If there is one song politicians love to use, it is Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.” For some reason, politicians like to imagine themselves as Rocky and love to use the theme song from Rock III. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is hoping to pull off a remarkable upset in Tuesday’s Florida primary, recently used the song and is now being sued by the song’s co-writer, Frankie Sullivan.
According to CBS Chicago, Sullivan’s Rude Music filed the lawsuit Monday in Chicago, claiming that Gingrich has been using the song at political events since 2009 and naming specific events where Gingrich has used it. In the suit, Sullivan claims that the song was “blared” by Gingrich’s campaign bus and used when he entered a rally in Iowa.
Sullivan also goes after Gingrich because of he is “sophisticated and knowledgeable” about copyright laws, especially since Gingrich was a congressman when the Copyright Act was amended by Congress.
Ironically, as Vanity Fair notes, Gingrich’s chief rival, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, also played the track at campaign stops, but Romney is not named in the suit.
TMZ reports that Gingrich’s only response so far has come from a representative who joked, “It is my understanding the band wants $200,000 because someone played their song. That's one expensive concert ticket."
This is hardly the first time an artist has sued a politician for using their track. Billboard reports that in 2008, Jackson Browne sued Arizona Senator John McCain for using “Runnin’ on Empty” during his presidential run and Don Henley later sued a California senate candidate for using “Boys of Summer” and “All She Wants to Do Is Dance.” More recently, Tom Petty sent a cease-and-desist letter to Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann for using “American Girl,” although he did not file a lawsuit.
You can see Gingrich’s entrance at CPAC 2011 where he uses “Eye of the Tiger” during his entrance below: