As El Som noted in today’s Open Thread, Jack White has joined the veritable seven-nation army of musicians who’ve demanded Trump’s campaign stop using their music for rallies and online videos. The songs and artists who don’t want to be associated with Trump would make a long and varied playlist. Some of the artists have voiced distaste for him personally, though few as bluntly as White. Others seem more intent on protecting their rights to the songs.
I considered making a playlist of all the tunes Trump has been told to stop using, but it would be a weird one – Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” next to the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” next to the Smiths’ “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want,” and so on.
At some point, though, isn’t it just easier to ask people for permission? Why can’t they just stick to the Trumper musical brigade – Ted Nugent, Kid Rock, Jason Aldean? And why aren’t they playing Kanye and the clutch of B-list hip-hoppers who’ve endorsed Trump at his rallies in Arizona and Montana? Heh. I crack myself up sometimes.
The latest protest was lodged by Abba, or more properly their record company, over the use of three songs. “Dancing Queen” seems an odd choice, but “Money, Money, Money” speaks directly to a guy like Trump, even if it sounds like it’s coming from the mouth of Melania.
The song was released as the follow-up single to “Dancing Queen,” an international No. 1 in 1976. While it nearly duplicated that success in the UK, where it reached No. 3, but stalled at No. 56 on the Hot 100.
