Hard News by Russell Brown

Read Post

Hard News: Farce About

93 Responses

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 Newer→ Last

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    BTW, I’d like to wish severe misfortune (like having to watch a National Party DVD) on whoever mentioned “Love lift us up where we belong” on here.

    Oh, that was me! Terribly sorry. If it's any consolation, I too have the song stuck in my head now and I watched "Ambitious for New Zealand" on YouTube.

    I don't understand how a video about ambition could be so unambitious in its production standards.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

  • Testcard,

    So the DVD used 'Clocks' to liven up John Key's insightful musings on our nation's future...

    Perhaps you could say the DVD was a Clocks 'n' spiel.

    Or maybe Clock 'n' spiel.

    Not sure which one works better.

    Since Nov 2007 • 23 posts Report

  • Testcard,

    National clocked for Coldplay-giarism

    Since Nov 2007 • 23 posts Report

  • Rob Hosking,

    There have been much worse campaign theme songs.

    My nomination for the worst: a version of 'Walking on Sunshine' with re-written lyrics and re-named 'Voting for Bolger' and sung by the Yandall Sisters.

    Then it emerged the Yandall Sisters were all Labour voters anyway, which added insult to, well, musical atrocity.

    This whole area is so fraught with pitfalls and difficulties I wonder why the parties even bother. The cost invvolved (even when the final product isn't, one way or another, dreadfully embarrassing) when measured against any benefit in terms of votes, just can't be worth it.

    They'd be better to use some classical tune which is out of copyright and have done with it.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report

  • WH,

    its probably hard to find a catchy yet inspirational song about being meanspirited and looking out mostly for yourself.

    Clinton's "Right Now" (Van Halen) was a good choice - perhaps a rare example of a campaign song hitting the right note (so to speak).

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    They'd be better to use some classical tune which is out of copyright and have done with it.

    Yes, Key should use "My old man's a dustman".

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    its probably hard to find a catchy yet inspirational song about being meanspirited and looking out mostly for yourself.

    *sigh* And when was the last time you tried dancing to The Intenationale, cherub? If you'll excuse me, I've got to go lay down the groundsheets for tonight's National Party branch meeting-slash-Black Mass. Otherwise it's impossible to get the baby blood and sulfur out of the carpet...

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Lyndon Hood,

    I missed this... Hillary apparently let YouTube pick a campaign song. Also lower down in the article, the bit I was searching for:

    Ronald Reagan’s 1984 campaign briefly used Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA until the musician put a stop to it. Springsteen is an active Democrat whose song was a lament to lost jobs.

    ... and other trivia.

    HIllary went with 'You and I (Were Meant to Fly)', the Celine Dion song that was also Air Canada’s Theme Music. And announced this in a Sopranos take-off web video.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report

  • WH,

    Edit feature, why hath thou forsaken me. Wikipedia says it was Dubya that used Right Now, which is a truly sick mistake to make.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    Re: Phone spam. I used to get it a fair bit, then I tried "tarpitting" and it stopped within days. Basically the moment you work out it's an automated call you put the phone down without hanging up. This eats in hugely to the number of calls they can make and costs them more money for no purpose whatsoever. It's analogous to the equivalent technique in email spam where the moment you discover it's a spamming server, instead of disconnecting them immediately (which lets them hurry off about their spamming business), you respond to them really, really slowly. They quickly learn to avoid tarpits because it hogs their resources.

    You do have to remember to hang up the phone, but fortunately most phones start squealing if they are left off the hook in a disconnected state for a few minutes.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    One of the better ones I remember was actually by the NZ National Party.

    At the first (and possibly only?) party conference with Jim McLay as leader they played “I can see clearly now the rain has gone”

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • Rob Hosking,

    At the first (and possibly only?) party conference with Jim McLay as leader they played “I can see clearly now the rain has gone”

    National Party conference 1985.

    And I seem to recall some people querying whether a song about kicking a drug addiction was really quite appropriate.

    See? You can't win in this game.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    And I seem to recall some people querying whether a song about kicking a drug addiction was really quite appropriate

    Seems pretty appropriate to me.


    BTW, I thought Bill Clinton used some awful Fleetwood Mac song?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    I have written a song that politicians can use for election campaigns. It is very versitile and can be used by any politician of any party. And it is in F minor.

    Things are going to be quite good

    Things used to be bad.
    It wasn't very pleasant.
    It was all dark and gloomy.
    And no one liked it much.

    But now I can feel
    that things are improving.
    And the sun is coming out.
    Yes, it's going to be quite good.

    Oh, everyone come together.
    Let's celebrate the good new thing.
    Let's look in the same direction
    and see the clear blue sky.

    Oh, things are going to be quite good.
    Yes, things are going to be quite good.
    Wave your hands in the air,
    and wave 'em like you just don't care.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

  • Don Christie,

    Phone and fax spam. There seem to be plenty of it from ACT last election. The faxes at least had the parliamentary crest on it, the phone spam pretended to be a poll and asked one question...

    "Will you be voting for a change in government"...click

    These are the folks that are now opposing tax payer funding of political parties. Actually, the whole issue of funding "polls" during elections is interesting.

    Election songs:

    Drip Feed Freddie wins, again.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report

  • 3410,

    Re: Clocksgate

    Key is quoted in the Herald as saying:

    That was the music that was presented to us and the advice was that we owned the rights to that, and that it was acceptable. That may still legally be the case because it's a grey area but that doesn't meet the standards I believe in. (my italics)

    Presuming he's heard both versions, that's rather a strange statement, no?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Rob Hosking,

    Not that strange, 3410....the area of musical plagiarism, when it comes to the actual law, looks quite, err, random, to borrow a word from another thread.

    Also most politicians, in my experience, are tone deaf. Don't ask me why.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report

  • simon g,

    Presuming he's heard both versions

    If you believe the Dom-Post (or Key) he didn't actually listen to the DVD before urging the rest of the country to.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dominionpost/4311912a6000.html

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • 81stcolumn,

    All this talk of politics and music made me think of this.....

    "Oh Lord its hard to be humble...."

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    BTW, I thought Bill Clinton used some awful Fleetwood Mac song?

    Don't Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow) - gag. Though if the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire don't turn back Hillary's way PDQ she might be singing Tusk on street corners a lot in future:

    Why don't you ask him if hes going to stay?
    Why don't you ask him if hes going away?
    Why don't you tell me whats going on?
    Why don't you tell me who's on the phone?
    Why don't you ask him whats going on?
    Why don't you ask him who's the latest on his throne?

    Dont say that you love me!
    Just tell me that you want me!
    !

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • 3410,

    Also most politicians, in my experience, are tone deaf.

    Yeah, that would actually explain it, I suppose (even though the two pieces are, in essence, exactly the same).

    If you believe the Dom-Post (or Key) he didn't actually listen to the DVD before urging the rest of the country to.

    I'm presuming he has by now, though. That article also says that they got permission for use of the original at the conference, which I was wondering about.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Tony Kennedy,

    its probably hard to find a catchy yet inspirational song about being meanspirited and looking out mostly for yourself.

    try this one ....

    or am I being a bit too cynical

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 225 posts Report

  • Tony Kennedy,

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 225 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    ...or they could just say what they reckon, what they would do, and why, instead of twisting some drawn out poetic way of saying it that purports to be entertaining. But circus sells, buys votes, that's how it is.

    Doesn't mean I'm into it. I personally couldn't give a shit what music is used.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Rob Hosking,

    Well, I reckon if you're going to have campaign song which is full of universal sentiments - a la Robyn's contribution - you could not go past this little piece:

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 Newer→ Last

Post your response…

This topic is closed.