This bud's not for you!

So, ya know how every political candidate has a theme song? Clinton had Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop"; Regan used "Born in the USA" before Springsteen told him to back the F off. Well, in the tradition of Springsteen telling Washington where to stick their unwanted musical endorsements, two presidential hopefuls on the 2008 campaign trail have been basically told to shove it.

The chief songwriter and founder of the band Boston has more than a feeling that he's being ripped off by Mike Huckabee. In a letter to the Republican presidential hopeful, Tom Scholz complains that Huckabee is using his 1970s smash hit song "More Than a Feeling" without his permission...."Boston has never endorsed a political candidate, and with all due respect, would not start by endorsing a candidate who is the polar opposite of most everything Boston stands for," wrote Scholz, adding that he is supporting Democratic Sen. Barack Obama. "By using my song, and my band's name Boston, you have taken something of mine and used it to promote ideas to which I am opposed. In other words, I think I've been ripped off, dude!" [yahoo]

Just last week, John Mellencamp added his two cents:

It may be "Our Country," but it's John Mellencamp's song. When the liberal rocker found out his songs were being played at events for Republican John McCain's presidential campaign, Mellencamp's publicist sent a letter that questioned the campaign's playlist. "Are you sure you want to use his music to promote Senator McCain's efforts?" according to the letter sent to McCain's campaign on Monday. "Logic says that the facts might prove to be an embarrassment, were they to be circulated widely." McCain campaign spokesman Brian Rogers in Washington, D.C., said Thursday that the songs would no longer be played. He declined to elaborate. The letter explained Mellencamp was a liberal who had supported Democrat John Edwards, who recently dropped out of the race. Publicist Bob Merlis said Mellencamp told him that the situation made him uncomfortable and he couldn't imagine McCain would want to be associated with him. "You know, here's a guy running around saying, 'I'm a true conservative.'" Merlis told The Associated Press. "Well, if you're such a true conservative, why are you playing songs that have a very populist pro-labor message written by a guy who would find no argument if you characterized him as left of center?" [ap]

There's room enough here
for science to live
and there's room enough here
for religion to forgive
and try to understand
all the people of this land
this is our country
...
And poverty could be just another ugly thing
and bigotry would be seen only as obscene
and the ones who run this land
help the poor and common man
this is our country

"Our Country" John Mellencamp