Hey, You! Rolling Stones warns Trump of legal action over song use

British rock legends The Rolling Stones have threatened legal action against Donald Trump for the US president’s use of their song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” at campaign rallies. The band has appointed performing rights organisation BMI to try to stop him using the song, according to a statement given to US website, Deadline, overnight Saturday. “The BMI have notified the Trump campaign on behalf of the Stones that the unauthorised use of their songs will constitute a breach of its licensing agreement,” read the statement, which was retweeted by the Rolling Stones official Twitter account. “If Donald Trump disregards the exclusion and persists then he would face a lawsuit for breaking the embargo and playing music that has not been licensed.”

The letter is the latest in a campaign to stop Trump using the song at rallies which dates back to 2016. It was initially played at Republican party primaries. The BMI added that it has not yet received any response from lawyers acting for Trump. The Stones are not the first major act to call on the president to stop using their songs.

Earlier this month, the family of rock musician Tom Petty issued a cease and desist letter over Trump’s use of “I Won’t Back Down” at a rally in Tulsa on June 20. His family posted an open letter on Twitter saying the late singer “would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate”. Queen complained when Trump walked on stage to their anthem “We Are The Champions” during a Republican Party event in Cleveland, Ohio, in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.

Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, Aerosmith, Adele, Neil Young and the estate of singer Prince have all hit out after the use of songs by Trump. And singer Betty Buckley also recently urged composer Andrew Lloyd Webber to stop the president using “Memory” at his campaign rallies. Buckley sang the song in the original Broadway production of “Cats” in the early 1980s. “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” was a track first heard 51 years ago, on the 1969 album “Let It Bleed”. Written by frontman Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards, it was voted by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 500 greatest songs of all time.—AFP

These handout pictures taken in the park of the United Nations office in Geneva shows a giant land art painting by French artist Saype (Guillaume Legros) commissioned by Switzerland to mark the 75th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter. Entitled ‘World in Progress’ the 6000 square meters ephemeral land art painting represents two children drawing their ideal world.—AFP photos

In this file photo Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones performs as they resume their "No Filter Tour" North American Tour at the Soldier Field in Chicago.—AFP