When Can (and Should) Politicians Use Artists’ Songs?

In the most recent episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (a television show usually devoted to political topics), the English comedian took on the topic of political campaign songs, railing against the unauthorized usage of artists’ work at rallies and on the campaign trail. Oliver traces for his audience a long history of artists speaking out against the usage of their songs by political figures on both sides of the aisle– for example, the DNC’s use of Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” and more recently Donald Trump’s use of Queen’s “We Are the Champions.” Many artists resent such unauthorized use of their music, especially when it implies backing for a candidate they don’t believe in–as was the case when Wisconsin governor Scott Walker used a Dropkick Murphys song, only to have the band tweet at him saying, “please stop using our music in any way…we literally hate you!!!” Of course not all such cases play out on a public platform like Twitter, but this seems to be no indication of artists’ dismay. Oliver’s segment featured a music video starring the likes of Usher, Lauper, Michael Bolton, and Imagine Dragons, commenting on the allegedly unauthorized use of music by politicians. According to The Atlantic’s Spencer Kornhaber, though, such usage of songs isn’t actually illegal, as many venues have blanket licenses that bypass the need to contact artists’ publishers. Regardless of the legality of music usage, however, Oliver’s segment certainly raises an important point: regardless of whether politicians can use a song, should they? Is there something problematic with Reagan turning Springsteen’s “Born in the USA,” a quietly critical hit that is actually about Vietnam, as an upbeat rally cry?

Dr. Seuss’s Whimsical Secret Art Collection Released<

Though Dr. Seuss (whose full name was Theodor Seuss Geisel) died in 1991, the world received a surprising treat this past week, as his secret collection of artwork–what he called his “Midnight Paintings”–has finally been released for public viewing. Seuss, who authored and illustrated over 60 enchanting children’s tales, reportedly created these fine artworks in his spare time, solely for his own pleasure. Viewing the pieces, it’s hard not to wonder what whimsical story Seuss had in mind when he painted them. Before his death, Seuss asked his wife Audrey to release the collection to the public only after he was gone. Remembering her husband’s legacy, Mrs. Geisel said in an interview: “I just know that what he left as a legacy is the fun of learning when you don’t know you’re learning.” The Midnight Paintings are sure to delight children and adults alike, as they remind us of Seuss’s whimsical–and often fantastically nonsensical–imagination and creativity.

Justice RBG Presides Over Mock Appeal in Venice

US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg recently traveled to Venice to watch her grandson perform in a production of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” and preside over a mock appeal of the fictitious character Shylock. At the end of the play, Shylock, a Venetian Jewish moneylender, is found guilty of conspiring against another character, and ordered to hand over half his property to the victim and half to the state. It is here that the mock appeal began– RBG and four other judges, including the US ambassador to Italy, heard arguments on behalf of Shylock and two other characters in the 16th-century Scuola Grande di San Rocco building. Arguments lasted about two hours, followed by about twenty minutes of deliberation and an eventual ruling in favor of Shylock: “We agreed it was a merry sport, and no court would enforce it,” the judges explained, referring to the previously made sanction. Other rulings included sending one character law school at two of the judges’ home institutions. Such comedic remarks met with laughter from the audience, many of whom reported loving the event. Boston College professor and Shakespeare scholar Dominic Green called the even “an intellectual version of reality television.” Interestingly, this isn’t the first mock Shakespeare appeal for RBG, who has also presided over “Hamlet” matters, among others. What a wonderful way to bring these centuries-old classics to life–and have a lot of fun doing it!

How Music & Lyrics May Influence Our Behavior

According to a new psychology study, exposure to song lyrics with a certain theme may actually affect people’s behavior. Published in the academic journal Psychology of Music, the study, led by University of Wuerzburg’s Nicolas Ruth, found that playing songs with pro-social lyrics in a German cafe actually increased the chances that patrons would spend more money for free-trade coffee. Ruth explains, “Songs that deal with social topics seem to have an impact on our cognition and behavior,” noting the implications for artists: “Musicians espousing such messages would be pleased to know that their music has a real–if small–effect on people’s behavior.” This study comes on the heels of other similar studies, like one that found that exposure to lyrics promoting peace and loe increased listeners’ empathy. What make’s Ruth’s study different, however, is the setting: the real-world environment lends greater validity to the results than previously lab-based studies. How exactly the effect is being produced remains a mystery, as Ruth notes the influence may be subconscious or conscious–opening the door for future studies to investigate this. Regardless, the study certainly gives many artists hope that their messages aren’t landing on deaf ears.