Judge Orders Donald Trump to Stop Using ‘Hold On I’m Comin’ at Rallies…

Although many songwriters and musicians have protested to the use of their songs in Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, it has been more difficult to find official court rulings. A federal court judge in Georgia granted a temporary injunction on Tuesday, instructing the Trump campaign to cease using the Sam & Dave 1960s soul song “Hold On, I’m Comin'” at rallies. This was one example of such an order.

Reporters were assured by Trump representatives that they would comply, and the music had already been removed from the campaign route.

The song was played live by a covers band, similar to most RNC music, but it was still the original recording heard on the trail. The former president had used it as his exit song at numerous rallies and even after his speech at the Republican National Convention in July.

The 1966 hit song was co-written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Hayes’ estate filed a lawsuit, and the court decided to grant it.

Isaac Hayes III tweeted, “Today our family was granted an injunction against @realdonaldtrump from playing @IsaacHayes3 music ever again.” “We are happy with the court’s ruling and will proceed with the next phase of this lawsuit.” “The first step in our copyright infringement case against Donald Trump and Donald Trump for President,” as he put it, was all that was done.

Despite not ordering the campaign to erase any existing videos that featured “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” the judge did grant the campaign some leeway.

The campaign has previously consented to stop using it going forward, according to Trump lawyer Ronald Coleman. “We are really happy that the court acknowledged the First Amendment concerns raised and chose not to order the removal of already-posted recordings. .. The campaign doesn’t want to irritate or cause pain to anyone, so if the Hayes family is offended or affected by it, that’s okay; we won’t press the matter.

The Hayes estate’s attorney, James L. Walker Jr., stated, “We are very pleased with the court’s decision.” Donald Trump has been informed that he needs a license in order to use Isaac Hayes’ song. That was our main objective. We are currently working on the trial and case at hand.

The Trump campaign was prohibited from using the music going forward without the required permission, according to the judge’s interim order. Publishing rights organizations such as BMI or ASCAP, which regulate songwriting usage, would grant licenses for political usage distinct from venue licenses, which usually cover music performed in public auditoriums. Hayes’ publishing rights would fall under this category. songwriters have the choice not to have their music used for these kinds of uses.

Even though the Trump campaign claimed that using the Sam & Dave song wouldn’t “annoy” anyone, it hasn’t always shown the same consideration for other authors and artists whose works have been appropriated for political ends, frequently releasing the songs in question long after cease-and-desist orders had been threatened and objections had been made public.

Like Neil Young, John Fogerty, R.E.M., Guns N’ Roses, and countless others who have made their feelings clear this year or in the previous two election cycles, Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, Jack White, and Johnny Marr of the Smiths are among the most recent artists to protest to having their songs taken out by Trump’s camp on the campaign trail or in videos.

Ironically, Sam Moore, the surviving part of the Sam & Dave duet, has been known as a Republican and sent a letter to the Barack Obama campaign requesting them to cease using “Hold On, I’m Comin’” back in 2008. “Nobody did anything, no one sent a telegraph, no one called me. Moore said to an AP reporter at the time, “They just did it, and I think that’s rather rude.” After listening to Moore, the Obama campaign decided not to use the track any more.