Maybe John McCain will bring back "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran"

Political candidates love to get the juices flowing at campaign rallies by playing pop hits that, well, supposedly capture the spirit of their campaigns. But isn't it a little embarrassing when a seemingly endless array of singers and songwriters behind the songs start going public, asking you to stop using their tunes? That's what has happened to the McCain campaign in recent days. As Ana Marie Cox notes at Time's Swampland blog, McCain is running out of songs to play at his rallies after getting cease-and-desist complaints from a slew of artists, including Van Halen, the Foo Fighters, Jackson Brown and Heart.

Cox links to all the various complaints. They include the Foo Fighters, who said their song, "My Hero," was being used in a way that "perverts the original sentiment of the lyric" since it was written "as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential," as well as Heart, who after seeing Sarah Palin appear at the Republican National Convention, accompanied by "Barracuda," issued a scathing statement saying the group had never authorized use of the song, adding "Sarah Palin's views and values in no way represent us as American women." (One of my friends has suggested that the media-shy Palin adopt Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Don't Ask Me No Questions" as a new theme.)

Every politician deserves a good theme song. So what should McCain do? Surely there must be an anthem out there that's a good fit for the maverick Senator from Arizona. Maybe we can help. If anyone has some helpful song suggestions, fire away. I'll try to post the best ideas soon. 

Photo: John McCain. Credit: Ron Edmonds /Associated Press

Comments

[Arth]

The perfect tune for McCain/Palin should be 'I touch myself'.

[Arizona]

I have a few song suggestions

Girl don't go away mad (just go away)-motley crue
Fat bottomed girls-queen
Another brick in the wall (part 1)-pink floyd
Balls to the wall-accept
Run to the hills-iron maiden
Lepper messiah-metallica
Send me your money-suicidal tendencies
Suicidal Failure-suicidal tendencies
Teas'n, Pleas'n-dangerous toys
Billy's got a gun-def leppard
Bad company-bad company
War pigs-black sabbath
In and out of love-bon jovi
Riding dirty-chamillionaire
In my dreams-dokken
Almost human- kiss
F*** the middle east- S.O.D.
Douche crew-S.O.D.
My last words-megadeth
wake up dead-megadeth
watch the children pray- metal church
blind in texas-wasp

Now out of this list there has to be at least one that will allow McCain to use there song. Hopefully one I should say.

[Plain Jane]

LA knows well that good Iranian families live all over the world post Iranian revolution. People who love their ancient culture and have embraced lives in America and everywhere. World involvement in diplomacy is important or we put these families at risk as well as promoting terrorism for the few that would be called to the beacon of terrorism. There are loyalties to culture and family ties in Iran. How 'bout Peace Train by Cat Stevens turned respectable muslim .

[Dmitriy]

Maybe Obama will bring back 'bitter people clinging to guns and religion'?

[Rachel]

How about Na Na Na Nah Hey Hey Hey Good Bye.

[festinog]

According to survivors, as the Titanic sank the band were last heard to play "Nearer My God to Thee".

Seems appropriate given the current state of McCain's campaign.

[Ang D.]

I'd recommend "American Dream" or "Nighttime For Generals" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young ... but I doubt he'd agree ...

[Lougan]

Doesn't McCain already have a theme song?

John Rich's "Raisin' McCain"

It even drops the "'g's" off the ends of words. Isn't that what every republican asks for?

[Joe Banna]

How about john mccain use "i'm a loser baby"

[Robin]

For Palin I suggest "Witch Arriving too Late to Save a Drowning Ship", I'm quite sure Frank Zappa's heirs won't mind.

And how about "Yesterday" for McCain?