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Liberal Rock Stars to McCain-Palin Campaign: Stop Using Our Songs
ABC ^ | 9/7/08 | Jake Tapper

Posted on 09/07/2008 12:50:58 PM PDT by pissant

The McCain-Palin jukebox options are shrinking.

The latest rockers to tell the Republicans to cease spinning their albums are the women from Heart, who were chagrined to hear their song "Barracuda" play at the Republican convention as Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin hit the stage. Palin, a star high school basketball point guard, was nicknamed "Sarah Barracuda." The official Heart website states

that "Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart have informed the McCain/Palin Campaign that Universal Music Publishing and Sony BMG have sent a cease-and-desist notice to not use one of Heart's classic songs 'Barracuda,' as the congratulatory theme for Sarah Palin. The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song, nor would they have been granted that permission. We have asked the Republican campaign not to use our music. We hope our wishes will be honored."

And on Entertainment Weekly's website

the Wilson sisters add that "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."

This is not the first time a liberal rock star has asked McCain to stop spinning his or her tunes.

In February, John Mellencamp

(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.abcnews.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: barracuda; heart; mccain; mccainpalin; palin; shutupandsing; worthlessrockstars
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To: mike182d
I believe you're right.

The question is whether the campaign is paying the fees.

101 posted on 09/07/2008 2:37:42 PM PDT by daler
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To: pissant

What’s wrong with Lee Greenwood?


102 posted on 09/07/2008 2:39:58 PM PDT by Ben Reyes (God Bless the USA)
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To: GingisK

‘Ride of the Valkyries’ would be a good one.

‘I love the taste of liberals in the morning.’


103 posted on 09/07/2008 2:41:46 PM PDT by Ben Reyes (God Bless the USA)
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To: Dionysius

It is nothing but Political Theater.

Republicans know that the artists will object to the campaigns using their song and understand that with the artist’s objection there will be media attention that will favor the candidate over the washed-up artist.

In the end the candidate garners votes.

It is all planned and most are not able to understand the political theater being played.


104 posted on 09/07/2008 2:46:10 PM PDT by trumandogz
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To: Dionysius
“God Bless America”— written by truly gifted songsmith that understood from his heart what it meant to be an American.

What's wrong with "God Bless the U.S.A."?

105 posted on 09/07/2008 3:01:36 PM PDT by supercat
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To: pissant

Hall and Oates have a song called “ Sarah Smile “ and I’m pretty sure their conservative by nature .


106 posted on 09/07/2008 3:25:47 PM PDT by lionheart 247365 ( S.P.E.C.I A.L.= Sarah Palin's Executive Credentials Intimidate Angry Liberals)
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To: generally
Maybe they should stop writing songs about McCain & Palin. ;-)

Running on Empty?

107 posted on 09/07/2008 3:27:44 PM PDT by drubyfive
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To: Bobkk47

Think again. Intellectual property law has been corrupted on behalf of software houses and publishers so that things don’t pass into the public domain even 30 plus years after the death of the author and 70 plus year after publication: rights to Robert Frost’s (d. 1968) “Fire and Ice”, published in 1928, is still controlled by Henry Holt & Co. so that the goth band Unto Ashes couldn’t get the rights to record it as song lyrics.

Copyright and patent law have become impediments to artistic and scientific creativity, rather than supports: they no longer reserve exclusive rights to authors and inventors for a limited term. Instead the reserve exclusive rights to companies that buy the rights from the actual creative individuals for functionally unlimited terms (anything important has a copyright or patent about the expire, if the holder has a fat enough lobbying budget, Congress will oblige and create a means for the copyright or patent to be extended).


108 posted on 09/07/2008 3:30:18 PM PDT by The_Reader_David (For real change stop electing lawyers: Fighter-Pilot/Hockey-Mom '08.)
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To: GingisK

No can’t use Wagner or the libs would say we were “NAZIS”. Mark my words.


109 posted on 09/07/2008 4:53:27 PM PDT by crazydad
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To: bmwcyle

You are right.
Besides, as far as I can tell, Heart has no legal basis to complain.
Let’s get a new song.
Nominations?
Mine?
Well, THE song needs to focus upon the top of the ticket. Something already used and classic might work: Johnny B. Goode.


110 posted on 09/07/2008 5:04:17 PM PDT by BIV (typical white person)
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To: generally

LOL, that’s funny!


111 posted on 09/07/2008 6:29:40 PM PDT by defconw ("Hope is not a strategy")
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To: CommieCutter

I honestly have a mental list of these “performers”. They shoot their mouth off, they get no money from me. If I like their politics, I buy their stuff. Free market.


112 posted on 09/07/2008 6:32:26 PM PDT by defconw ("Hope is not a strategy")
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To: supercat

Nothing at all. Throw it into the mix if you’d like, but we don’t need no stinkin’ Mellancamp or Heart. Only patriots need apply.


113 posted on 09/07/2008 7:01:55 PM PDT by Dionysius
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To: Bobkk47
I thought after 25 years, a song becomes part of the “public domain”.

I'm no lawyer, but I think copyrights are much longer now.
This general trend to extending the copyright "lifetime"
got rolling when Charles Dickens got p-ssed over American publishers
printing/selling copies of his works...with no $$$ going to Dickens.

I don't know if it works under a different system but IIRC
somehow the film studio that did "It's A Wonderful Life" somehow
let their rights to the film lapse...that's why it got revived
by Christmas-time showings on many stations.
But I believe the film studio (or it's successor organization)
was able to re-establish rights.
And that's why you only see it on NBC these days.

I welcome more informed posters to correct any goofs I've made
on this topic.
114 posted on 09/07/2008 7:29:47 PM PDT by VOA
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To: gop4lyf

I think she said her parents were Rush fans and liked to here it on Rush. And of course, royalties add up.


115 posted on 09/07/2008 7:32:19 PM PDT by Tribune7 (How is inflicting pain and death on an innocent, helpless human being for profit, moral?)
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To: ladyvet
"I don’t know why the Republican’s don’t stick with country music and artists."

I think they feel charitable and want to recognize those artists that have yet to make it big ;-)

116 posted on 09/07/2008 7:43:23 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: VOA
But I believe the film studio (or it's successor organization) was able to re-establish rights.

IIRC, the copyright on the film itself lapsed since the creators failed to renew it. The copyright on some of the music within the film was renewed, however, and did not lapse. The film producers probably got an agreement with the copyright holders of the music not to license it to anyone else who wanted to use it with the film.

By my understanding, if someone wanted to release a version of "It's a Wonderful Life" with all the copyrighted music replaced by something else, one could legally do so. Such a person would be so thoroughly slammed for altering a classic, though, that I don't think one would likely bother.

117 posted on 09/07/2008 11:21:02 PM PDT by supercat
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