Bush Asked to Stop Using 'Still the One'

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The songwriter who helped pen the 1970s hit, "Still the One," is demanding that President Bush stop using the tune at campaign events, arguing that he's no fan of the Republican incumbent and the campaign never got permission to use the song.


John Hall , a former Democratic county legislator in upstate New York, co-wrote "Still the One" and recorded it with his band Orleans in 1976. The cheery pop tune was played at Bush events Thursday and again Friday to open and close a rally for the president in New Hampshire.

"I was watching TV, and there all of a sudden was my song, my guitar playing, my voice coming out of the speakers," said the 56-year-old Hall, still a working musician.

Hall wrote "Still the One" with his then-wife, Johanna D. Hall. The two as well as surviving members of the band are supporters of Democratic Sen. John Kerry and don't want their work used to promote Bush's re-election, Hall said.

"I'm not just some guy that's stoned out and happened to write a song, and even if I were, it would still be a problem, because you should always ask permission to use the work," Hall said.

Hall's lawyers are drafting a formal letter of complaint to the Bush campaign. A spokesman for the Republican did not immediately return calls for comment.

"If you have protectable copyrights to a song and someone is using it without permission, and especially if they know they're using it without permission, there is some sort of legal liability there and it may be that they could be required to pay royalties at the very least," said Daniel Healy, an intellectual property lawyer at the firm Anderson, Kill & Olick.

Among Hall's concerns is that political use of the song could hurt its commercial appeal, scaring away advertisers. "Still the One" has been used by Appleby's, Burger King and the ABC network, according to Hall.

Hall, who lives in Dutchess County about 90 miles north of New York City, said his band recently declined an offer of $10,000 to perform at a fund-raiser for Maryland Republicans.

Reminds me of when Springstein told Reagan Campaign not to use Born in the USA for their events.

The difference being that "Still the One' is an awful song

doesnt this guy know that bush does whatever the hell he wants to do... with regard for absolutely no one

Are you actually using the fact that Bush is playing some lame song to validate this statement?

No Surrender by Bruce is such a better theme song![/img]

Right! Bruce rocks! I just remember hearing this on the news the other day. Never knew this.

Uh, no. The difference being that Born in the USA is not a patriotic song in any way and it's stupid as hell to be using that song for a political event. It's an awful choice for a song, as opposed to an awful song.

And I kinda like "Still the One"

"If you talk to Bruce Springsteen, who is a lesbian, he'd tell you he's just being who he is."

When is Bush just going to breakdown and use "American Badass" like I suggested?

I know! This photo is a bit unflattering!

That's a seriously lame theme song anyway. It's used to advertise a television station here...

Isnt it a Shania twain song? maybe Bush can get her to okay the use of her song, he only as a couple more days. Didn't the Foo Fighters bitch at Bush for using their song too?

i love it!

I heard the Bush campaign is still using the song, even though they were told to remove it 3 days ago.

Its a free country.
Why cant the president play whatever song he wants, if he owns the CD, he can play it.

He can play it in the privacy of his own home, but owning a CD doesn't give you the right to broadcast it publically.

I never heard that you cant play your music in public, you remember the
ghetto blaster days?

Well that may have technically been illegal, but it isn't something that anyone is going to be worried about. However using a copyrighted work illegally to promote yourself or make a profit is something that people are going to do something about.

It is not legal to broadcast a copyrighted work in a public venue without paying fees to and having permission from the copyright holder. Most concert venues pay blanket licensing fees to ASCAP and BMI which allows them to play any song represented by those organizations, so if Bush was at Madison Square Garden, he would likely be allowed to use the song. But if he's using it at other venues that don't pay those fees, then it's illegal.

Its called being petty a cry baby.
I wouldnt make my worst enemy take something of mine that he was using to promote himself. When you complain about something like this, it makes you look like a little bitch.