'You're The Best Around' Singer Joe Esposito Weighs In On Trump Using His Anthem
By Christy Strawser
DETROIT (CBS Detroit) It's a fist-pumping 1980s anthem that would make the most self-promotional of salesmen blush if it blared as they took the stage.
Donald Trump apparently loves it.
"You're the Best Around" reverberated around the room as Trump triumphantly pounced on stage at a campaign stop Tuesday in suburban Michigan. The crowd cheered wildly.
You're the best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you down
You're the Best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you down
You're the Best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you dow-ow-ow-ow-own
Singer Joe Esposito weighed in with CBS Detroit on Trump's use of his tune from the 1984 smash hit "Karate Kid."
"A friend of mine contacted me last week and I think when he went to Iowa he used it then too," Esposito said.
Esposito was tickled pink the real estate baron, reality TV star and current front runner for the Republican presidential nomination is using his anthem as his stage music.
"I was aware that he used it one time, and now more? Wow," he said.
Esposito added that he didn't pen the song, so no one writes him a check when it plays. But he's still excited for the song's resurgence.
"I think I'm going to become a Republican now," Esposito said, laughing. "I'm a registered Democrat. It's a great thing."
He added that as well known as his song is, it played second fiddle on the "Karate Kid" soundtrack to the Bananarama hit "It's a cruel, cruel summer." Trump's fans undoubtedly hope that song doesn't come into play at later campaign stops.
Esposito said he became aware through his son, former pro baseball player Mike Esposito, that his song had taken on new life as a sports anthem.
"It's kind of a thrill to me," he said, adding, "I think it's a good thing, it's a positive thing. I don't know how I feel about him. I would love for this country to get on its feet again. I try not to talk about politics or religion ... I guess we'll see what happens."
He's got his fingers crossed that Trump wants him to play it live at an event.
While he waits for Trump to hit him up on his cell, Esposito is spending his time as the lead singer of a group called The Brooklyn Bridge. The Las Vegas resident is on tour with his band.
"I stay pretty busy," he said.
The Grammy nominated singer also co-wrote "Bad Girls" for Donna Summer, penned "Hearts on Fire" for "Rocky IV" and sang on "Piano in the Dark."
