Newt Gingrich Ordered to Stop Using 'How You Like Me Now?'

Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Steven Dewall/Redferns

Newt Gingrich has been ordered to stop using the song "How You Like Me Now?" on the campaign trail. The GOP presidential hopeful was served a cease and desist notice from Third Side Music, the Montreal-based publishing company that owns the rights to the song.

Gingrich used the swaggering 2009 hit from the British band the Heavy at a campaign rally in Tampa last week as he tried to hold onto the momentum from his South Carolina primary win.

The following day, the Heavy posted a message about the campaign’s use of the song on their Facebook page:

"If you heard How You Like Me Now being used by Republican, Newt Gingrich, in his campaign, we'd like you to know it had fuck all to do with us and we are trying to stop it being used. TWATS."

Tussling over the use of pop songs has become a common feature in political campaigns of recent years. Last June, Tom Petty’s management team sent a cease and desist letter to Michele Bachmann to prevent her from using "American Girl" in campaign appearances. That same week, Katrina and the Waves also ordered Bachmann to stop using "Walking on Sunshine."

Jeff Waye of Third Side Music told Canada's Global News that he was surprised to hear that Gingrich was playing "How You Like Me Now?"

“Neither us, nor the band have particularly approved the usage of it,” he said. 

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Amazon MP3 Download Center

Posted in: Gingrich,Ordered,Using