[jeannineinsd]

The George Harrison estate issued a complaint against the song Here Comes the Sun being used at the Republican National convention last night. The complaint was issued in the form of a tweet.

George Harrison died in 2001. I assume "George Harrison's estate" is his second wife, Olivia Arias Harrison and their son, Dhani Harrison.

Olivia Arias Harrison was born in Mexico City in 1948, and moved with her family to the Los Angeles area in the 1950s. She met George Harrison when she was working at A&M Records in the 1970s.

In spite of what the article says, my own ears tell me it was not the Beatles' version of Here Comes the Sun that played last night, but instead a version by the cover band.

I did a very brief online check, and found that another company is involved in the publishing rights to George Harrison's music.

http://variety.com/2016/music/news/george-harrison-estate-partners-with-bicycle-music-company-1201680368/

I don't know they have a legal issue. I hope some freepers with knowledge and experience in this matter will speak up.

[heights]

Never heard George make ones single political remark, hell he met with President Ford, and gave him a tie.

[Bringbackthedraft]

I am the tail end of the greatest generation. “Donald Trump for using the song, calling the act “offensive”, it seems everything today is offensive to someone. Get skin folks, today’s generation would have never made it through the 30’s and 40’s. Whine, whine, whine, everything is so self centered and easy money driven. Its not like the Trump organization was selling albums for profit. Trump could have used the Civil War song Tramp, tramp, tramp the boys are marching, and turned into Trump Trump Trump, the voters are marching, to the voting booths they will go, etc. etc. parody on! So many non issues from the whiners, it becomes over whelming and annoying.

[Gay State Conservative]

Somehow I suspect that the guy who wrote “Taxman” might not have been bothered.Pay his heirs whatever the typical royalty might be and be done with it.

[Nifster]

Ah too bad

If they paid to use it you got nothing

[moovova]

I heard that and wondered.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I am a big fan of George Harrison’s music. But Trump or the RNC used the music within the terms of the license. That’s all there is to it - if the Harrison estate wants to personally vet the politics of everyone who might happen to like George’s music, they can go to court to make his music available under another license which gives them that authority.

[CommerceComet]

You can’t have your cake and eat it too. If the Harrison Family doesn’t want someone to use George’s music, it shouldn’t have sold the rights.

[Locomotive Breath]

Well since Citizens United the left has been insisting that corporations aren’t people. In that case, estates aren’t people either.

[lacrew]

The venue needs to have a ‘public performance’ license...odds are this convention center did.

This link gives some specific instances, in which an artist can protest...I don’t think playing a song one time fits any of these instances.

http://www.ascap.com/~/media/files/pdf/advocacy-legislation/political_campaign.pdf

So, Harrison estate, tough.

[Cecily]

Yes, I am commenting on this particular statement here at FR, but I find that I no longer bother to get irritated or annoyed when brain dead celebrities issue their daily statements of outrage, or call those they disagree with every name in the book. They are just background noise. Who takes any of them seriously? They are so lame, trite and predictable in everything they do and say.

[Caipirabob]

I would prescribe them a daily dosage of “Growacet” and “Gedovait”...

[mjp]

George Harrison wrote Taxman which was an anti-libtard tax and spend song

[Fiji Hill]

I agree with George Harrison. Trump shouldn't have used that song. He should have used this version of "Here Comes the Sun," which is far, far better.