I don’t want to hear anybody’s opinion of Rush, all I want to know is what the name of the song played at the beginning of the show. I think I heard it was by the Pretenders, but that’s all I know.
I had heard the band had pulled permission to use the song on his show. Not true?
Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders is a well-known left-winger, and can’t stand Rush Limbaugh… but she’s been inconsistent about whether or not he’s welcome to use a snippet of “My City Was Gone” on his radio show.
Legally, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t need her permission- he only needs to pay her royalties, which he does.
Oddly enough, the song is a protest against overdevelopment and suburban sprawl in Ohio. Not the kind of song I’d expect a pro-growth, pro-free market type like Limbaugh to select.
Don’t you go downloading that song of the internet! Rush wouldn’t like that 
See if I care!
Chrissie Hynde is my homegirl, from Akron Ohio
As I recall, there was some sort of controversy over this question a couple of years ago. For a few weeks, Limbaugh used different intro themes. I think it may have been one of her business associates who objected to Limbaugh’s use of the song, and threatened some sort of legal action.
Actually, Rush played a clip of her (Ms. Hynde) doing an interview with someone, and the subject of Rush’s usage of her song came up. Keep in mind, this was right in the middle of the period when Rush was playing other songs for his intro (the controversy mentioned by Philosophocles). Her take on the whole matter was something along the lines of, “He’s not that dangerous, and I’m making money every time he plays the song, so I don’t give a damn.” Or words to that effect.
I thought that Chrissy Hynde said she didn’t know about it for several years. She lives in England, and it was 1995 before anyone over there heard of Rush.
There was also, I believe, some controversy over whether Rush could be prevented from playing the song. He was playing the song on the radio, after all, and record companies generally don’t object to that. I don’t remember how the case was resolved, but apparently Rush is still using the song. Fortunately, I wouldn’t know.
Given Rush’s views on women I don’t know why Ms. Hynde does not pull her song immediately. Maybe it’s not in her power to do so.
There was some question of whether Rush and his syndicator were obligated to pay an additional licensing fee over and above the normal royalties, since he had both altered the song (making it into a 1:15 music-only bumper) and used it as the thematic music for a syndicated show. I did some searching and couldn’t find out what the resolution to this question was.
Also, as ironic as it is that Rush uses a song by a left-wing feminist animal-rights advocate and she makes money off of it, he sees it just the opposite. He took a song from a complete ideological opposite, a song that is anti-development and anti-corporate, and made it into the theme for the most successful conservative talk show on the air, one that has made him a boatload of money.
Icerigger:
And what, exactly, are his views on women? Not on feminists or feminism, mind you…those are not necessarily synonymous with “women.”
Let’s not have a debate about R.L.'s views in this forum, okay?
bibliophage
moderator, GQ
That’s the first thing I said when I asked this question! I knew he said he knew what the song was about, and that he didn’t agree with her views. He said he didn’t give a crap, he just liked the sound of it.
And damn it, if I don’t keep listening to Rush for a few seconds because I hear that catchy bass line. I’m sure that’s why he chose it. Grr.
You have to admit Rush’s song parodies are funny. They’re done by a guy named Paul Shanklin, who does impressions. If you look past the fact that the songs mainly make fun of democrats and John McCain, lately(what do you expect?), they’re pretty funny. I loved Algore’s Paradise (by Al Gore, with supporting vocals by Bill Clinton), a parody of Gangsta’s Paradise, Subpoenaville(Bill Clinton), a parody of Margueritaville, and Don’t, Don’t, Smoke That Cigarette(by Bill Clinton), a parody of Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette. He also recently did one on John McCain based on the TV show Maverick’s theme song, because almost every time John McCain is mentioned on a news program, they feel the need to describe him as “the maverick senator, John McCain”. This is just me, but I think unless you’re incredibly bitter about Rush, you’ll think these parodies are funny.
Why does Rush call Tom Daschle, Tom “puff” daschle?
Chrissie Hynde really isn’t much of a feminist. From years of reading music magazines I can recall her making such statements as “Women should stay home with their kids” (er, like you did, Chrissie?) as well as the ever popular “I’m not a feminist”.
Which of course is not to suggest that I think she’d agree with Rush on any other issues.
I think it’s a play on “cream puff”, because he always puts on a nice guy, “I don’t want to start anything, it’s my opponents starting the fights” front when he’s being interviewed, and basically his whole job is to oppose anything Republicans do, no matter what it is.