Gingrich Sued for Using 'Eye of the Tiger' at Rallies

By Cynthia Hsu, Esq. on January 31, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Don't expect Newt Gingrich to continue using "Eye of the Tiger" as his campaign song of choice. Gingrich has just been sued by the co-author of the famous tune, Rude Music Inc.

Rude Music Inc. is owned by Frank Sullivan. Sullivan co-wrote the famous Rocky III theme. The song ended up topping the charts when it was released in 1982. It also garnered a Grammy Award and an Academy Award.

Apparently, the Gingrich campaign failed to ask permission to use the song in their campaign. Rude Music is now seeking a court order to block Gingrich from using "Eye of the Tiger" in future campaign functions.

The company is also seeking an unspecified amount of monetary damages, reports Bloomberg.

Gingrich's campaign has used the song extensively. The complaint alleges that Gingrich started playing the song at events in 2009.

The complaint also notes that Gingrich should be well-versed in copyright law. He's made money shilling his own books, documentaries and audio books.

Gingrich isn't the only politician to face copyright scrutiny over their choice of campaign songs.

So, will Gingrich stop using "Eye of the Tiger" as his campaign song? It might be prudent given the pending lawsuit. The real question is: now that Gingrich has been sued, what song will he pick next?

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