The American rock band Semisonic has publicly objected to the White House’s unauthorized use of their 1998 hit song “Closing Time” in a recent social media post depicting deportations. The video, shared on the White House’s official accounts, shows shackled individuals being processed by authorities at an airport, accompanied by the song’s lyrics, “You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.”
In a statement, Semisonic expressed that they neither authorized nor condoned the use of their song in this context. They emphasized that “Closing Time” is about joy, possibilities, and hope, and that the White House’s application of the track “missed the point entirely.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the video’s content, stating that it aligns with the administration’s message. Additionally, U.S. Customs and Border Protection retweeted the post with the caption, “It’s closing time. We are making America safe again.”
“Closing Time,” from Semisonic’s 1998 album “Feeling Strangely Fine,” achieved significant success, reaching number one on the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song.
This incident adds Semisonic to a list of artists who have objected to the use of their music in political contexts without permission, highlighting ongoing tensions between musicians and political entities over the appropriation of artistic works.
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