Neil Young was not pleased with Donald Trump’s decision to walk into his presidential announcement rally to Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World.”
Young’s manager, Elliot Roberts, told Mother Jones that Trump did not seek permission to use the song.
“Donald Trump’s use of ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ was not authorized. Mr. Young is a longtime supporter of Bernie Sanders,” Roberts said in a statement.
Trump is far from the first Republican candidate to be chided by musicians for playing their songs at a political event.
In January, the Dropkick Murphys told Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) to stop using their music because “we literally hate you.”
During the 2012 election, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich were told to stop playing Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” and K’naan’s “Wavin’ Flag.”
And in 2010, House Republicans were forced to cease using Aerosmith’s “Back in the Saddle.”
This has happened with GOP candidates more times than I can remember.
They’re immoral remorseless fucking thieves.
The Republicans shouldn’t complain. They’ve got their own “rockers”, right?
For example, I’m sure that Ted Nugent would allow them to play “cat scratch fever” over and over and over and over again.
All Republicans should use a Ted Nugent song. I recommend “Stranglehold”
Now we need Dylan on board. Unfortunately, Dylan accepted an award at the White House a few years ago from Obama which was very disappointing. Hard to figure Dylan, not so Neil. He’s one of the best of us: guts, and well-spoken, serious “stage appeal / charisma”, besides composes and sings some of the most powerful and beautiful songs ever published. Folks like Peter, Paul and Mary would help, any great performer most of us love could help We The People now, when folks are listening awhile.
The granddaddy of them all, I believe, was Reagan’s appropriation of ¨Born in the USA.¨
Springsteen was not amused.