Will Heart’s Barracuda Torpedo The G.O.P.?

By Glen Boyd: 2008-09-06 03:19:52

First it was John Mellencamp and Jackson Browne. Now, Heart have joined the growing ranks of rock stars crying foul over the unauthorized use of their music by the Republican party, and specifically by its presidential ticket.

Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson of the Seattle based rock group Heart have issued a cease and desist order to the presidential campaign of Republican hopeful John McCain and his vice-presidential running mate, Alaska governor Sarah Palin. What is in question, is the use of Heart’s song “Barracuda” as a sort of unofficial theme song for Palin, who once claimed the song’s title as a nickname for herself as a high school athlete. Heart claim the song was used without permission.

In an e-mail fans sent out by the rock group on Thursday afternoon, Heart said "The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song, nor would they have been granted that permission. We have asked the Republican campaign publicly not to use our music. We hope our wishes will be honored."

The Wilson sisters of Heart join fellow rockers John Mellencamp and Jackson Browne in claiming that the Republicans are using their music without permission. Mellencamp issued a similar cease and desist order earlier this year over the use of his songs "Pink Houses" and "Our Country." Just last month, Browne went a step further, taking his case for John McCain’s unauthorized of his best known song “Running On Empty” to court.

In Heart’s case, when “Barracuda” was used once again during the celebration after McCain’s speech on Thursday night accepting his party’s nomination for president (following the use by Palin on Wednesday), Nancy Wilson herself responded to the Hollywood Insider at EW. ""I think it's completely unfair to be so misrepresented," she said, and then added "I feel completely f---ed over."

Here is the transcript of Heart’s e-mail response:

"Sarah Palin's views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women. We ask that our song 'Barracuda' no longer be used to promote her image. The song 'Barracuda' was written in the late 70s as a scathing rant against the soulless, corporate nature of the music business, particularly for women. (The 'barracuda' represented the business.) While Heart did not and would not authorize the use of their song at the RNC, there's irony in Republican strategists' choice to make use of it there."

RELATED: Heart, john mellencamp, Jackson Browne

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