The Candidates
In a bit of ’slightly ridiculous’ news, the Barracuda is no more. From HuffPo:
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.
The Republican Party has always had a hell of a time trying to find music that artists will actually agree to let them use. Some of them are more obvious than others, and understandable. Did the Republican party really think that this guy, or this guy, would actually be comfortable with the party blaring tunes that stand for exactly the opposite of their own personal views, and in some cases, even what they interpret their work to mean? Those are pretty obvious.
However, it’s kind of ridiculous when Heart seems to think that people find political meaning to their work.
Of course, this is the same party, who at their convention last week, followed a Christian performer with AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck“… the same AC/DC who coined the phrase “Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be.” Sometimes I wonder if my party is really that clueless.
September 7th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I guess they’ll just have to have John Rich write a song for Palin.
September 7th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Oh Tommy, “Heart” may not like it, but Sarah is still my Barracuda.
September 7th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
[...] guitar licks to “Barracuda.” It seemed the cleverest musical choice of … Source: race42008.com If you liked that post, then try these…Brad Pitt Tackles TorontoBrad Pitt Tackles Toronto Sat, [...]
September 7th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
I agree, just stick with country.
September 7th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Yes Tommy, our party is that clueless.
I may remember wrong, but for some reason I recall GWB playing the intro to “fortunate son” during one of his campaigns. Maybe the most ridiculous misuse of music in history.
September 7th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
I think Palin should use “Invincible” or “Hit me with your best shot” by Pat Benetar, both very appropriate. Especially invincible with its ties to that Legend of Billie Jean movie and female empowerment.
September 7th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
eric,
As soon as Barracuda began playing in the arena, the first thing I thought (and am pretty sure I said to Kavon) was — there’s no way in hell the Wilson sisters gave permission to McCain to use their song. And, to go one further, they followed up Heart’s hit in the Xcel Center with anti-war advocate John Fogerty’s Centerfield.
Tommy, to add to the list…in 2000, Tom Petty forced George W. Bush to quit playing “I Won’t Back Down”; then Sting forced him to stop playing “Brand New Day.” The group Orleans made him quit using their song “Still the One” in 2004. And don’t forget the “Dole Man,” who was called out in ‘96 for using Sam and Dave’s “Soul Man.”
September 7th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
It’s music folks you can be politically conservative but still like artists who are to the left of you. However I think these artists are being a bit stupid in saying a certain political party can’t use their music at a convention.(note to liberal artists we buy and listen to your music as well)
September 7th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Drudge has on his site that the New York Times will be doing a piece on Trig Palin:
NYT: MEET THE BABY…
PAPER PREPARES TO FRONT DETAILED STORY ON PALIN’S BABY, NEWSROOM SOURCES TELL DRUDGE… DEVELOPING…
http://drudgereport.com/
September 7th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Are there any rockers or singers besides Ted Nugent and some country groups that are Republican?
Maybe Palin should just come out to “Stranglehold”
I also see ZZ Top are Republicans. Legs, anyone? Tush? McCain to come out to Sharp Dressed Man
It’s ironic that Bruce is a hard core dem as The River just about describes Palin’s life story
September 7th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
I can understand why a musician would be upset to hear his or her songs played at a rally they completely disagree with. It’s petty but completely understandable.
On a related note, as a county music fan I chuckled when Obama played Only in America by Brooks and Dunn. I wonder how much good-ole-boy country music he listened to growing up in Indonesia and downtown Chicago.
September 7th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Maybe the Dixie Chicks have something appropriate that we can appropriate>
September 7th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
12. . .hahaha. . .um, no.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:26 am
10
SLAYER!!!!
I actually think they may be. Their guitarist Kerry King wrote a song called Dittohead in 1994. Google it for the lyrics; it probably is a shout out to El Rushbo. It helps that I love the song and the band.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:28 am
Didn’t ABBA force McCain to stop using “Take a Chance on Me” a while back? It really does seem to be tough for conservative politicians to find any music to use besides country.
Speaking of music, Megan McCain posts some great playlists over at McCainBlogette.
September 8th, 2008 at 8:16 am
Does Heart have a legal leg to stand on? I’d think using pieces of music during a campaign event would fall under Fair Use.
As long as McCain doesn’t put it in a campaign ad, I think they’re safe in flipping Heart the bird on this.
September 8th, 2008 at 9:54 am
16 tOTALLY AGREE. Just because it was a REPUBLICAN “party”, they make gripes.
EVIL DEMOCRATS AT IT AGAIN
September 8th, 2008 at 11:25 am
#16 It has nothing to do with fair use. The party CAN continue to use the song “Barracuda”, because of the way the licensing arrangements work - but Heart has already said that royalties received from playing that song will be donated directly to Obama.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
I wonder how it is that Rush Limbaugh has been able to use a song by Chrissie Hynde as his theme song for the last 20 years.
September 10th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Sara Palin should have used the song ‘Sneaky Snake’. Fits alot better.