# Heart issues cease-and-desist against Palin **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 5, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248 "2008-09-05T23:25:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/1 "2008-09-05T23:25:51Z")
This morning over the radio I heard people being interviewed at the Republican convension with the song “Barracuda” by Heart was playing in the background. And I wondered what was going on in the Wilsons’ minds. Well hurray, this says [http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/politics/blog/2008/09/barracuda\_cease\_and\_desist.html](http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/politics/blog/2008/09/barracuda_cease_and_desist.html) > [@](#): > > Sarah Palin earned the nickname “barracuda” as a HS basketball player, because she was thought to be so tough/mean/driven. It has stuck with her, and last night the song “Barracuda” by Heart blared out over Xcel’s speakers. > > Today: The Hollywood Insider blog reports that Heart’s Nancy Wilson has asked the campaign to stop: > > “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.” > > Issues of song use have been a persistent problem for the McCain campaign – it ain’t easy to put on a show when you’re the campaign less favored by the cool and the hip… Yay Heart!! ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/2 "2008-09-05T23:30:25Z")
Reminds me of Rush Limbaugh using that great intro to “My City Was Gone”, in spite of the Pretenders’ wishes. And I remember George H.W. Bush, in '88 or '92, using “This Land is Your Land”, which is basically an anti-people-like-George-Bush song. No sense of irony. ---
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/3 "2008-09-05T23:32:24Z")
Good for Heart, those girls can rock AND rumble! ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/4 "2008-09-05T23:49:31Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > Reminds me of Rush Limbaugh using that great intro to “My City Was Gone”, in spite of the Pretenders’ wishes. > > And I remember George H.W. Bush, in '88 or '92, using “This Land is Your Land”, which is basically an anti-people-like-George-Bush song. No sense of irony. And in the case of _Barracuda_, never mind irony – the most cursory listen to the lyrics makes it clear that the allusion is meant to be NEGATIVE. It’s not saying to the unnamed addressee “oh, yeah, go, you’re fierce!”, it’s saying “damn, you’re a dangerous cold-blooded predator!”. Then again some people like to be seen that way. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/5 "2008-09-05T23:54:16Z")
Reagan had that problem twice-both Bruce Springsteen and John Mellancamp refused to let him use their songs, because his campaign misinterpreted both- “Born in the U.S.A” (about homeless Vietnam vets, IIRC), and “Little Pink Houses”, respectively. ---
**Author:** ![headshok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@headshok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/headshok)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/6 "2008-09-05T23:55:35Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > Reminds me of Rush Limbaugh using that great intro to “My City Was Gone”, in spite of the Pretenders’ wishes. According to [this](http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5923659/really_randoms_chrissie_hynde_ricky_martin_jimmy_page) Rolling Stone article, they eventually struck a deal on that song. So now Rush can use the song as long as he donates the royalties to PETA! Didn’t Ronald Reagan use Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” during one of his campaigns? Not exactly a hopeful, upbeat anthem. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/7 "2008-09-05T23:59:11Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > Reminds me of Rush Limbaugh using that great intro to “My City Was Gone”, in spite of the Pretenders’ wishes. > > And I remember George H.W. Bush, in '88 or '92, using “This Land is Your Land”, which is basically an anti-people-like-George-Bush song. No sense of irony. I had really hoped G. W. Bush’ campaign would pick “Fortunate Son”, but they never did… ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/8 "2008-09-06T00:10:51Z")
McCain has run into this problem AT LEAST 5 times since 2004. John Hall of Orleans (who is now a US Rep. from NY) dinged him for using “Still the One” without permission. Jackson Browne actually SUED him for using “Running on Empty” without permission. John Mellencamp dinged him for using “Our Country” and “Pink Houses” without permission. Van Halen dinged him for using “Right Now” without permission. and now Heart dinged him for using “Barracuda” without permission. He’s also gotten in trouble with Warner Music Group for using Four Seasons songs in his web videos without permission. And Warner Entertainment had an altercation with him over using footage of the SNL “Wayne’s World” segment in a web video. So are the Republicans idiots when it comes to copyright and intellectual property issues, or do they just think the law doesn’t apply to them? ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/9 "2008-09-06T00:46:24Z")
Too bad they’ve licensed their songs out on ASCAP such that it really doesn’t matter what they think. Well, I guess you can do it for art, or you can do it for money, but to do it for both simultaneously is rather tricky. [http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?mode=search](http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?mode=search) Title code: 320221541 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/10 "2008-09-06T00:56:45Z")
> [@headshok](#): > > Didn’t Ronald Reagan use Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” during one of his campaigns? Not exactly a hopeful, upbeat anthem. Simulpost! 😃 Reagan _tried_, but Springsteen turned him down, commenting that obviously Reagan hadn’t paid attention to the lyrics, or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/11 "2008-09-06T01:05:10Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > Too bad they’ve licensed their songs out on ASCAP such that it really doesn’t matter what they think. I believe you are mistaken. The song is being used for commercial purposes, there Heart has a definite say in whether or not it is used. If McCain wanted to serenade Palin with it, then he could pay the royalty and do so. But once it starts getting used as a campaign song, the rules change. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/12 "2008-09-06T01:08:43Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I believe you are mistaken. The song is being used for commercial purposes, there Heart has a definite say in whether or not it is used. If McCain wanted to serenade Palin with it, then he could pay the royalty and do so. But once it starts getting used as a campaign song, the rules change. > **[Does the McCain campaign have to stop playing Heart's "Barracuda"?](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2008/09/does-the-mccain-campaign-have-to-stop-playing-heart-s-barracuda.html)** > > Ann and Nancy Wilson, the frontwomen of the rock band Heart, are demanding that the McCain campaign stop using their 1977 song "Barracuda" at political... > [@](#): > > In this case, the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., would be the holder, but a representative tells the Explainer that the venue’s ASCAP license applies only to sporting events for the Minnesota Wild and the Minnesota Swarm, the professional hockey and lacrosse teams, respectively; otherwise, it’s up to the people who use the premises to get their own. A spokesperson for the Republican Convention said the event did have an ASCAP license separate from the one for sports. Not sure if that is correct or not but overall the whole article was a decent read for those of us (ME) that didn’t understand just what ASCAP was to be begin with. ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/13 "2008-09-06T15:36:36Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > He’s also gotten in trouble with Warner Music Group for using Four Seasons songs in his web videos without permission. Wait - what? WMG has a lock on Vivaldi? 😕 My google-fu is in the shop. (The mechanic said I blew a seal.) Got a link? ETA - ah. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Durr. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/14 "2008-09-06T15:58:39Z")
> [@Subway\_Prophet](#): > > Wait - what? WMG has a lock on Vivaldi? 😕 > > My google-fu is in the shop. (The mechanic said I blew a seal.) Got a link? > > ETA - ah. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Durr. I really would have clarified if the idea that there would be confusion on that had ever occurred to me. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/15 "2008-09-06T16:29:30Z")
Still doesn’t beat GHWBush using “The Best of Times Is Now” from the gay musical _La Cage Aux Folles_ at the 1992 culture war convention. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heart-issues-cease-and-desist-against-palin/462248/16 "2008-09-06T19:30:10Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > So are the Republicans idiots when it comes to copyright and intellectual property issues, or do they just think the law doesn’t apply to them? If only Sony Bono still lived, he could set them straight… (Maybe they are under the impression that author’s right to object to the use in promotional materials is only for _commercial_ and not for political use)