From bands performing during the Democratic National Convention to songs played at political rallies to protest anthems, music provides an energizing backdrop to every election. So, here’s a round of dedications for the 2012 campaign:

First off, to President Barack Obama, who is hoping to get re-elected for a second term, we send out Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together.”

For the verbal gaffes Joe Biden has made on the campaign trail, Britney Spears’ “Oops, I Did It Again” goes out to our always-eloquent Mr. Vice President.

Mitt Romney has done plenty of flip-flopping, in addition to his refusal to release his tax records. For him, we’d like to dedicate Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady.”

Not long ago, The Who’s “Who Are You?” would have been the perfect send-out to Romney’s unidentified running mate, but we now know the Republican vice presidential candidate’s name is Mr. Paul Ryan.

Taking the self-professed Rage Against the Machine fan’s stand on abortion and the budget into consideration, we’d like to offer up Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.”

The more reports of looming government shutdowns and vacations we get, the more Loverboy’s “Working for the Weekend” seems a perfect dedication for members of Congress. And they deserve to endure it.

Lobbyists will be keeping a close eye on the election, but there’s only one thing on their minds. For them, we send out ABBA’s “Money, Money, Money.”

Security will be tight around the convention, so we suspect Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police will be dedicating a song to us — The Police’s “Every Breath You Take.”

To all the ladies of the night out working the second-tier politico beat, we dedicate AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.”

Apparently some locals rented out their homes at high prices in a mild exploitation of DNC visitors. For them, The Steve Miller Band’s “Take the Money and Run” seems the right choice.

And to all those Republicans trying to redefine rape these days, we offer one simple message: Cee Lo’s “Fuck You.”