Semisonic said it did not authorize and does not condone the White House using their hit “Closing Time” in a video that appears to depict deportation, the band said in a statement Monday.
The video, posted on the White House’s official social media accounts Monday features a handcuffed man being patted down, while the song played in the background: “Closing time, you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
In the next shot, the audience can see “BORDER PATROL” in capital letters, as people climb up stairs to an airplane in the background, seemingly to be deported from the U.S. The rest of the song’s verse continues: “I know who I want to take me home.”
The Minneapolis rock band was quick to denounce the usage of their 1998 hit.
“We did not authorize or condone the White House’s use of our song in any way. And no, they didn’t ask,” Semisonic said in a statement shared by their publicist. “The song is about joy and possibilities and hope, and they have missed the point entirely.”
This is one of many incidents in which musicians say they did not authorize President Donald Trump’s campaign or administration to use their songs.
Last year, Céline Dion’s management team and record label, Sony Music Canada, said the use of her 1997 hit“My Heart Will Go On” at a Donald Trump campaign rally in Montana was “unauthorized.”
Rihanna did the same in 2018 after “Don’t Stop the Music” was played at another rally.
The list goes on, with Adele, Steven Tyler and Neil Young also criticizing Trump for using their tunes in rallies over the years.
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