbc.com/politics/3872966/detail.html
Permission? Who needs permission when you're the Bush campaign!
Permission? Who needs permission when you're the Bush campaign!
The Bush campaign abruptly stopped using the 1970's hit "Still the One" at campaign rallies Friday after the songwriter, no fan of the president, claimed the Republicans never got permission.
John Hall, a former Democratic county legislator in upstate New York, co-wrote the song and recorded it with his band Orleans in 1976. He complained on Friday morning about the campaign playing the song at the president's events.
The cheery pop tune opened and ended a Bush campaign rally in New Hampshire Friday, but then vanished from the political playlist.
"Out of deference to Mr. Hall's views, the song will no longer be played," said Bush campaign spokeswoman Nicole Devenish. She said the song had been included in a catalog of music that the campaign's licensing company used to provide music for events.
Hall, still a working musician at 56, wrote "Still the One" with his then-wife, Johanna D. Hall. The two, as well as surviving members of the band, are supporters of Democratic Sen. John Kerry and didn't want their work used to promote Bush's re-election.
"I'm not just some guy that's stoned out and happened to write a song, and even if I were, it would still be a problem, because you should always ask permission to use the work," Hall said.
Later, upon learning of the campaign's decision to pull the song, Hall welcomed the news and said, "It's obviously attractive as a slogan, but this election should be about content and facts."
Hall is also concerned that political use of the song could hurt its commercial appeal, scaring away advertisers. "Still the One" has been used by Applebee's, Burger King and the ABC network, according to Hall.
The songwriter said the campaign never sought permission to use the song, raising questions about royalty fees.
"If you have protectable copyrights to a song and someone is using it without permission, and especially if they know they're using it without permission, there is some sort of legal liability there and it may be that they could be required to pay royalties at the very least," said Daniel Healy, an intellectual property lawyer at the firm Anderson, Kill & Olick.
Hall, who lives in Dutchess County about 90 miles north of New York City, said his band recently declined an offer of $10,000 to perform at a fund-raiser for Maryland Republicans.
Originally posted by: conjur
She said the song had been included in a catalog of music that the campaign's licensing company used to provide music for events.
Originally posted by: Luck JF
Does a DJ need permission to play songs at events he deejays? They just need to buy the CD then they can play it all they like.
Not legally true.
Originally posted by: Luck JF
Does a DJ need permission to play songs at events he deejays? They just need to buy the CD then they can play it all they like.
Im sure this bum got his 10 cents off of the cd sale.
Originally posted by: bozack
and I am sure if Kerry had used one of his songs seeing as he is an avid supporter that this wouldn't have been an issue.
LOL Of course, you're hungover tooOriginally posted by: Kibbo
Conjur, I'm on your side and you're boring me.
Wow! The Bush campaign drops the song after being requested to do so, and this is proof that Bush sucks?Originally posted by: phillyTIM
Hahha - Bush's felching slaps him back once again! Good riddance, W!