Politics and pop music have a testy kinship . For every birdcall supporting a particular politician or company , five more bonk him , her , or it – and more still hate on the total political system . Still , the relationship persists , and it ’s never more evident than during crusade seasons when candidates use music to connect with various stripe of voters and beef up their personal brands .
Sometimes , the relationship works well for everyone involved – witness President Obama ’s late consequence at Harlem ’s Apollo Theater , where hesang a few bars from Al Green ’s “ Let ’s remain Together . ”The clip went viral the next daylight , yield Obama some convinced promotional material , and bumped cut-rate sale of the track by nearly 500 percentage . On the other side of the gangway , Herman Cain struck Tea Party gold byplaying Krista Branch ’s “ I Am America ” at rally .
Things do n’t always go so smoothly . Newt Gingrichfaces a lawsuitfrom the Centennial State - writer of “ Eye of the Tiger , ” after he wreak it at safari event without his permission , and Ron Paulraised eyebrowsby employing the “ Imperial March ” ( also known as the Darth Vader theme ) in New Hampshire .
To commemorate election year 2012 , we put together a Spotify play list of presidential campaign birdsong past and present include one from every campaign since 1933 . You ’ll also find some noted highlight and lowlights of our political euphony history below the play list link :
take heed toCampaign Songs Past and Present – The Evolver.fm Spotify Playlist
Notable standouts explained :
Harry S. Truman ( 1945 ) – “ I ’m Just Wild About Harry ” : Truman chance a middle earth between cheesy , crusade - specific strain of yore and the appropriated pappa song we ’re used to now . “ I ’m Just Wild About Harry ” was a popular Broadway number that happened to conspicuously feature the nominee ’s name – a winnings - win in terms of making the birdcall his while attract to pop taste . Alas , it kick off an unfortunate musical trend of paint campaigner in a somewhat romantic light . We wonder how many Truman supporters were thinking about “ the celestial blisses of his kisses ” when they stepped into the voting cubicle .
Lyndon B. Johnson ( 1963 ) – “ Hello Lyndon ” : With a name like Lyndon , it was unconvincing that LBJ would stick to Truman ’s pencil lead with a popular strain that he could hazard was about his campaign . Instead , he went with the next best affair : getting Carol Channing ( the original “ Dolly ” in “ Hello Dolly ” ) , to sing that signature air with his name instead . We ca n’t find a recording of it , so we ’ll have to settle for sitting here attempt to think of words that rime with Lyndon .
George McGovern ( 1972 ) – “ Bridge Over Troubled Water ” : … And the award for most queerly curb campaign song ever move to 1972 popular campaigner George McGovern . It ’s not that the Simon & Garfunkel ballad is n’t great ; I just ca n’t reckon its quiet instrumentation and musing lyrics inspiring an impassioned reaction at rally . It ’s almost like McGovern saw his landslide loss to Nixon come . This may have been his way of warning us .
Bob Dole ( 1996 ) – “ Dole Man ” : Continuing in the custom of “ Hello Lyndon , ” Dole had Sam Moore of the groupSam and Daverejigger his former mathematical group ’s ’ 67 hit “ Soul Man . ” Unfortunately for the “ Dole man , ” Isaac Hayes and David Porter , who wrote the song , were n’t glad about associating their music with Dole ’s conservative politics and jeopardise lawsuits if he continued using it without their license .
George W. Bush ( 2004 ) – “ Wo n’t Back Down ” : Rock musicians tend to be a fairly liberal bunch , so it can be hard for Republican candidates to happen a skillful clenched fist - pumping anthem without getting sued . Such was the case for George W. Bush . Not only did Tom Petty issue a cease - and - refrain letter to the Bush political campaign for using the song , but he continue to toy it live , at a political party at Al Gore ’s house on the night of his yielding to Bush .
Newt Gingrich ( 2012 ) – “ Eye of the Tiger ” : Gingrich had been using this Survivor strain , which also accompanied a noted fight montage in Rocky III , all run time of year long – that is , until co - writer Frankie Sullivan process to make him stop earlier this week . Newt can take some solacement in the fact that at least one Survivor dance orchestra member confirm him . Guitarist Jim Peteriktoldthe Chicago Sun - Times he thinks Gingrich is looking “ better and better . ” peradventure he and Gingrich can sour on a newfangled translation a la “ Dole Man . ” “ Eye of the Newt , ” anyone ?
( Photo good manners of Flickr / Damon Edwards )
Evolver.fm observes , tracks and analyzes the medicine apps scenery , with the belief that it ’s crucial to how human being have music , and how that experience is evolving .
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