Posted on 10/29/2004 2:58:25 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
WASHINGTON (AP) -- 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 was 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 Nicolle 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.
So glad AP finds this significant on a day when the ammo story comes apart and UBL releases another tape.
Good! I have always hated that song and I cringed when I heard it at a Bush rally.
Allright, allright. He will. On November 2nd.
OK, so now Orleans can rejoin Taco, King Harvest and Toni Basil on the "Where are they now/Who the heck were they then?" list of one-hit has-beens of the '80s.
Now Taco and Toni Basil I remember, but what in the blue hellwas King harvest????
Crappy song anyways.
Was this song being used to attract Log Cabin Republican vote? Nah, this song way to gay for even that.
Hall is full of crap. He sold rights to the song and the Bush campaign bought a license. Hall's just being a jerk, trying to give Kerry some pub.
This is already on the board. This thread should be merged. Please use search before you post. Also negative on Bush. Keep it on the qt.
thanks
Turtle - I did not post this, but I am sure she saw you message.
This MSM also knows how it works, this is just another attempt to do any little thing to try and change the impression that President Bush is honest and ethical.
Good. If these DUer's elect the bin Laden puppet,
Senator Kerry, Mr. Hall may soon not have the freedom
to refuse to allow Osama or anyone to use the "Still the One" song. Unless, of course, they can figure out a way for
the military to actually not want to "boo" Kerry off the
stage every time he comes around. Translation: When the
military goes, Mr. Kerry, who was against the draft before
he was for it, will have to draft THEM to fight bin Laden's
terrorists in our own country in order to protect Mr. Hall's
HEAD, forget about his silly song. Sad. So much brain
power with the potential to be lost in the war that bin
Laden will fight sooner or later with us.
If I remember any more, I may have to seek counseling...
PaMom
What's the guy in the middle looking at???
ROFL, you might need to give a warning, perhaps we need to add Kerry head to one of the guys!
Oh wait they like him, so it would be a waste of time.
The President doesn't need permission to play the song in public if he is not charging for it - else radio's in cars would have been banned a long time ago.
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