Posted on 09/06/2008 10:39:05 AM PDT by markomalley
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The rock group Heart, angry that its '70s hit "Barracuda" is being used as the unofficial theme song for Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, is taking aim at the Alaska governor.
The song, a nod to the "Sarah Barracuda" nickname Palin earned on the basketball court in high school, was dusted off for her appearance at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul on Wednesday.
Heart singers Ann and Nancy Wilson said a "cease-and-desist" letter has been sent to the Republicans asking them not to use the song.
"The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song, nor would they have been granted that permission," according to a statement issued late on Thursday on behalf of the sisters.
There was no immediate comment from the Republican camp.
Last month, rocker Jackson Browne sued Republican presidential candidate John McCain, the Republican National Committee and the Ohio Republican Party, accusing them of using his 1977 hit "Running on Empty" in a campaign ad without permission.
Copyright law may not be on the Wilsons' side as the song is licensed for public performance under a blanket fee paid by the venue to ASCAP, the firm that collects royalties on behalf of composers and copyright owners.
Despite the Wilson sisters' objections, one of the song's co-writers said he was "thrilled" that the song was used.
In an e-mail to Reuters, the band's former guitarist, Roger Fisher, said it was a win-win situation. Heart gets publicity and royalties, while the Republicans benefit from "the ingenious placement of a kick-ass song," Fisher said.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Find out who was supposed to have gotten a large-venue public performance license, and fire their @$$. This sort of Amateur Hour screwup has no place in a Presidential campaign.
You mean Led Zeppelin's "Achilles Last Stand."
Ah, screw it! The should stop playing the song. Ann Wilson may have a great voice, but Heart sucks. I never cared for their songs.
You are truly out of your mind. Are we going to go after Reagan's estate because he played "Born in the USA" or mentioned Bruce Springsteen?
I guess someone got Roger’s mind right.
Hey Wilson sisters, do you cash that monthly ASCAP check? If so, STFU.
Give the crybabies their song back and give them $1000 to shut up.
Guaranteed they would not have complained if it was used for some Leftist hack.
I’m thinkin’ You’d want to see/comment on this.
As long as the fee is paid, it can be used.
I think she should use the theme music from “The Natural.” It’s great music, and the storyline (out-of-nowhere hick beats crooked media and baseball officials) works a lot better than the lyrics from that stupid song, which describe someone more like Biden than Palin.
Read the article: the song is under ASCAP. Heart has no right to restrict where the song is sung or not sung.
Nobody is alleging that the song license fee wasn't paid to ASCAP.
It's just some aging Nobamites whining...
“There was no immediate comment from the Republican camp.”
Since the appropriate fees were paid, if anybody read the letter twice they are ROFL.
Have y’all seen those girls lately? Woof! Life has not been kind ...
This is the guy with the brain.
They may well have paid the proper royalties. If they had, there is no grounds for complaint or a C&D letter.
Both the drummer and lead guitarist of Heart were on a local talk-show in Seattle yesterday saying that they BOTH thought using “Barracuda” was a FANTASTIC thing.
Ann & Nancy are has-beens.
They’re just pi$$ed that Obama’s campaign isn’t using “Magic Man”.
If the convention bought an original disk and played it, I’m trying to see the problem. It’s not like they’re selling copies.
lol..oh yeah, they must be real angry their (average) song from the '70s is getting so much airplay. ....and that tens of millions of people are hearing the song for the first time. They must be devastated.
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