Republicans and Rock Don’t Mix

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This curious episode — in which former Floria Governor Charlie Crist apologizes as part of a lawsuit settlement for a campaign ad that used a Talking Heads song without permission — is just the most extreme variant of a story which dates to at least 1984, when Bruce Springsteen complained that Ronald Reagan had misappropriated “Born in the USA.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4k13LmlcUE&feature=player_embedded#at=72]

Byrne is just one of countless rockers — including Heart, Bon Jovi, Rush, Van Halen, Don Henley, Tom Petty and the Foo Fighters — who in recent years have told Republicans to quit using their music at campaign rallies and/or that they’ve distorted the message within their music. And The Boss is now on Chris Christie’s case, although over policy and not his music.

That said, I’m not familiar with another episode involving a televised ad and copyright issues, which was the basis of Bryne’s lawsuit–although the former Talking Heads frontman is clearly a liberal Democrat. (And, yes, technically speaking Crist, a former Republican, did run for Senate last year  as an independent.)

Anyway, maybe safer to stick with Ted Nugent?