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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: GloriaJane; All

These singers and other liberal ones are just squawking for the publicity.
They are what,,,, too pure to have Republicans make their music famous? Get REAL.


81 posted on 09/07/2008 2:02:44 PM PDT by DeLaine (For those who have fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know.)
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To: pissant

Thirty some years ago, these airheads told us they wanted to “go crazy” on us. They finally got their wish.


82 posted on 09/07/2008 2:03:59 PM PDT by conservativeharleyguy (Technically, we are all Republicans!)
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To: bigbob

“Think about it - if some whiny leftwing artist were able to stop a person they disagree with politically from using their song in a legal way, do you think Rush Limbaugh would still be using The Pretenders “My City Was Gone” as his theme?”

Yep, if the royalty check was big enough. I think that’s the case. When this was something of a controversy, I heard Rush, on the air, offer to stop using that song. He mentioned that he was paying around $40,000 per year in royalties (I’ve seen a much higher number, not sure what is correct). The songwriter decided to allow him to continue using it, saying he mother was a Rush fan.


83 posted on 09/07/2008 2:08:21 PM PDT by Will88 (.)
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To: ASOC

The Cash Estate (Family) already objected to some lightweight country singer saying that Johnny would have supported McCain.

Thus I can assume that the Cash Catalog is off limits to the McCain Campaign.

However, I do recall that Britney Spears said she supported President Bush. Perhaps Ms. Spears will let McCain use some of her songs.


84 posted on 09/07/2008 2:10:33 PM PDT by trumandogz
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To: Gay State Conservative
But can Hynde (assuming she owns the rights) forbid him from using it even if he pays?

Sure. She owns the rights she could fobid Limbaugh from using the song, and in fact she did for a while until she and Rush reached an agreement. ASCAP amd RIAA make it easier for someone to negotiate the use of a song but use isn't automatic. The Chevy ad campaign for their trucks that used Bob Seger's "Like A Rock" was one of their most successful, but it took them over a year before Seger would agree to license his song for their ads. The artist has the last say.

85 posted on 09/07/2008 2:11:20 PM PDT by Non-Sequitur
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To: SkyDancer
I read that their music can be played at a private gathering which what the convention was. It was by invitation only.

A gathering which is broadcast at the request of its sponsors is not private.

86 posted on 09/07/2008 2:12:03 PM PDT by supercat
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To: MovementConservative

They recently did an album of old protest songs and aimed it at Bush, so I don’t think they care about limiting their audience.


87 posted on 09/07/2008 2:12:14 PM PDT by Rastus
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To: pissant

To add a little more clarity (or confusion) to this discussion, someone mentioned that the drummer wrote the song and had no objection to its use by Republicans.

Different rights are held by different people in the music industry. I know the songwriter has the copyright and is due royalties. But the specific, recorded version of a song is usually owned by the music company (at least they try to own whatever they record).

So, in this case, the women in the band Heart might not own anything in question here.


88 posted on 09/07/2008 2:14:15 PM PDT by Will88 (.)
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To: pissant
Just a bunch of has-beens who passed their peak years ago trying to get any free publicity...Like all other stupid people, ignore them.


89 posted on 09/07/2008 2:17:09 PM PDT by darkwing104 (Lets get dangerous)
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To: Dutch Boy

I never heard of either “heart” OR “Barracuda” before last week. I was around in the late 70’s and working in an industry that dealt with popular culture .. they didn’t make or leave an impression, at least on me. The campaign will stop using their music, and ‘heart’ won’t be heard from again. But for now their egos are satisfied.


90 posted on 09/07/2008 2:17:34 PM PDT by EDINVA
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To: supercat

The event was however - I posted another story I found on Little Green Footballs - seemed to sum it up OK ....


91 posted on 09/07/2008 2:18:27 PM PDT by SkyDancer ("Warning - Hurricane Sarah Is Coming")
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To: NYC Republican

“Rosanne-wanne-be?”

Nope more like a Elizabeth Taylor impersonator LOL


92 posted on 09/07/2008 2:18:27 PM PDT by Patriot Babe
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To: trumandogz

The songs suck, barely music much less campaign anthems. I don’t know why they use them anyway. McCain would get far greater traction if he only used one — “God Bless America”— written by truly gifted songsmith that understood from his heart what it meant to be an American.


93 posted on 09/07/2008 2:20:42 PM PDT by Dionysius
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To: copwife

LOL


94 posted on 09/07/2008 2:21:57 PM PDT by ConservativeMan55 (Obama is the Democrats guy. They bought the ticket, now they must take the ride.)
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To: Bobkk47

50 years after the author is dead I think.


95 posted on 09/07/2008 2:22:54 PM PDT by Mikey_1962 (Obama: The Affimative Action Candidate)
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To: NYC Republican
"Who- this ugly, fat POS Rosanne-wanne-be? Screw her"

Thank you. No.

96 posted on 09/07/2008 2:26:55 PM PDT by sofaman (Moses dragged us through the desert for 40 years to the one place in the ME with no oil - Golda Meir)
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To: pissant
Forget Heart's lame "Barracuda" song. Alabama native and former Styx singer Tommy Shaw's song "Girls with Guns" is much better campaign theme song for Governor Palin. It has a solid upbeat tempo, catchy melody, and far more applicable lyrics. I'd also wager that Tommy Shaw might be fully supportive of its use for the McCain campaign given the time he spent with his former Damn Yankees band-mate Ted Nugent.
97 posted on 09/07/2008 2:30:21 PM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus
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To: pissant

Play Ted Nugent’s “Stranglehold.” Problem solved.


98 posted on 09/07/2008 2:31:12 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
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To: Bobkk47
I thought after 25 years, a song becomes part of the “public domain”.

I don't think so. My understanding is that the owners of music published after 1922 own the rights indefinitely. You have to buy the rights or ask (and receive) permission to use a song for anything commercial.

99 posted on 09/07/2008 2:32:02 PM PDT by LiberConservative (Sarah Palin makes me tingly.)
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To: pissant

Barracuda is off the album called “Little Queen.” So many jokes....so, so many jokes.


100 posted on 09/07/2008 2:33:15 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
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