Twisted Sister Are Definitely Not Gonna Take It

When I was in my late teens, my most concerning decision was whether to order a Tequila Sunrise or a Harvey Wallbanger at the bar.  When I had made the choice, I would hand over the currency for my cocktail, and the fluorescent bar overhead would reflect on the studs of the black studded wristband gracing my slender wrists. Chances are, I looked like a two-bob mug lair, or the female equivalent (a two-bob mug-she-lair). I thought I just looked the duck's nuts. A while ago, my eldest son and I were watching an Iron Maiden film clip; I pointed to the studded wrist bands sported by Bruce Dickinson, and told him I wore similar back in the day. My son looked very disconcerted, and said, 'You are not a good person, Mum.'

When I wasn't deciding which sickly cocktails to consume, I'd be sketching at home. Sometimes I'd put on music, and sometimes that music was Iron Maiden, or a new album that came out at the time: Stay Hungry by what looked like a bunch of Spinal Tap rejects, but were more likely piss-takers, called Twisted Sister. I really liked that album, and I loved the song We're Not Gonna Take It, and the film clip was a laugh, with actor Mark Metcalf paying tribute to his iconic Animal House role of ROTC arsehole-in-chief Douglas C Neidermeyer.

Many years later, my youngest son often cranks up Twisted Sister when he's washing up. All is good. The music-loving genes have been passed on. My work is done.

However, also many years later, Clive Palmer of the United Palmer Party decided it would be a topperoo idea to appropriate the song for his campaign. Unfortunately, it sounds shit, and the re-written lyrics do not scan musically, which makes it even more jarring.  Compare if you will the two: (1) We're/Not/Gon/na/Take/It has six syllables; whilst (2) Aus/sies/Are/Not/Gon/na/Take/It crams in two more syllables, and it completely fucks over everything.

Clive, your campaign song totally blows the foreskin off a bull elephant. You can't do a great big shit on the dining room table, sprinkle it with glitter, then spray it with shellac and say it's a lovely decoration, because it doesn't stop it from being SHIT. You're a rich man; surely you could have paid some aspiring song writer to come up with a jingle, and paid some people to perform it. Look how well it worked for the Labor Party's 'It's Time' slogan back in the early Seventies. You might have trouble finding well-known performers because they won't want to be associated with you. Can anyone in the Palmer United Party hold a tune?

Another thing, the band Twisted Sister are not impressed with your appropriation of their song, which you've done minus their permission. Theft of intellectual property and infringement of copyright are not looked upon favourably.  As I mentioned, you've got some serious coin, and I reckon a scrounge around beneath the cushions of your lounge would yield enough spare change to pay a songwriter.

Dee Snyder is not someone with whom you should be engaging in semantics; he is a very intelligent and articulate man, and will show your baseless arguments up for the pathetic balderdash they are. On a side note, I've wanted to use the word 'balderdash' in an article for ages, so thanks for that, Clive.

Clive, you said Twisted Sister should stay out of our politics. If you get some binoculars and train them skyward, you just might see the point you missed when it went clean over your head with a clearance up into the stratosphere.  Whether you intended to or not, you committed an act of intellectual property theft. Even more offensive is that you reduced an awesome song to paltry, nonsensical piffle.

Here's what Dee had to say on the matter, I've copied the text from his Twitter:

Retweeted Wall of Sound

Got no interest in Australian politics @CliveFPalmer @PalmerUtdParty ...unless iut involves plagiarism, misappropriation of creative property & my artistic rights. Stay away from my song, I'll stay away from your politics.  As @Silverchair once sang..."Wait 'til tomorrow!"

Anyway, I'm off to do some writing. Ciao for now.