Music choice at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago could be a big deal | Opinion

We’re days away from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. It’s my hometown, and one thing (among many) is rising to the top of my mind.

It’s not what pizza the candidates will try, (for my money, it’s Gino’s East deep dish sausage pie) or whether they will get some Harold’s Chicken +Shack with fries and plenty of ketchup.

No, it’s what music they will play at the convention – because that choice will generate a ton of buzz if the campaign gets it wrong.

Perhaps it’s my generation, but I’ll never forget the time Ronald Reagan used “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen as a patriotic theme to his reelection campaign in September 1984. Whoever made the selection must not have understood the song’s true meaning, as it refers to the mistreatment of Vietnam veterans after the war.

Hardly the patriotism Reagan referred to in his speech.

Forty years later, another Republican running for president made a similar mistake. Donald Trump recently played Celine Dion’s “My Heart Goes On,” from the “Titanic” film soundtrack, at an election rally.

Much was made about the “sinking ship” reference, but Dion — no fan of Trump — also denounced the use of her song. I began to wonder why politicians simply don’t check with the artist and avoid controversy? It’s unfair use, if you ask me.

Team Celine quickly responded on social media:

“Today, Celine Dion’s management team and her record label, Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., became aware of the unauthorized usage of the video, recording, musical performance, and likeness of Celine Dion singing “My Heart Will Go On” at a Donald Trump / JD Vance campaign rally in Montana. In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use. … And really, THAT song?”

“It is a very weird choice,” said Roberta Schwartz of the use of the song and its connection to what was in fact a shipwreck — not something a successful candidate would want to be compared with. Schwartz is an associate professor of musicology at the University of Kansas School of Music.

Trump’s history of ‘baffling choices’

It’s not the first nor the last time these musical missteps have occurred in the Trump camp. Think Rhianna, George Harrison, Steven Tyler, Luciano Pavarotti, Issac Hayes, The O’Jays and even Twisted Sister. What do all these artists have in common? They or their representatives have told Trump to cease and desist using their music at campaign rallies (or in some cases, the Republican National Convention).

“I have to admit baffling choices have been made (by politicians), especially by the Trump campaign,” said Schwartz, who has a dual specialization in music of the Spanish renaissance and African American urban popular music. “I don’t think a lot of thought was put into things.”

Maybe politicians think they don’t have to ask permission. Venues, such as stadiums, auditoriums and even nightclubs pay licensing fees to organizations like ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. These organizations represent composers and music publishers and give venues the right to play any song in their repertoire legally.

But these licenses don’t automatically cover use by political campaigns. So the Trump team needed to get a special license to play Dion’s music — and the video of her singing at his rally. If it did — and I can’t confirm that — then it wouldn’t need her permission.

But really, wouldn’t you want to ask in advance and save yourself the embarrassment?

Vicx President Kamala Harris sought and received permission from Beyonce to play the song “Freedom” when she announced her presidential candidacy.

It just makes sense.

Bill Clinton and Fleetwood Mac

Trax on the Trail is a website and database that tracks U.S. presidential campaign music. Its creator and co-editor is Dana Gorzelany-Mostak, associate professor of music at Georgia College.

Gorzelany-Mostak said her team of professors and students track what music candidates are using at their events, and what music is used if someone holds a fundraiser for a candidate.

“I think analyzing it … allows one to have a much more nuanced understanding of what music is used on the trail and how it could persuade us as well.”

She said the reason politicians use musical selections is to “rouse the crowd and transition between speakers,” but over time the kind of music has changed from American standards to pop.

“A lot of people point to Bill Clinton’s campaign in 1992 as being one that made use of unaltered pop songs on the trail,” she said. Clinton used Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop” from the 1977 album “Rumours” — with the band’s full and enthusiastic permission.

“He’s, of course, the first baby boomer candidate. So he’s got this throwback music that worked very well for him.”

‘Poking the liberal music industry’

But let’s get back to my question. Why not ask the artists for permission? Gorzelany-Mostak has a theory.

“It looks like it’s the theft of music going on right? Nobody wants that publicity. But Donald Trump is kind of an outlier here in that, I think … with everybody knowing the artist objects, that is part of his agenda. I think his career is built on the fact that he’s a rule breaker and a renegade. So it kind of becomes a way of him maybe poking the liberal music industry.”

She may have something there.

On Monday, I’ll be listening to hear what DNC officials have chosen for the convention playlist. So, I asked professors Schwartz and Gorzelany-Mostak: What do they want to hear?

Schwartz said the DNC should play some classic funk, like Earth Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang and the Commodores. “That would get me pumped up,” she said.

But more likely, she expects to hear Beyonce and classic hip-hop. “At the vice presidential residence, even our second gentleman said, ‘This is a hip-hop household.’ ”

Gorzelany-Mostak said she would love to hear a Beyonce-Taylor Swift duet live on stage. “I think that would be really cool. I think it would have a really powerful message.”

Both she and I don’t think we’ll see that, but you never know. And it seems those ladies (who both made KC stops last year) just might be on board.