The Smiths’ Johnny Marr has taken to Twitter to express his disappointment over the usage of his former band’s songs at Donald Trump’s campaign rallies.
It started on Monday night when journalist Ben Jacobs tweeted that The Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” was being played as the pre-rally music for a Trump speech in Laconia, New Hampshire. Then, journalist Soo Rin Kim replied with a video clip of the song being played at a rally in Rapid City, South Dakota last year — an odd sight that would be even more juxtaposing if it weren’t for the fact that Trump definitely likes to get what he wants.
Now, replying to Kim’s video, Marr has made it clear that he isn’t having any of it. “Ahh…right…OK,” he wrote. “I never in a million years would’ve thought this could come to pass. Consider this shit shut right down right now.”
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Of course, Marr’s response brought a lot of attention to the incident, spurring many comments from Smiths fans and netizens. Some speculated that the “Trump x The Smiths” combo isn’t all too surprising, considering some of Morrissey’s controversial opinions, but others were quick to point out that even Morrissey has a distaste for Trump, quoting his 2017 comment that he’d kill Donald Trump “for the safety of humanity.”
Now, Marr joins a very, very long list of musicians who have expressed disdain over Trump using their music, including Steven Tyler, Pharrell, Rhianna, Axl Rose, Ozzy Osborune, Prince’s estate, Queen, Brendon Urie, Tom Petty’s family, The Rolling Stones, The Village People, Linkin Park, Neil Young, Eric Burdon, John Fogerty, Phil Collins, and many more.
Some, like Guns N’ Roses, faced difficulty getting Trump to stop using their music due to legal loopholes. How exactly Marr’s efforts will play out is unknown, but anyone saying that they’re going to shut something “right down right now” sounds pretty determined. Here’s hoping that The Smiths don’t end up in a similar situation to The Village People, who’s cease and desist appeals were ignored multiple times.
In other Marr news, last November he shared a compilation album, Spirit Power: The Best of Johnny Marr, which included some of Marr’s favorite recent songs, as well as two brand new tunes. In December, he teamed up with a 30-piece orchestra to reimagine classic Smiths songs in a symphonic setting.
Over the next few months, Marr is also booked for a number of UK shows. Check out his upcoming dates, and grab tickets here.
Ahh…right…OK. I never in a million years would’ve thought this could come to pass. Consider this shit shut right down right now. https://t.co/M6eYROedOy
— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) January 23, 2024
