Coldplay frontman Chris Martin told British tabloid The Sun that the band got permission from the White House to use a snippet of President Obama singing “Amazing Grace” for its new album set to debut Friday.
President Obama sang the first chorus of the hymn during his eulogy in June for the victims of the Charleston, South Carolina church shooting.
Martin told The Sun that the band was given rights to a “tiny clip” of the performance for the album, “A Head Full Of Dreams.”
Watch Obama sing “Amazing Grace” this summer:
And now he really is a rock star.
This was a public speech broadcast on every major and minor network. How is this not in the public domain, i.e., why was permission from the White House needed?
Full disclosure: NOT a lawyer.
tomorrow’s headlines today: Millions of angry wingnuts promise to never again buy a CD from a band they’ve never heard of.
They really didn’t have to ask. It was just a nice thing to do, a way to show respect, and also a way to make sure the White House wouldn’t mind.
That’s a good question, but it does say something about Coldplay that they chose to seek permission instead of simply using the clip without asking as so very many Republicans do.