WOULD-BE REPUBLICAN ROCK ANTHEMS: SUBJECT TO RECALL McCain called himself “an ABBA fan,” though, critically, the debate moderators failed to quiz him on whether he really knew his “Voulez-Vous” from “The Visitors.” The “take a chance” meme may have sounded a little too “what have you got to lose?”-ish for voters looking for a more aggressive candidate. It’s unclear whether Kerry deliberately meant to reply to his “Swift-boating” detractors with the use of the John Fogerty song, but, regardless, anyone who was born wealthy and subsequently faced controversy over his service in Vietnam might have wanted to deflect rather than draw attention to it with a tune about the overprivileged in wartime.ĪBBA’s “Take a Chance on Me,” used by John McCain in 2008 The third-party candidate felt like he’d been dismissed by traditional politicos as a crackpot, so why not embrace the label and run with it, as a nudge-nudge joke? “While we’re on the crazy theme,” he announced, “I’ve got a theme song for my campaign.” As his political career ground to a halt, he seemed crazy neither like a fox nor like a country legend.Ĭreedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son,” used by John Kerry in 2004 Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” used by Ross Perot in 1992 PERFECTLY CRAZY CHOICES (INCLUDING “CRAZY”) “God it’s so painful / Something that’s so close / And still so far out of reach”… Tell us about it, Tom. Tom Petty’s “American Girl,” used by Hillary Clinton in 2016 Wonder and Obama were a match made in heaven, even if the singer did mention that “like a fool I went and stayed too long … I’ve done a lot of foolish things that I didn’t really mean.” Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” used by Barack Obama in 2008 It mattered little that the song hints at some unsavory backstory: “I know you don’t believe that it’s true / I never meant any harm to you” falls low on the scale of campaign promises. INSPIRATIONAL DEMOCRATIC ANTHEMS WITH DARK UNDERTONESįleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop,” used by Bill Clinton in 1992Ĭlearly, this is the most indelible use of an existing hit for a campaign or convention in recent history. With the custom-penned “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too,” William Henry Harrison could at least could be confident he was not in store for any cease-and-desists, but now it’s hard to resist a Tom Petty needle-drop, even if you are going to be hearing from the estate.Ī look back at some memorable campaign songs and where they fall on the well-chosen to misbegotten scale, assembled loosely by category: Still, there remains little appetite on either side of the aisle for a return to the glory days of candidates having theme songs written on spec, for all the seeming benefits that would offer. That’s a term no one has ever applied to Trump’s eternal and still baffling affection for the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” a choice that remains a head-scratcher not just in its individual lyrics or even general mood but from its lowball-threatening title forward. It remains to be seen whether that somewhat obscure but extremely hep pick will stick as a definitive campaign song, but if it does, there is a word for it as a choice: explicable.
When Biden made an online public appearance with Kamala Harris, they used Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up” as an at least temporary theme song. Joe Biden has revealed his running mate, but has he selected a theme song? Will Donald Trump continue to keep using his already well-known music picks from the rally circuit, almost all of which have had their creators disavowing him, if not (in Neil Young’s case) suing over their usage? This post was originally published on Vibe.As the 2020 Democratic and Republican conventions unfold, one race will come more sharply into focus: the music race. Just one big, urgent wake-up call to Latinos everywhere. The Puerto Rican singer smashes white supremacy and chin-checks Donald Trump in one fell swoop. Tego Calderón, Tito Auger, MiMi Maura & El Topo – “La Marulla”Ī wall worth putting up, as “La Marulla” illustrates a world not in the colonial hands of the United States. Not as readily digestible a song of protest, but it’s sure an anthem of pride and resilience, as the Fania crew honors Taina warrior and chief, Anacaona, who rebelled against her Spanish conquerors and was slain for it. A poignant reminder by Dominican artist Vakeró that police brutality runs disproportionately in black and brown communities.Ī timely and necessary note on belonging here, and traveling of the world without boundaries.Ī song about straddling borders, and belonging to two homelands.
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