Charts & Graphs
Play It Again, Uncle Sam
Campaign songs used by Republican and Democratic presidential nominees, 1986–2008.
2008 | John McCain | Jackson Browne*, “Running on Empty”; John Mellencamp, “Our Country” |
Barack Obama | Stevie Wonder, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours”; Aretha Franklin, “Think” | |
2004 | George W. Bush | Brooks & Dunn, “Only in America”; Pat Green, “Wave on Wave” |
John Kerry | Bruce Springsteen, “No Surrender” | |
2000 | George W. Bush | Tom Petty*, “I Won’t Back Down”; Billy Ray Cyrus, “We the People” |
Al Gore | Bachman-Turner Overdrive, “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet”; The Call, “Let the Day Begin” | |
1998 | Bob Dole | Isaac Hayes*, “Soul Man” |
Bill Clinton | Bachman-Turner Overdrive, “Takin’ Care of Business” | |
1994 | George H.W. Bush | No official selection |
Bill Clinton | Fleetwood Mac, “Don’t Stop” | |
1990 | George H.W. Bush | Woody Guthrie, “This Land Is Your Land”; Bobby McFerrin*, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” |
Michael Dukakis | Neil Diamond, “America” | |
1986 | Ronald Reagan | Lee Greenwood, “God Bless the U.S.A.” |
Walter Mondale | Bill Conti, “Gonna Fly Now,” aka the Rocky theme song |
* Songwriter requested candidate cease using the song
For more presidential campaign music, see “Hot Tracks for Campaign Trails.”