Commonality

A number of bands musicians have one thing in common. They were all pissed off that Donald Trump used their songs. Some of them reacted in different ways, with the “Boss” Bruce Springsteen having the best reaction. Trump used his “Born in the USA” song, at his rallies, in 2016. What Springsteen did was openly voiced his support for Clinton. The song started being booed at Trump rallies. The song was no longer played. The following is a short list, and I do mean short, of others who were pissed off at Trump playing their songs.

Neil Young, Canadian, and a supporter of Bernie Sanders, has had an ongoing fight with Trump since Trump started playing his “Rockin in the Free World” song back in 2015. Young, in 2015, said that Trump was not allowed to play the song. Trump, who is a Young fan, had his campaign buy the legal rights to the song. Young kept attacking Trump saying that misogyny and racism were not rockin him politically. in 2018 Young stated that Trump’s use of the song violated Young’s personal and political values. In 2020 Young called Trump a disgrace to America and filed a lawsuit claiming a copyright ingringement.

R.E.M. were upset that the Trump campaign playeed their “It’s the End of the World” song. They filed a cease and desist legal action. Michael Snipe of R.E.M. made the following twitter statement to show his, to put it mildly, displeasure at the entire Republican establishment “Go F$%K yourselves the lot of you – you sad attention grabbing power-hungry little men”.

Dee Snider, of Twisted Sister, had become friends with Trump during his stint at “Celebrity Apprentice”. Therefore, Snider allowed Trump to use the song “We’re not Gonna Take It”. As Trump’s extreme views became more and more prominent, Snider called Trump and asked him to stop playing the song. Apparently, Snider was not gonna take it.

Adele was upset that Thrump was using her songs during Trump’s campaign rallies, including “Skyfall”. Adele indicated that she had not given permission for her songs to be used and pulled a Springsteen thing by expressing during a concert “Don’t vote for him. I am English, but what happens in America affects me, too.” She then went on to fully endorse Hillary Clinton.

Like I said a short list. Other musicians include : Rolling Stones; Elton John; Queen; Nickleback; the estates of Prince, George Harrison and Tom Petty. There are numerous others.

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