Sarah Palin Watch: Heart Says Don’t Play “Barracuda†– But Team McCain Paid for the Rights
Anne (L) and Nancy Wilson of Heart perform at the ‘Idol Gives Back’ show at the Kodak theatre in Hollywood, California April 6, 2008. The rock group Heart, angry that its 70’s hit ‘Barracuda’ is being used as the unofficial theme song for Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, is biting back at the Alaska governor.
Well, Team Mc-Cain-Palin continues to use the song.
The rock band “Heart” may have asked John McCain and Sarah Palin stop playing their song “Barracuda” at their rallies, but the campaign is apparently paying no heed.
The track — played at the Republican National Convention in honor of the Vice Presidential nominee, who earned the nickname “Sarah Barracuda” playing high school basketball in Alaska — was pumped through the streets of Lebanon, Ohio on Tuesday morning at an outdoor rally before the GOP ticket showed up.
You see, organizations don’t have to go directly to the copyright holder to get permission to use their work. They can get a license from ASCAP, the American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers. (Someone should tell the London Guardian editorial writers this inconvenient truth.)
According to The London Telegraph (and the Guardian), that’s exactly what the the Republican National Convention did. A spokesman says that the RNC “paid for and obtained all necessary licenses” from ASCAP for all the music used at the event.
Assuming that the RNC did indeed get an ASCAP license (and why wouldn’t they?), then they could legally use the song, assuming it’s in the ASCAP database. (It is.)
So, Barracuda will be played and Heart will be paid – even with this snarky aside.
And the band’s former guitarist, Roger Fisher, told Reuters last week that the McCain camp’s use of the song benefited both sides: Republicans get “the ingenious placement of a kick-ass song” — and Heart gets headlines and royalties. Part of that money, said Fisher, would be heading to the Arizona senator’s opponent: “With my contribution to Obama’s campaign, the Republicans are now supporting Obama,” he told Reuters.
Stay tuned to see if Anne and Nancy Wilson proceed with legal action or pocket the money. Flap’s bet is on the latter.
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liz
I always liked Heart and assumed those women had the ability to be reasonable, as well as being talented. Well the truth about different people is coming out of the woodwork in all kinds of unexpected ways this political cycle, ain’t it? BARRA-CUDA! I can’t see how Obama would win this cycle. He has a serious problem with real women, and they make up more than half of this great nation, honey.