Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

McCain' Passes on Abba's Chance
Reuters via Yahoo! News ^ | 19 Feb 2008 | Jason Szep

Posted on 02/19/2008 1:27:32 PM PST by The Pack Knight

APPLETON, Wisconsin (Reuters) - Would Abba take a chance on him? Republican presidential front-runner John McCain is not so sure and said he opted against playing the 1977 hit "Take a Chance on Me" by the Swedish group at his campaign rallies because of licensing and other concerns.

"It's more difficult to play 'let's take a chance on me' than I thought," the four-term Arizona senator told reporters aboard his campaign plane.

"It gets expensive in a big hurry and if you're not careful you can alienate some Swedes," he joked. "If word gets out to Stockholm that we're using Abba music, then there'll be a worsening in U.S.-Swedish relations."

The hit disco song, which begins "If you change your mind, I'm the first in line," could sum up McCain's courtship of the powerful conservative wing of the Republican Party.

Some conservative Republicans distrust McCain because of his moderate stances on illegal immigration and other issues. Getting their votes in November's election to succeed President George W. Bush is one of McCain's top challenges.

Popular music and hit songs are common on the campaign trail. Candidates use them to pump up crowds before they take the stage, and to subtly reinforce campaign messages. But they occasionally get a candidate in trouble.

McCain's Republican rival, Mike Huckabee, found that out last week when the founder and songwriter of the rock band Boston claimed his 1970s hit "More Than a Feeling" was being used by the former Baptist preacher without his permission.

McCain said he also ran into problems while using the soundtrack from the 1976 Hollywood movie "Rocky."

After playing the anthemic horns of the "Rocky" theme song at his rallies, the owner of the song's copyright telephoned the McCain campaign to politely complain it was being used without permission, McCain said.

"It wasn't a formal complaint or a letter. Someone just called on the phone and said 'Hey, that's our property,"' he said.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: abba; mccain
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-34 next last

1 posted on 02/19/2008 1:27:35 PM PST by The Pack Knight
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: The Pack Knight
McCain’s moderate stance on illegal immigrants??? His stance is out of touch with close to 80% of the American people
2 posted on 02/19/2008 1:31:48 PM PST by barneyrubble
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The Pack Knight

If the Republicans wanted to play “Ode to Joy” they’d get a call from someone claiming to be Beethoven to knock it off.


3 posted on 02/19/2008 1:36:59 PM PST by CzarNicky (The problem with bad ideas is that they seemed like good ideas at the time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The Pack Knight

Playing Abba would be more reason not to vote for this a-hole.


4 posted on 02/19/2008 1:37:19 PM PST by Slump Tester (-What if I'm pregnant Teddy? Errr-ahh Calm down Mary Jo, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The Pack Knight

At first, cursory glance at the title, I was wondering when Mahmud Abbas decided to run for president.


5 posted on 02/19/2008 1:37:36 PM PST by G8 Diplomat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CzarNicky

Theme songs.

It makes me wonder. How long can such an unserious nation last?


6 posted on 02/19/2008 1:39:45 PM PST by AIM-54
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: The Pack Knight

"SLICHA???"

7 posted on 02/19/2008 1:40:49 PM PST by Alter Kaker (Gravitation is a theory, not a fact. It should be approached with an open mind...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The Pack Knight

“Take a Chance on Me” as a campaign song?

Sheese.


8 posted on 02/19/2008 1:42:00 PM PST by Fido969 ("The hardest thing in the world to understand is income tax." - Albert Einstein)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #9 Removed by Moderator

To: The Pack Knight
Fernando or Chiquitita would be more appropriate for McCain.

Gimme Gimme Gimme a Man After Midnight, for Hillary.

I Have a Dream or We’re all Following the Pied Piper, for Obama.

10 posted on 02/19/2008 1:51:59 PM PST by JRochelle (The cult of Obama is real.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Abbeville Conservative

Maybe Ides of March can tour with him. All the kids love the funk-rock sound of “Vehicle”.


11 posted on 02/19/2008 1:54:28 PM PST by oblomov
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Abbeville Conservative
What’s next John, the Pina Colada song?

The only thing worse than having an affair with John McCain would be realizing I was married to him while having an affair with him.

12 posted on 02/19/2008 1:54:54 PM PST by CzarNicky (The problem with bad ideas is that they seemed like good ideas at the time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: The Pack Knight

Weird Al has a song called “you’re sort of everything I ever wanted.” Maybe McCain can use that. Switch the gender and make it about voting instead of romance, and conservatives could relate in their feelings about McCain:

“Oh, I couldn’t live a single day without you
Actually, on second thought, well, I suppose I could
Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, honey, you’re the greatest
Well, at any rate, I guess you’re...pretty good

Now, it seems to me I’m relatively lucky
I know I probably couldn’t ask for too much more
I honestly can say you’re an above-average lady
You’re almost just what I’ve been looking for

You’re sort of everything I ever wanted
You’re not perfect, but I love you anyhow
You’re the woman that I’ve always dreamed of
Well, not really...but you’re good enough for now

You’re pretty close to what I’ve always hoped for
That’s why my love for you is fairly strong
And I swear I’m never gonna leave you, darlin’
At least ‘til something better comes along

‘Cause you’re sort of everything I ever wanted
You’re not perfect, but I love you anyhow
You’re the woman that I’ve always dreamed of
Well, not really...but you’re good enough for now
No, not really...but you’re good enough for now”


13 posted on 02/19/2008 1:54:55 PM PST by Our man in washington
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The Pack Knight

Maybe he can get something appropriate from Led Zeppelin.


14 posted on 02/19/2008 1:55:25 PM PST by FR Class of 1998 (the long term solution to corruption is to starve the government of money)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JRochelle
If McCain selects Graham or Crist as his running mate, the appropriate song for them would be “Dancing Queen.”
15 posted on 02/19/2008 1:57:14 PM PST by MBB1984
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: barneyrubble
McCain’s moderate stance on illegal immigrants??? His stance is out of touch with close to 80% of the American people.

That's the media's definition of moderate.

16 posted on 02/19/2008 1:59:21 PM PST by puroresu (Enjoy ASIAN CINEMA? See my Freeper page for recommendations (updated!).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MBB1984
How about Waterloo?
17 posted on 02/19/2008 2:00:04 PM PST by puroresu (Enjoy ASIAN CINEMA? See my Freeper page for recommendations (updated!).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: The Pack Knight

His daughter Meghan posts regular playlists on her blog. He should let her handle the music:

http://www.mccainblogette.com/docs/playlist/


18 posted on 02/19/2008 2:00:13 PM PST by iowamark
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The Pack Knight
he opted against playing the 1977 hit "Take a Chance on Me"

John McCain prefers "Everybody Loves A Clown", by Gary Lewis and the Playboys.

"They all laugh when they say me coming,
But you don’t laugh; you just go home running.

Everybody loves a clown, so why can’t you?
A clown has feelings too."

19 posted on 02/19/2008 2:03:04 PM PST by holymoly (Molon labe.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: barneyrubble
Maybe the Abba song, "Fernando" would be more appropriate. Or maybe their tome to the UN "I Have a Dream". That's a tune any moderate could love. Or "The Winner Takes it All"; a song appropriate for "me too" Republicans day after election.

No I'm not a fan. But those gals were so yummy looking.

20 posted on 02/19/2008 2:03:24 PM PST by isrul
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-34 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson