The RNC played up Sarah Palin's old nickname, "Sarah Barracuda", by playing Heart's 1977 classic of the same name at the convention. Ann Wilson of Heart was watching, and the band immediately fired off a C&D order to demand the McCain campaign lay the fuck off their song:"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 then and earlier in the convention, adding that Universal Music Publishing and Sony BMG have sent a cease-and-desist notice to the McCain-Palin campaign, according to CNN."
Here's what Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart had to say later:
"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."
"In NO WAY" -- right on. But it wouldn't be the first time this kind of thing happened, as we saw with the fetus fetishists and the Mes Aieux song they misappropriated and tried to use as an anti-choice anthem, much to the band's chagrin. Stealing must be another one of those "family values" the right-wingnuts keep bleating about.
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