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Palin's use of song "Barracuda" upsets Heart
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by Tina Kells | September 8, 2008 at 02:55 pm
237 views | 15 Recommendations | 3 comments
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Ann and Nancy Wilson of the 70's rock band "Heart" are reportedly up-in-arms over Sarah Palin's use of their hit song Barracuda at the Republican National Convention.
"The Republican campaign did not ask for permission, nor would they have been granted permission," said sisters and singers Ann and Nancy Wilson in a letter about their hit from 1977.
"The McCain campaign respects intellectual property rights," spokesman Brian Rogers told Reuters news agency.
"Accordingly, prior to using Barracuda at any events, we paid for and obtained all necessary licences."
Die-hard Democrats, the Wilson sisters are claiming they did not authorize the song's use as Palin's anthem, and have served the vice-presidential hopeful with a cease-and-desist order. Palin, known by members of her high school basketball team as "Sarah Barracuda" chose the song in honor of her teenaged moniker.
Former "Heart" guitarist Roger Fisher, who collaborated on the song, is thrilled by the attention that Palin's use has given the classic rock tune, but won't be supporting the Republican ticket. Fisher has stated that a portion of the royalties generated from the song will be donated to Obama's Democratic campaign.
This is the second time that the Republican party has run in to trouble over the music used in campaigning. Last month rocker Jackson Browne took legal action after the McCain camp used his 1977 song Running on Empty in an anti-Obama ad. Like Rogers, and the Wilson sisters, Browne is a well-known Democrat having performed at a concert to benefit John Kerry's 2004 presidential run.
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Tina Kells
Vancouver, Canada
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (3)
at 15:34 on September 8th, 2008
Tina Kells, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 13:24 on September 9th, 2008
Tina Kells, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 17:14 on September 9th, 2008
Heart does not get to "approve" the songs use for live events, only in film or commercials.
The convention would have to pay fees through Ascap or BMI for use, but no permission would be needed.
Further.... The Republican campaign "could" hire someone to re-make the Heart song and then could use the song in Commercials and Heart would have no say in the matter other than where to have their royalty check sent.