The Smiths’ guitarist, Johnny Marr, slammed Trump for playing the iconic band’s songs at his rallies. Marr joined a long list of famous musicians who have spoken up against their music being used at Trump’s rallies without consent.
Marr took things to X
Marr only found that Trump used the Smith’s song when ABC’s Soorin Kim posted a clip from Trump’s South Dakota rally. After hearing “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” playing, Marr wrote, “Ahh…right…OK. I never in a million years would’ve thought this could come to pass. Consider this s..t shut right down right now.”
Many people expressed their support
In a response to Marr’s X post, “Better Call Saul” actor Michael McKean wrote, “Go, Johnny, go!” Andrew Harrison of Podmasters UK added, “Trump degrades everything he touches.
Some commented on the song’s meaning
One person responded to Soorim Kim’s post, “Okay, the fact that the Smith’s song they went with is the whiners lament “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” is objectively very funny.” Another joked by alluding to another hit song by the same band, “Heaven knows he’s miserable now.”
Marr is not alone
James Irwin responded to Marr’s post, “Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before.” Michael Merrifield, professor of astronomy at the University of Nottingham, also went through Smith’s songs and wrote, “Bigmouth Strikes Again!”
Nothing new
David Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones, wrote in April 2023, “Pretty sure this fu..er keeps on using my dad’s music just to annoy me personally.” Jones found the clip of Trump and his family on journalist Aaron Rupar’s X account, where the caption said, “Trump’s warmup music tonight includes Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel.”
Queen also reacted
In 2019, Queen forced then-President Trump to drop “We Will Rock You” from one of his promo videos. After the video popped up, the band’s representative confirmed the band has “already entered into a process to call for non-use of Queen song copyrights by the Trump campaign.”
Queen vs. Trump in 2016
The legendary band was angered by Trump in 2016 after the then-presidential candidate walked to the Republican National Convention stage with “We Are The Champions” blasting in the background. Their publisher stated Queen does not want their “music associated with any mainstream or political debate in any country” and did not want it used “as an endorsement of Mr. Trump and the political views of the Republican Party.”
Prince Estate vs. Trump
In a 2019 statement, the estate of legendary singer Prince said, “The Prince Estate will never give President Trump permission to use Prince’s songs.” It added, “President Trump played Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ tonight at a campaign event in Minneapolis despite confirming a year ago that the campaign would not use Prince’s music.”
The estate had proof
On the official X account, Prince’s estate shared a letter from 2018, “Your letter requests, on behalf of the Estate of Prince Rogers Nelson (“Prince”), that the Campaign refrain from using Prince’s “Purple Rain,” or any other Prince music in connection with Campaign rallies or other Campaign events,” adding, “Without admitting liability, and to avoid any future dispute, we write to confirm that the Campaign will not use Prince’s music in connection with its activities going forward.”
R.E.M. members were straightforward
R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe said via bassist Mike Mills’ X, “Go f..k yourselves, the lot of you — you sad, attention-grabbing, power-hungry little men.” Trump used the band’s song “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” during his first campaign during a Washington, D.C. rally.
Mills had some thoughts
Bassist Mills wrote at the time, “Personally, I think the Orange Clown will do anything for attention. I hate giving it to him.” He then said there would be a statement: “The R.E.M. statement will be regarding Trump’s use of our song. Nothing more than that.”
Looking at the bigger picture
R.E.M.’s statement shared, “While we do not authorize or condone the use of our music at this political event, and do ask that these candidates cease and desist from doing so, let us remember that there are things of greater importance at stake here.” It added the media and voters should “focus on the bigger picture.”
Neil Young vs. Trump
“Donald Trump was not authorized to use ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ in his presidential candidacy announcement,” a spokesperson for Neil Young said, adding that the musician was supporting Bernie Sanders.
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