Tragically Hip controversy: Legal use of song at Conservative event angers and confuses fans
Band's guitarist Paul Langlois found the use of the song 'highly offensive', though the Conservatives did it legally
A Tragically Hip song that was played at a Conservative party event this weekend in Stoney Creek, Ont., angered fans on social media, and even one of the members of the Canadian band. But it’s now been revealed that the venue hosting the meet-and-greet with party leader Pierre Poilievre was licensed to use the song.
On Saturday, fans of the band started taking to Twitter, wondering if the remaining band members were aware that their 1993 song Fifty-Mission Cap was being used at the Conservative event, just east of Hamilton. (Lead singer Gord Downie died in 2017 of brain cancer.)
The band’s guitarist, Paul Langlois, responded that they weren’t aware of the song being used at the event, and that he was “highly offensive if true”, but that they would make sure to confirm the details and stop it from being used.
We certainly did not know this - highly offensive if true (we'll wait to make sure and potentially confirm this) and if so, this will be stopped
— Paul Langlois (@paullanglois101) March 5, 2023
A day later, Langlois doubled down on social media, saying that the band is highly offended when permission isn't asked when their song is used, either for a brand, a political party or any public figure. Later, when getting into it with frenzied fans, he admitted that “We just don't want to be a part of any of that”.
I hate to have to clarify this but here goes: We have always been highly offended by anybody who doesn’t ask for our permission to use our music for a brand, a political party, or a public figure of any sort. It’s just common courtesy to ask, and it applies to anyone and everyone
— Paul Langlois (@paullanglois101) March 6, 2023
Paul, you shouldn’t have replied publicly. Are you sure he didn’t ask? Are you sure it wasn’t a rally organizer who made a mistake but loves the Hip.
— 🚜🚛TweetMeWithLove (@lovesabluesky) March 6, 2023
I'm sure no one asked, yes. Mistake certainly possible but we would know if someone asked right?like %100 we would know and we would've have given an answer (NO). And yeah, maybe I shouldn't have responded publicly but I don't know, I've kinda enjoyed all this a little bit so far
— Paul Langlois (@paullanglois101) March 6, 2023
Well now you are going to have to clarify since you made this statement... How was music "used" vs: played?... as in playing an album or radio vs: "using"?
There is a difference between "playing and "using". Are you suggesting that Canadians never play music by Canadians?— Canadian Riley (@TiaRileyCanada) March 6, 2023
I am not suggesting that. Just a political campaign is what we're talking about here right? We just don''t want to be a part of any of that. C'mon, like that doesn't make sense???
— Paul Langlois (@paullanglois101) March 6, 2023
On Monday, the band’s official Twitter account released a statement confirming that the venue where the event was held had licensed the song through The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), the Canadian performance rights organization. Therefore, the song was allowed to be used without permission, because it pays a fee to the musicians.
It is (and has always been) our expectation that brands, political parties, or public figures wishing to use our music for a campaign first seek our approval. When we began to see posts and tweets from the event this weekend, the specifics were unclear.
1/3— The Tragically Hip (@thehipofficial) March 6, 2023
It has now been confirmed that Saturday’s event took place in a venue licensed by SOCAN, which means the venue pays a fee to ensure artists and musicians are compensated appropriately when music is played on site.
2/3— The Tragically Hip (@thehipofficial) March 6, 2023
As such, specific permissions were not required in this case. We did not have the full details in our earlier posts – and now consider this matter resolved.
3/3— The Tragically Hip (@thehipofficial) March 6, 2023
That wasn’t a good enough response for many in the band’s comments.
So, it doesn't matter what the party promotes just as long as you get paid?
Got it— Dane Ryan (@GR8_Daner) March 6, 2023
Is that what passes for an apology to an embarrassing example of not doing any homework and shltting the bed?@paullanglois101
— John Jacobs (@jacobs_cda) March 6, 2023
A similar kerfuffle went down in 2014, between Randy Bachman, of Canadian band Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Bachman was unhappy that the band’s hit song “Takin’ Care of Business” was used at a political rally without their permission. However, he later admitted that the track was allowed to be used because the Ottawa Convention Centre, where the song was played, had license to the song.
