U.S. Senate candidate Rich Tarrant’s campaign had to make some quick "ch-changes" of its own this week. A Tarrant campaign Web ad, featuring David Bowie’s famous "Changes" also featured some footage of Tarrant's opponent, Bernie Sanders. ¶

Under many circumstances, a politicians’ words are fair game. You don’t need Sanders’ permission to use his melodious voice. But Tarrant didn’t have permission to use Channel 17’s tape of Sanders’ voice. When Channel 17 called to complain this week, Tarrant pulled the ad.

As of Friday afternoon, the ad was gone from Tarrant’s Web site, but still available if you had the direct Web link, which we do (http://www.tarrant06.com/media/changes.html).

What was still unclear Friday afternoon was whether Tarrant had the rights to use Bowie’s voice, or those of the Archies, who were singing "Sugar, Sugar" on the ad, or the musical strains of Darth Vader’s entry music from "Star Wars."

You need written permission to use somebody else’s music for commercial purposes. And unless the publisher of that music is feeling generous, you have to pay. The process of getting a synchronization license for the right to use three songs is fairly cumbersome. You have to find the publishers of the works, fill out a form detailing what you plan to use, where you plan to use and for how long. You submit it and get a price quote from the company.

It’s a lot to go through for an ad that was airing nowhere but on the candidate’s Web site.

Tarrant spokesman Tim Lennon said he didn’t know if the campaign had gotten permission or paid for use of the songs. He said Thursday he would check with those who made the ad. By Friday afternoon, Lennon was out of town, but campaign aide Kate O’Connor was still trying to reach the makers of the ad.

Lennon said the ads were meant to be posted on the candidate’s site for just a day or so, and were designed to draw the attention of the media and voters who are paying particularly close attention to the race at this early stage.

The ad accused Sanders of changing his tune on accepting political action committee money because of $500 he accepted from Florida Crystals, a sugar farm that operates in the Dominican Republic where workers are allegedly paid $2 a day.
— Terri Hallenbeck¶