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Note to aspiring politicians everywhere: don’t use Jackson Browne’s songs in your political advertising without asking.
Republican presidential candidate John McCain is learning that the hard way. Browne has filed a lawsuit against McCain and the Ohio and national Republican committees for a political ad that featured his song “Running On Empty” without his permission. Browne is looking for $75,000 in damages for copyright infringement and a permanent injunction barring the McCain campaign from using the 1977 song in any form.
The ad reportedly ridiculed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s suggestion that Americans conserve fuel by making sure the tires on their vehicles are properly inflated. It featured Browne’s “Running On Empty,” but has stopped running since Browne’s suit.
Brian Rogers, a spokesperson for McCain, responded in a statement, "This campaign has never run any ad using any portion of Mr. Browne's song. If the complaint names the McCain campaign, Mr. Browne and his lawyers have picked the wrong target, and John McCain's name should obviously be removed from this lawsuit immediately." The chairman of the Ohio Republican committee, Robert Bennett, reportedly called the suit a “big to-do about nothing”.
According to Browne’s suit, the Ohio Republican party released the ad on behalf of McCain and the national Republican committee, which is why all of them are named in the suit.
Related links:
Features: Jackson Browne, Late For The Sky
JacksonBrowne.com
JohnMcCain.com
Got a news tip for Paste? E-mail news@pastemagazine.com.
The ad reportedly ridiculed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s suggestion that Americans conserve fuel by making sure the tires on their vehicles are properly inflated. It featured Browne’s “Running On Empty,” but has stopped running since Browne’s suit.
Brian Rogers, a spokesperson for McCain, responded in a statement, "This campaign has never run any ad using any portion of Mr. Browne's song. If the complaint names the McCain campaign, Mr. Browne and his lawyers have picked the wrong target, and John McCain's name should obviously be removed from this lawsuit immediately." The chairman of the Ohio Republican committee, Robert Bennett, reportedly called the suit a “big to-do about nothing”.
According to Browne’s suit, the Ohio Republican party released the ad on behalf of McCain and the national Republican committee, which is why all of them are named in the suit.
Related links:
Features: Jackson Browne, Late For The Sky
JacksonBrowne.com
JohnMcCain.com
Got a news tip for Paste? E-mail news@pastemagazine.com.
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Hey JB what's the matter?? John downloaded the song and paid for it, so he is entiltled to play it. What a crybaby you are..if it was played at a big pot party or over the intercom at a store, or anyplace eles would you whine?? When you sell music people who pay for it are entitled to play it!!
Umm, dragonfly, you might want to brush up on how copyright law works.
Er, well, no dragonfly777, that's not how it works. Like any advertiser, the Republican party would have to ask permission to (and likely pay) to use his recording in a commercial. It's called licensing, and it's become a big part of the music industry. Look it up.
Also, there's absolutely no chance that McCain "downloaded" the song, since he is virtually computer-illiterate.