More than 250 people were deported without due process over the weekend. The Trump administration claims these were Venezuelan gang members, but no evidence has been provided of any gang or terrorist group affiliation, nor of any convictions. Additionally, Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 as his right to enact the mass deportations, even though the law is only supposed to be used in wartime. Naturally, this whole operation was wildly illegal, and the ACLU was in court immediately to stop it, which led to a judge issuing a verbal order to pause the deportations until everything could be reviewed and litigated. Instead, not only did the Trump administration let the planes continue on to an El Salvador prison (where we’re paying for them to be detained), the cruel f–ks made a video documenting it all that was posted from official White House social media accounts. Playing throughout the clip is Semisonic’s 1998 hit “Closing Time,” and the band would very much like you to know that they did not authorize or condone this (mis)use of their song:
Semisonic said it did not authorize and does not condone the White House’s using its hit “Closing Time” in a video that appears to depict deportation, the band said in a statement Monday.
The video, posted on the White House’s official social media accounts Monday, features a handcuffed man being patted down while the song plays in the background: “Closing time, you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
In the next shot, the audience can see “BORDER PATROL” in capital letters as people climb up stairs to an airplane in the background, seemingly to be deported from the United States. The rest of the song’s verse continues: “I know who I want to take me home.”
The Minneapolis rock band was quick to denounce the use of its 1998 hit.
“We did not authorize or condone the White House’s use of our song in any way. And no, they didn’t ask,” Semisonic said in a statement shared by its publicist. “The song is about joy and possibilities and hope, and they have missed the point entirely.”
Many musicians say they did not authorize President Donald Trump’s campaign or administration to use their songs.
Last year, Celine Dion’s management team and record label, Sony Music Canada, said the use of her 1997 hit “My Heart Will Go On” at a Trump rally in Montana was “unauthorized.”
Rihanna did the same in 2018 after “Don’t Stop the Music” was played at another rally.
The list goes on, with Adele, Steven Tyler and Neil Young also criticizing Trump for using their tunes in rallies over the years.
I’m glad Semisonic clapped back right away. As of this writing, I haven’t found any updates on whether the band plans to sue over the unauthorized use of their song, as countless artists have done before them. Though, honestly, it wouldn’t make any difference, right? I mean, if the Trump administration isn’t heeding the orders of a US district judge about illegally shipping hundreds of humans off to prison without any kind of due process whatsoever, why would they bother listening to a court over a song? There has been no end of heinous acts committed over the last two months (only two months??!!), and sadly I don’t think we’ve even seen the bottom yet. But that video the White House put together shook me to my core. I meant it when I called these people cruel f–ks. They’re gleefully filming acts of inhumanity. And then on top of that, someone took the time to consider, “What song can we use to pump up our deeds of derring despicable?” It’s almost quaint of Semisonic to say the White House “missed the point” of the song. The cruelty is the point of this administration, and they’ll manipulate whatever they want, however they want, in pursuit of that goal.
Note by CB: We are not linking or embedding the despicable video from the White House. You can see it at the source link if you’re interested. Also I had the Great Divide and Feeling Strangely Fine CDs when they came out. I’m glad to see Semisonic is doing well.