New York (AFP) – George Harrison’s estate has denounced Donald Trump for playing The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” at the Republican convention, joining a slew of artists angry at the candidate.
The classic ode to optimism and rebirth, written by Harrison for the Fab Four’s 1969 album “Abbey Road,” featured on the playlist at the Cleveland arena as the Republican Party nominated the populist tycoon as its presidential contender.
The use of the song at the convention “is offensive and against the wishes of the George Harrison estate,” it wrote on Twitter late Thursday.
“If it had been ‘Beware of Darkness,’ then we MAY have approved it! #TrumpYourself,” the estate tweeted.
It was referring to a 1970 solo track by Harrison who, influenced by Hindu spirituality, warned against material attachment and sang: “Beware of greedy leaders / They take you where you should not go.”
Trump, who has rose to prominence with strident denunciations of immigrant groups, has faced repeated protests from artists who oppose his playing of their songs at his rallies, which have repeatedly been marred by violence.
The Rolling Stones, Adele, Neil Young, R.E.M., Aerosmith and Queen are among acts that have lodged objections.
Late Italian opera legend Luciano Pavarotti’s family earlier Thursday also criticized Trump for playing the tenor’s recording of Puccini’s celebrated aria “Nessun Dorma.”
Pavarotti’s family said that the singer stood for “the values of brotherhood and solidarity” which are “entirely incompatible with the worldview expressed by the candidate Donald Trump.”
Separately, the organizers behind Woodstock — the iconic 1969 counter-cultural festival in upstate New York — questioned the logo of the Republican National Convention.
They said that the logo, featuring the Republicans’ elephant symbol scaling an electric guitar, was reminiscent of Woodstock’s image of a dove on an acoustic guitar.
“For almost 50 years, the Woodstock dove-and-guitar logo has symbolized, and resonated with, those who believe in equality, community, activism and environmental protection,” Joel Rosenman, the 1969 festival’s co-producer, said in a statement.
“These are universal values that we encourage the RNC, and all Americans, to adopt in today’s politically charged and chaotic times,” he said.
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