Bon Jovi Complains After Sarah Palin Uses Song At Rallies

Add Jon Bon Jovi to the ever-growing list of artists who have been rankled by Republicans using their songs at rallies. This time, the offender is Sarah Palin, who has been using Bon Jovi's 2006 hit "Who Says You Can't Go Home." Frontman Bon Jovi has made his political alliance abundantly clear, having hosted a $30,000-per-person fundraiser for Barack Obama at his New Jersey home. "We wrote this song as a thank you to those who have supported us over the past 25 years," Bon Jovi said. "The song has since become a banner for our home state of New Jersey and the de facto theme song for our partnerships around the country to build homes and rebuild communities. Although we were not asked, we do not approve of their use of 'Home.'" The McCain campaign maintains that they have made the necessary clearances for use of songs by Foo Fighters, Heart and others, but this is getting ridiculous.

Related Stories:
• "Stop Using My Song, Republicans!": A Guide to Disgruntled Rockers
• Bon Jovi Pack in Hits, Hardcores at Central Park Show
• Album Review: Bon Jovi, Have a Nice Day

• 
  MUSIC The Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments
• 
  MOVIES & TV 'Game of Thrones': The Show Vs. the Books
• 
  POLITICS Matt Taibbi: Facebook IPO vs. Shareholders
• 
  VIDEOS Exclusive: Garbage Rip Through 'I Think I'm Paranoid'

Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter