Heart Wants McCain/Palin To Stop Using Barracuda

Boston Globe:

The rock group Heart has sent a message to John McCain and Sarah "Barracuda'' Palin: quit playing our 1977 hit ''Barracuda.''

Soon after the presidential nominee finished his acceptance speech late Thursday and running-mate Palin joined him on the Republican National Convention stage in St. Paul, the sound system pumped the throbbing introductory guitar licks to "Barracuda.''

It seemed the cleverest musical choice of both conventions. Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson, like Alaska Governor Palin, are outspoken products of the Pacific Northwest, and the sisters's tune also could refer to Palin's Dazed-and-Confused-Era nickname of Sarah Barracuda, given for her intense high-school basketball play.

But the Wilsons condemned the usage, adding that Universal Music Publishing and Sony BMG have sent a cease-and-desist notice to the McCain-Palin campaign, according to CNN. "We have asked the Republican campaign publicly not to use our music,'' the group said in a statement.

Read the whole story: Boston Globe

Comments

[efox]

10:17 PM on 09/08/2008

Obama should use "Magic Man".

[Heartarcher]

08:03 PM on 09/07/2008

I'm proud of Ann & Nancy Wilson for standing up for what they believe in. Heart simply stated they don't want to be associated with the republican party. It isn't the end of the world that the rep's played Barracuda one time but they continued to do so after being asked to not use the song. Sarah Palin is using it to represent herself and what she stands for. She is using it for promotional purposes and that is illegal without consent.

Heart has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and over 30 million sales in the USA alone. They have scored 30 "Billboard Top 40" hit songs. They are best know for Ann Wilson's amazing voice.

The following is a list of hit songs from Heart.

1970's
Crazy On You
Magic Man
Dreamboat Annie
Barracuda
Kick It Out
Heartless
Without You
Dog & Butterfly
Straight On

1980's
Even It Up
Tell It Like It Is
Unchained Melody
This Man Is Mine
How Can I Refuse
Allies
Almost Paradise
What About Love
Never
These Dreams
Nothin' At All
If Looks Could Kill
Alone
Who Will You Run To?
There's The Girl
I Want You So Bad
Surrender To Me

1990's
All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You
Stranded
Wild Child
I Didn't Want To Need You
Secret
You're The Voice
Battle of Evermore
Black On Black
Will You Be There In The Morning
Back To Avalon

2000's
Perfect Goodbye
Oldest Story In The World
Make Me

[MBryant]

12:38 PM on 09/06/2008

Okay Jackson Browne - no, Toby Kieth - no, Wilson sisters - no
I guess we can eliminate everyone on an Obama Video (that's about 40 musicians...)

Do you think we can use Donnie and Marie's stuff?

[obamagirl1968]

09:15 AM on 09/06/2008

How many times do artist have to tell them to cease and desist? Clearly the McBush campaign has no regard for copyright laws. How can a sitting US senator and a sitting state governor have so much disregard for the law? You don't see Obama-Biden making that mistake, right? After all, they EACH have a law degree and understand what the constitution means to individuals AND businesses. The McCain-Palin team only cares about themselves!

[BayouCityBill]

12:01 AM on 09/06/2008

Hey Heart, I'll stop using your music instantly....my CDs will be out for trash pickup tomarrow morning.

[newpotusplease]

11:40 PM on 09/05/2008

the artists on practically every song that was played don't agree with the party platform-- why doesn't the RNC listen to the music of artist who support them-- is that so difficult?!

[quahog1]

08:48 AM on 09/06/2008

I think the song is more befitting to "Hill". But, I thought libs like the wilson sisters are of a tolerant agenda?

[trythetruth]

11:31 PM on 09/06/2008

I thought they were dead. I tossed their albums years ago anyway.

[RonBlack66]

10:40 PM on 09/05/2008

Heart has been out of the spotlight for so long that this move is meant to pander to democrats in hopes of increasing sales of their worn out material. I, for one, just tossed my "Heart: Greatest Hits" CD in the trash. And if I were Clear Channel (home of many conservative talk shows), I would tell them that if their music is too good to play at the RNC, then it is obviously too good to play on Clear Channels multiple "Oldie's Rock" stations as well. Let them get airtime and new listeners from Air America in the future. This petty move is so un-American.

[TexasRick]

10:09 PM on 09/05/2008

I can't understand how a white male could be a Democrat, unless they were gay, of course. I just don't get it.

[MajorKong]

10:24 PM on 09/05/2008

Well let's see, I'm a straight, middle-aged, married, Christian, white, male, veteran:

1. I don't want my union busted and my job shipped overseas.
2. I don't want the country to go broke fighting any more needless wars.
3. I like my roads paved, my food inspected and natural disasters responded to.
4. I like my church and state separate thank you very much.
5. I think that we're a republic, not an empire.
6. I don't want a "unitary executive" with far more power than the founder's ever intended.
7. I still follow the naive notion that we're supposed to be the good guys and we don't spy on our own citizens, torture people, or lock people up indefinitely without trial.
8. I'd like a federal judiciary and justice department staffed with smart professionals who didn't have Liberty University as their first, second or 37th choice of law school.
9. I don't think gay people chose to be gay any more than I chose to be heterosexual so I figure they deserve the same rights as anybody else.

I got more but that should get you started.

[BassCat]

11:00 PM on 09/05/2008

Well said TX Rick, spoken like a true man!!!!! I guess if you can't field dress wild game, well never mind the chicken wings will never get it. Broke Back Mountain should be their theme song!!!

[woodwaste]

10:07 PM on 09/05/2008

I don't know anything about musical copyrights, I thought It was 20 years.
I guess I should look it up.

I watched the coverage of the DNC and RNC, frankly it's been a long time
since I've heard the song "Barracuda", it was nice to hear again.

I don't even know if a political convention constitutes a commercial endeavor.
Have to get the suits on it.

Regardless of the outcome it's a historical race, I'm not going to cry about it either way.

[ThoughtBot]

10:05 PM on 09/05/2008

Barracuda is perfect for the McCain72 campaign:

"If the real thing don't do the trick
You better make up something quick"

Inadvertent truth-telling; they better be careful before this becomes a habit.

[NicoloM]

01:04 AM on 09/06/2008

Perfect. Don't forget--
"You lying so low in the weeds
I bet you gonna ambush me"
That's it in a nutshell-- an ambush pick for VP

[darklighter1]

09:44 PM on 09/05/2008

The Repubs shouldn't do it. Nancy Wilson may eat em. Heart..pffft...

[Isela]

09:21 PM on 09/05/2008

Heart should get a life! who remembers them anyways?

[Isela]

09:20 PM on 09/05/2008

Heart should get a life, this is the most action they have seen decades! who the hell is buying their albums anymore?

[TexasRick]

09:05 PM on 09/05/2008

I think the Dems are nervous that the Repubs have found their own Rock Star, abeit, with little experiece just like obama.

[OldKnute]

09:37 PM on 09/05/2008

Excuse me???

Rick,, you can’t mean this? You are from Texas, for Gods’ sake. I grew up in Texas. If there are People who know how to stand for what is right,,,, even when it hurts,,, it is TEXANS.

I was a Republican for 34 years,,, I left the Party because of RUDE Pandering, LIES, Misinformation, Wedge Issues that hijack God, Pimps, FLUFF to replace good policy, Gutter Tactics, Low Road Smears, Fear Mongering, Spying, Deficit Spending, Using WAR and Military Spending to INFLATE the Economy, Predatory Lending, Bank and Savings and Loan Scandals, Not so deep in the Closet Racism and Hypocrisy.

Sorry,,, this is NOT Republicanism, Careful Management, Fiscal Prudent Responsibility, Sensible, Practical Regulation and Safeguards, SOUND Business Principles, walk softly and carry a BIG STICK, defend the Constitution at all costs, LAW and ORDER.

This is LIES in Suits and an orgy of GREED, obsessed with power and wining at all costs.

The Peoples’ Business, has gone out the window, replaced by stunts, focus groups, Voter Fraud, Character Assassination and FEAR.

Sorry,,,, NOT ME!

NOT MY AMERICA!

All the best

Knute Neo-LIB

[TexasRick]

09:03 PM on 09/05/2008

According to wikipedia, (i know) the actual writer of the song has a say on when and where the song was played , and he was very happy that was being played at the RNC convention.