Michele Bachmann Is Not An "American Girl"! She's A Traitor.

by Dick Mac

Tom Petty's "American Girl" was one of my favorite post-punk rock songs. He was very pretty in his black leather jacket and mouthful of perfect teeth. OK, he was adorable.

I don't remember the venue in which I first saw him perform, but I am pretty sure it was in Boston or New York and it was a theater, not a club. At that time, a little bit went a long way. he had some great pop diddies, but his catalog was not something I would pursue.

He went on to work with the most formidable names in the music industry, has remained socially and politically active, and never once fell back to rest on his laurels.

I don't listen to a lot of his records, but I am a fan.

Michele Bachmann, a no-talent, conservative" dullard from the vast American wasteland known as the "Hearltand" recently announced that she was running for President. I want to laugh, but since the election (twice) of Ronald Reagan, I know that any imbecilic, in-bred white person can be elected to lead the western world. All she has to do is dye her hair orange, instead of that mousy brown she's chosen, and she could be the new GOP Bozo.

That's unfair. I'm sorry. Bozo was actually a really smart guy who worked hard for a living.

Michele Bachmann doesn't even know American History and wants to be President (Oh! I guess I am implying that Ronald Reagan did know history. I bet he knew more about American History than Bachmann).

So, Bachmann holds a press conference and uses Petty's song "American Girl" as the theme song. It's nice to know that she considers herself a girl and not a woman. I feel the same way.

It took Petty no time at all to have a cease and desist letter to Bachmann's lawyers instructing them that their girl is no allowed to use his song for her own profit.

It gets better!

Katrina Leskanich, lead singer of Katrina & the Waves, recently stated that she and the band do not endorse Bachmann's use of the song "Walking On Sunshine," and she has told her lawyers to take the steps needed to enjoin Bachmann from playing it at her rallies. Leskanich is quoted in Rolling Stone: "if I disagree with the policies, opinions or platforms for its use, I’ve no choice but to try and defend the song and prevent its misuse. . . ."

Legally, the artists have little recourse and Bachmann can use their songs at any event that is licensed by Performance Rights Organization to use songs handled by PRO.

So, the posturing is wonderful, but may be ineffectual and the right-, er, wrong-wing could turn this around and use ONLY songs by non-"conservative" artists. I hope all musicians who consider themselves thinkers and thoughtful will speak-out against the insipid mindlessness of "conservatism" and "conservatives."


American Girl [Live]:



Walking On Sunshine [Commerical]:




I applaud all musicians who take a position, even a position with which I disagree, because the minstrels and the jesters carry more weight in the world than the kings and the king-makers.

Ted Nugent has a song titled "Cat-Scratch Fever" that I think perfectly sums-up the political thoughts and platform of America's so-called "conservatives" and they should all use that song.

Katrina and the Waves Join Tom Petty's Fight Against Michele Bachmann