Eddy Grant sues Trump campaign for copyright infringement over "Electric Avenue"
Eddy Grant filed a lawsuit against the Trump campaign for using his song "Electric Avenue" (1983) in a "bizarre animated ad posted on Twitter by Trump's campaign on Aug. 12 which depicts a cartoon version of Trump's White House rival, former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden, driving an old-fashioned train car while a speeding train that says "Trump Pence" and "KAG 2020" zips through a desolate town," as described by Billboard's Gil Kaufman and watchable below. From Billboard:
There is no context for the use of the song, which plays as the animated Biden hand-pumps his way through the empty streets in a handcar labeled"Biden President: Your Hair Smells Terrific" while random snippets of old quotes and interviews are played. The lyrics of the song, which include the lines, "Down in the streets there is violence/ And a lot of work to be done," were written by the Black Guyanese-British singer in reaction to the 1981 race riots in Brixton, England[...]
"Neither the President nor [Donald Trump For President Inc.] is above the law," the suit states, with [Grant's attorney Brian] Caplan noting that he sent a cease and desist order to Trump's legal team the day after the video went up, with no response to the request to date.
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2020