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Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Music Heard On The Campaign Trail, Until The Lawyers Are Called

Kid Rock performs in Las Vegas. (AP)

Mitt Romney was using the song “Wavin’ Flag” by K’Naan. But then the Somali-born rapper asked him to stop.

Newt Gingrich was using a blast from the past — “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor. But Frankie Sullivan, a former band member, told the New York Timesthat a song can lose value if it becomes entwined in the public’s mind with a politician. He sued, and Gingrich stopped.

So what is being heard? Mitt Romney is playing Kid Rock’s “Born Free” at rallies.

And the Las Vegas Sun reports that another popular song with Republicans is Toby Keith’s “American Ride,” but as the Sun points out, Keith is a long-time Democrat, and while the song conjures up quintessential images of flag and country, the lyrics mention global warming,  and foreclosures– verses that the Gingrich Campaign cut out.

And Ron Paul has used the Darth Vader theme from Star Wars, while Rick Santorum was brought on stage Tuesday night with triumphant orchestral music–he may be on to something, after all, he won all three states up for grabs that day.

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