PRINTRock the vote
Spreading political messages through music
Kristin Kellogg
August 28, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Maybe your iPod playlist does say a lot about your political persuasion.
If your mixes are stocked with country stars such as Toby Keith and aging rockers such as Ted Nugent, you might be a fan of John McCain. But if you prefer hip-hop beats from Nas and Jay-Z and indie-pop stars, including Conor Oberst, you might be a Barack Obama supporter.
Vox looks back at some of the most well-known campaign theme songs in history.
“Happy Days are Here Again” – Leo Reisman
Trying to uplift morale in the throes of the Great Depression, Franklin Delano Roosevelt picked an upbeat big-band tune for his 1932 election.
“Bridge Over Troubled Water” – Simon & Garfunkel
Appealing to war-weary supporters, 1972 presidential candidate George McGovern picked a flower child favorite.
“Born in the U.S.A.” – Bruce Springsteen
Miscasting the Boss’ intentions, Ronald Reagan tried to adopt it in 1984 as a campaign theme.
“Don’t Stop” – Fleetwood Mac
Used by Bill Clinton in his 1992 campaign, it’s still played at many Clinton speeches.
“Soul Man” – Sam & Dave
In 1996, Dole’s campaign renamed this soul classic “Dole Man.”
“Still the One” – Orleans
Orleans member John Hall requested this pop track be removed from George W. Bush’s playlist in 2004. Hall went on to serve in New York’s 19th Congressional district as a democrat.
“Our Country” – John Mellencamp
In February, the singer-songwriter asked that John McCain refrain from using the song in his campaign. Mellencamp performed at rallies for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
--Lindsay Eanet
Live and recorded music have always been essential to the political arena. High-energy tunes can create momentum among supporters and convey a candidate’s spirit in a way dull speeches can’t.
At the national level, presidential hopefuls have distinct musical tastes. According to the The Boston Globe, Obama’s music coordinators play energetic Motown classics such as Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and Natasha Bedingfield’s recent pop hit “Unwritten.”
McCain is known for picking oldies but goodies. His campaign plays tracks from the ’60s and ’70s, including ABBA’s “Take a Chance on Me” and the Beach Boys’ “Barbara Ann,” which created controversy when McCain renamed it “Bomb Iran” in April of 2007 during a town hall meeting in South Carolina.
This presidential election has seen grassroots organizations contributing music to their favorite candidates, too. Obama enthusiast Marla Turner started the Obama Music, Arts and Entertainment Web site where artists share their music, photography and more with the public free of charge in support of the candidate.
Turner says she started the Web site because of multiple e-mails she received about Obama fans wanting to create art to support him. She then decided to create a place where people could post original songs such as “Barack Around the Clock” and “Go Bama Go.” “Everything has been inspired out of Obama,” Turner says. “You will find some hip-hop, jazz, hard rock, metal, folk, a cappella. So there’s a huge variety, and there’s some international contributions, too.”
The Web site now has about 50 original songs and 30 awaiting final approval. Some are from popular musicians such as Bonnie Raitt and Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron, and other songs come from unsigned talent.
Offline, state and local candidates often use concerts to spread their messages. Nate Kennedy, chairperson of the Young Democrats of Missouri College Federation, has helped organize concerts for democrats in Boone County, including the annual Demstock. The concert is held multiple times a year at The Blue Fugue. “It’s just something to liven up the event and give it energy,” Kennedy says.
John Becker, the deputy treasurer for Kenny Hulshof and a drummer, says music varies depending on the event. But patriotic tunes such as “God Bless America” or country hits such as Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” are used frequently to instill a sense of national pride in supporters. Becker also plays drums with a band of supporters at meetings for the republican-allied Pachyderm Clubs.
All the music isn’t always that conservative though. “I went to one where they had three or four accordion players, and actually, it was quite the show,” Becker says. “They walked around and played to different people. It really set the tone for the entire occasion.”
Although music is an important political motivator, Kennedy says it does little to actually influence voters. “It’s really more of a rallying thing for the base voters to make sure they’re energizing and they will carry the persuasive message,” he says.
Becker agrees and says supporters are already there. “It’s not going to motivate anybody toward one specific candidate, but it tends to be somewhat motivational,” he says. “It’s something used as a tool for enthusiasm. It brings things to life as music does with a lot of different things.”
Music and politics have a longstanding symbiotic relationship. The ties between music and political campaigns date back to a reworking of “God Save the Queen” written for George Washington’s electoral campaign.
Singer-songwriter David Rovics says the roadshow concept, which describes popular musicians touring with politicians, has been part of American politics since the Progressive Party candidate Henry Wallace had Pete Seeger travel with him for the 1948 election. Today, musicians who perform for candidates are far more commonplace.
So whether it’s Nas promoting Obama’s candidacy with his new track “Black President” or country music artist John Rich’s original “Raising McCain,” candidates and musicians alike recognize the power music has to emphasize a candidate’s message.
“(With music) you’re trying to reach people intellectually and emotionally in order to say this is the person you should be voting for,” Rovics says. “Or you should get off your ass and get involved in this campaign.”
