Heart to McCain/Palin: Back off on 'Barracuda'

I think the republicans have found the eighth wonder that is Dan Quale's intellect in a dress. The country will have what it deserves as always and creating a new coined phrase of POP culture politics as I have seen so far in this election I may add the republicans did overlook a brillant candidacy in Britany Spears. As it seems where , I wonder how will all this end up? Obama's people have recognized an explosion in the use of the internet and media. It is interesting to note that the new theft wing voters as young as they are can be more computer and tech sabe than their elders.Therefore more easily receptive. As always Americans have found new frontier fodder in its youth..We know by now that the youngest all have dollar signs over their heads) Anyway, I suppose that the older more seasoned public can remember Rod McCluen as he putit "the medium is the message"

"We have asked the Republican campaign publicly not to use our music,''

Someone who was legitimately concerned could have asked privately. "Publicly" just says "we are seizing this opportunity to drum up publicity for our washed-up band."

Umm. the Dems played "Still the One" after Ted Kennedy spoke. Using that song was not a reference to those who call Obama "The One." It was praise for Ted Kennedy coming all the way to Denver while he is fighting brain cancer!

Zitface,

Or perhaps they are trying to say publicly that they do not endorse the usage of their song by McCain/Palin? Perhaps they are "legitimately concerned" about being associated with the ticket?

Mary, it's Quayle.

Good job heart!!! Using someone's music without permission is not allowed. Heart is correct!

Makes me laugh. It was my song I would poed too. Plus Barracuda, it does fit, after all, Palin seems like a snob and arrogant. Sorry she does.

The little prom queen is not getting her way

Makes me laugh

Go heart and go Obama

hhahahahhahaah

As an independent there is only one thing I can say. This is great fun to watch.... GAME ON!!

Barracuda? At a convention? Well that speaks for the republicans.

As a Democrat to the core I find this whole thing mildly hilarious and embarrassing considering the world is watching, and fearful.

Cheers to Heart!

Hey "The Real Truth",

you posted: "Good job heart!!! Using someone's music without permission is not allowed. Heart is correct!"

Hmmm I would love to get a look at the C drive on your PC and see how many mp3's are there illegally.

"Pailin seems like a snob and arrogant" ?????
what have you been watching?? I would say that statement translates into fear.
Mainly, yours.

GO TO HELL HEART...free speech...you release a song, You should be allowed to play it where ever you want...If you do not like that then, do not be a public musician...Give back your thousands(not millions we are talking about Heart here), and go away....And...OBAMA is the anti-christ, keep up the song and dance routine Barack!

Political dialogue is dying in America, if it is not already dead. We expect our politicians to rationally analyze problems and solutions when the citizens they represent cannot even have a five minute conversation about politics without descending into schoolyard name-calling. The majority of voters in America is registered as Independent, but all we seem to hear is the same near psychotic chatter between party partisans, all saying that their guy has a heart of gold while the opposition is the spawn of Satan. You are all wasting valuable time that you would ordinarily spend in other nonproductive, adolescent pursuits. Go back to your Grand Theft Auto. Stop gumming up the public bandwidth with more “geez, I really got him THAT time, didn't I; never mind the misspellings and toddler grammar.”

It will always be true that people get the government they deserve, which, from your example, is not very encouraging.

Testpattern shows typical republican logic. Don't you know there's a difference between playing a song at the Rep National Convention broadcast on national TV and on somebody's mp3?

And Palin is a snob and arrogant, which is quite common among people who are in over their heads. And republicans ask if Obama is ready?? Palin has no experience except in acting tough. Believe it or not, it takes more than that to be president.

It is so much fun watching democrats get all huffy when they start to lose. And it is going to be huge amounts of fun to watch them lose their minds when they do lose.

Just for the record: Marshall McLuhan was the person who said that the medium is the message. Rod McKuen is a widely published American poet.

Testpattern: If you really want to discover what's on The Real Truth's hard drive, by all means, vote Republican. Warrantless searches can really help out there.

it's tech savvy and Marshall McLuhan said "the medium is the message"

Hearing the opening riff to "Barracuda: made me want to break out Guitar Hero from the closet. It wasn't "Still the One" played at the Dem Convention, but a re-make entitled: "Still the Dumb". The Dems are scared that " The One" is losing this with each passing day. I enjoy reading Boston.com from afar to get my daily dose of liberal nonsense. It makes me laugh. Pinkos

Obama Biden
Osama Bin Laden

scary....

Jeez.. How many artists have to come out and complain about the McCain campaign using their material without permission before the campaign gets the message that it's illegal... Oh wait, such small concerns don't bother it.

Also, the "medium is the message" came from Prof. Marshall McKluwan, not Rod McKuen who was truly an awful Hallmark card-style pop poet.

Brown, Springsteen, Mellencamp and a few other rockers besides Heart all have had to tell McCain to stop using their music. Why do they need to steal music from the hated libruls all the time?

Why didn't they pick the obvious, newly born conservative Ted Nugent. "Cat Scratch Fever" would have been a good choice or perhaps "Penetrator". I think "Little Miss Dangerous" would have been perfect.

Gun toting Ted stands like a beacon of light for the conservative values as Wikipedia readily shows. Quit stealing from the ones that don't agree with you guys.

Way to go Ann and Nancy- offer them "Heartless" as a consolation prize.

Hey, zitface, you probably wouldn't know good music if it came up and bit you on the butt.

Man, I'm glad to hear this. This was one of my favorite songs on Guitar Hero, and that Hack from Alaska ruined it for me.

Obama/Biden '08

Hmm. This is the first news I've heard about Ann & Nancy in quite some time. They should be happy their song is getting any attention at all. they're a completely washed-up act. Serves them right anyway; they sheltered Vietnam draft dodgers in the '70s.

Heart is an old band. I think they realize there's very little chance of benefiting financially or comercially from this new theme song. I believe they are less concerned about unlawful use of their song (in the copyright infringment etc. sense) than they are about being associated with a Pentacostal, minimally educated (at least that's how she presents herself), PTA turned governor mom that appears to have just below her pretty Barbie exterior, to be on the brink of pulling out a weapon, shooting a wolf, moose, rabbit or maybe even a 15 year old girl from the hood walking into Planned parent hood for an abortion because she knows having the child will reuin both her and her babie's hope for any semblance a normal life........She's a loose cannon.......Indeed.....be afraid be very afraid.

I look at these comments and wonder if some of you even have a brain. In case you have visual processing problem and can't quite make out the Barraccuda reference, it refers to Palin's basketball days, not the Repub party. But hey, I'm sure they will eat the guy who voted "present" alive!

HAHA! How many songs now have the artists asked the McCain campaign to stop using after they did not receive permission to use them in the first place?

I've heard the MP3 argument elsewhere also. I'll say this, I don't use the music on my computer for personal gain, in a public setting.

I've lost count of the number of composers and musicians who have asked the Republicans not to use their music.
BTW, "Still the One" was co-written by John Hall, my DEMOCRATIC congressman.

Typical Liberal garbage. "Using someone's music without permission is not allowed." They are not broadcasting the song over the airwaves on TV or radio commercials. They are playing it in a arena. Last time I checked, once you buy a CD you can play it on your stereo where you want. It isn't like Liza Minelli can tell the Yankees that she doesn't want them playing her version of New York, New York after Yankee losses because it's insulting to her. Once you release the song, a person that buys the song can use it for their own enjoyment as long as it doesn't violate copyright laws. And playing it in the arena isn't prohibited by any copyright laws!

Mary V --- love your comparison using Dan Quayle and Brittney Spears - hilarious!

nb: Marshall McLuhan should be attributed to the quote "medium is the message" (Rod McKuen is a contemporary poet).

Thanks

Good Job Heart..This is the second time that they have used a song that was unauthorized by the performing Band. The John Bush Campaign think that they can do whatever they want. Just like the last 8 years in the White House. Americans wont be fooled this time. No More Bush Bull...That should be the Dems chant......Its mine. Dont know who Palin is but that speech made her seem rude, arrogant and a Republican Robot. Cant stand her or John Bush.

Mary,

It's Marshall McLuhan...

Dear Testpattern:

True, millions of people have copied/downloaded songs for their personal use, and in some/many ways these uses may be violations of copyright laws.

However, the mass broadcast of such songs, including use for corporate profit (the core plank of the Repugs' endeavors), is strictly prohibited. It is considered a theft of the intellectual property of the artist or owner of the artistic work. This fits with the Repug effort to loot the U. S. Treasury, pension funds, and any other source of money they can access on behalf of their lobbyist overlords.

That "Barracuda" swims deeper than the Alaskan lint-head's intellectual depth of field.

@KDog: What does independent mean? Will you be voting in November?

Remember that this election is about the Supreme Court (whether you're conservative or liberal, you should care deeply). What kinds of justices do you want on the bench?

Way to go Ann and Nancy! When I heard them play that song last night it made me sick. I didn't want this song that I loved associated with that Palin woman. Did this mean Ann and Nancy, whom I greatly admire, were republican? Thank you for printing this article and reassuring me that the Wilsons are the intelligent, thoughtful, and pro-woman musicians that I assumed they were.

hey test....she is an arrogant snob. she is the one who is scared. why would she backstab so many people on her way to the top? why would she allow bristol to make her own choice, and then run on the platform of taking that choice away from us? THAT, my friend, is arrogance.

Glad to see this. Hope the girls make more headlines, as there are quite a few fans who are now (for some strange reason) thinking that Ann & Nancy are Republicans. If anyone knows Heart and or The Lovemongers, they know that they are pretty far LEFT. :0)

Like they said, it's ironic, the Barracuda is a slimeball in the song. :0) Ok, maybe it is fitting........jeeze.

"If the real thing don't do the trick,'' Ann Wilson sang in "Barracuda,'' "You better make up something quick.''

Quite accurate.

Yet another reason to love Heart.

I knew that the Wilson sisters were one of the best bands ever.

Happened to be listening to them in the car this morning.

Kodos to them, not only for asking the campaign to stop using the song, but also for stating what they believe and why the song is antithetical to a Sarah Palin candidacy

to Mary (comment #1):

Rod McKuen wrote "Listen to the Warm," a book of poetry.
Marshall McLuhan wrote "The Medium is the Message."

How many times has the McCain campaign has been taken to task for unauthorized use of songs? Jackson Browne, Van Halen, and now Heart. I would have thought the campaign would have learned the lesson about unauthorized use after the first two times.

Scott, maybe you missed the convention being broadcast on national television?

This so clearly points out that the McCain camp just doesn't get it. They are truly out of touch. This points to his judgment and stubborness of not allowing more up-to-date people to offer suggestions. Lindsey Graham is so so out of touch, and Lieberman is jelly, Rick Davis is another mess....and Rove's croonies are really out of date as is Rove. But my point is, McCain's camp is out of touch from the graphics department to the strategy room....out of step with the true MAIN STREAM of our wonderful country.

I suggest the "A-Ppallin - McShame" team hijack Elton John's "The Bitch is Back" for her next scripted appearance. Seems much more appropriate and we all know the "B" word is an expletive John McShame has no problem with.

Reading all this pointless banter convinces me more than ever that the privilege to vote, not right, should be earned and licensed. We need intelligent voters, not brain-dead, drug-infested, morons. I’m tired of falling victim to the whims and fancies of idiots voting because some group pushed them into registering and voting someone else’s mind.

i cannot believe someone wrote here that they did this just to get publicity for their band. You don't get it. Sarah Palin does not represent what MOST American women believe in. The thought of someone like her with her ideals and beliefs as VP is a nightmare for women. No belief in abortion even in cases of rape and incest? No sex education in schools-abstinence only? Does not believe global warming was manmade!!? Actually sues to take the polar bear off the endangered species list because it got in the way of drilling? Special education cut 62%, cuts for all social programs like teenage pregancy edcuation, Thinks the war was a call from God? i could go on and on and on. this woman has extremist wacko far right views. Its great they told her you do not represent ME. She sets women back 100 yrs

as nuts

FYI,

Part of the words to the song "Barracuda" are:
"You lying so low in the weeds
I bet you gonna ambush me
You'd have me down, down, down, down on my knees
Now wouldnt you, Barracuda?"

For whatever reason, the Wilsons didn't think the song was appropriate for the campaign to use, and rightly so. Is somebody in the RNC stating the obvious by choosing this song?

By the way, heart is still performing. They'll be at Verizon Wireless Music Center here in Central indiana on September 10 (Journey featuring Cheap Trick and Heart). I hope they'll sing that song!

Hey Boss,
Neither Heart nor any other professional musician releases their songs to be played wherever anyone else wants. Every time you hear a Heart song on the radio, it's because the station PAID for the right to play the song. Musicians make a living because people pay for the right to play their music. This goes for all musicians, rich and poor, liberal or conservative.
Unfortunately, Bruce Springsteen doesn't have a copyright on the nickname "Boss", or he would certainly object to someone like you using it.

Amusing that right wing posters fall back on disproven ugly rumor tactics regarding Sen. Obama every time their party blows it. So many of you fling the "muslim" scare tactic or place Sen. Obama's middle name in all caps as though rational people can't see through it. What, are we supposed to suddenly be afraid of him? Your party has been masterful at using scare tactics and the politics of fear and division. Nothing is changed. For McSame to use Rovian attack ads specifically to divide this nation as the "invisible" president bush did does not bode well for his chances in the fall. To continue to use these infantile tactics I suppose with the goal of splitting the country into us and them is indicative of what a McSame presidency would bring. More of the same.

I love you HEART.

I was disturbed by another 'dazed and confused' era song that I actually have in my Ipod and that's JOURNEYS 'Don't stop believing'.

I swore to my friends that after the Palin speech they would play this song. Was one night off, but correct in assuming it to be played during the RNC...because they are corny old folks trying to stay in touch. I pray that I see Steve and the Journey crew oppose the use of this song or I will remove it from my playlist...

...as if anyone cares. lol.

100 years...lmao.

You libs don't have to always act like the Clintons when defendng your candidate. There are other perfectly acceptable forms of political debate. Is there any chane you will move away from redenck politics? Well, it is the only way you won in many years. But, even then, you didn't get to 50%. I swear, the worst thing to happen to our politics was him winning in that style.

Stop thinking that how you think is how the rest of the country thinks.

Shut up and sign.

Hey td (#18);
Only the superstitious and fearful would look for signs where none exists. Go back to reading the Bible and convincing yourself it's the "word of god".

td
Too Dumb
Truly Deranged
Totally Dull
True Dimwit

get the point?

"... I may add the republicans did overlook a brillant candidacy in Britany Spears."

Alas, Britney is not old enough to be Vice President.
The Constitution does not specify a minimum age for a Vice President, but it's always been assumed that the Vice President must be someone who's eligible to become President if necessary. Therefore, the next Vice President would have to be at least 35 (the minimum age specified in the Constitution for Presidential eligibility) by January 20, 2009 (Inauguration Day).

So B.S. (who was born in 1981) is waiting in the Republican wings until the 2016 race.

Get real, America. The reason Ann & Nancy Wilson are furious is that the McCain campaign did not ASK and PAY (ka-ching!) for using the song "Barracuda". Interestingly enough, the Wilson sisters are high on their horses explaining the song was originally written as a ‘scathing rant against the soulless corporate music business.’ Meanwhile, permission and payment were granted for using the song in a 2008 Honda TV commercial! What hypocrisy.

Here's the statement by Ann and Nancy Wilson from EW.com that I am referring to for those who have not read it:

"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."

The only thing we know about Palin is that she's against family planning. Now I'm a fan of Heart.

I dont think she can logically be compared to Dan Quayle's intellect. That man was literally as Dumb as Bush is.
The fact is, shes really no dummy, she is quite smart, but quite Ditzy having been a glamour gal and fawned over for her looks all her life.
The issue is, that her personality is the same as Bush/McCain/Rove/Rumsfeld/Cheney. She is a backbiting, clever, scheming, self interested, ambitious nasty little immoral and no integrity, self justificating sinner.
She seriously is a bad person period. Thats really the issue here.
You know the kind is only nice to someone she wants something from, and then will turn on them in a heartbeat if it looks good for them.

Heart should be flattered that anyone is playing their music. Anne and Nancy we really don't give a crap about your views and values. Now lets go get another cheesburger in paradise

Geez: isn't this like the third time for this campaign. John Mellencamp, Heart.......who was the first? In any case, looks like McCain has little regard for the law.

It's truly amazing how worked up people can get over a 30 yr.old song that wasn't all that memorable in the first place. People, get a life!

Heart (aka Ann and Nancy Wilson) - you are offically nominated for the next "real women of genious" commerical. - The "publicity " you will be receiving will be the exact same the DIXIE CHICKs got after they shot off their political big mouths. I can already hear the radio stations planning their "SMASH/BURN/BASH" HEART albums and CDs rallies. Good luck, I am afraid you have offically condemend your band to the "casino tour".

With the issues our Country faces, why does an idiotic comment by a washed-up band become newsworthy? I personally think they could find a better song anyway. That song sucked 30 years ago and doesn't sound any better today.

They are suppressing Ron Paul delegates, stealing their materials, and threatening them, if they speak. When they speak, they are cutting the microphone.

This election is no longer viable. When free speech at a convention is disallowed, the US Constitution become just a "damned piece of paper".

If you want to vote for either a Democrat or Republican, who is on the ticket, understand that when you pick the lessor of two evils, you are still picking evil.

This election is a main stream media circus, run by clowns.

Comment to "boss" and Scott. First, using someone's copyright protected song without permission is not "free speech". The Copyright Act strictly prohibits any public use of someone else's copyright protected works without permission. Second, this is not a case of buying a CD and playing it on your stereo at home or in the car. The song was played in a very public venue, at a convention that was publicly broadcast throughout the world. True, Heart was primarily angry because the RNC does not share their political views, but that's their perogative. Even if the views were shared, it is still their perogative to require permission before any of their songs are played -- by anyone.

I am so tired of this whole celeb crap! Obama started the celebrity bull. That was the only reason Mccain is using these songs. I can remember in the past that the election wasn't about how popular you are with the celebs, it was about what is best for our country. If everyone wants a celebrity in office like Obama then this world is going to hell. Obama is an extremist and at this point in time we don't need someone like that in office. and all the women who think that abortion is not the way to go then tell me, for the women who have young daughters if your daughter was raped "let's say at the age of ten or eleven" and she got pregnant tell me you would want your daughter to go through labor! I am not in any way pro choice or pro life but there are some circumstances that can effect the choice of abortion whether it is right for that particular pregnancy or if it is wrong. I don't know about all of you but, if that would happen to my kid i would rather her go through that than labor. and for the others who would rather their daughter go through labor, have a serious problem. that's just my opinion!

It will be wonderful when McCain/Palin win. By all accounts they should lose, but then again the democrats should have easily won with much more qualified candidates such as the inventor of the internet and Mr. Kerry.

Have you noticed that Caribou Barbie is not taking any questions from reporters? And will never do that. Oh, that's right, journalists are minions of the liberal media. Is that the same liberal media that promoted the war? Or, could it be that she's not real swift and can't think on her feet.

How 'bout her redneck husband displaying that poor, tired baby like a campaign button?

Hey Real truth, do you get permission from the bands you listen to before you listen to them? Heart has no say in what is played at the convention....like someon has already said...it is a washed up band looking for publicity. I am willing to bet that these Wilson sisters are Democraps.

And Mary from post 1, learn how to spell Dan Quayle befor you go calling anyone stupid.

The rancour surrounding Palin's selection as GOP VP candidate clearly demonstrates the Dems concern that she could be more than they can handle. If she is really as bad a pick as they want you to believe, they would be wringing they're hands with glee, but that's not the case. Since the night of her speech, they have been running around like cockroaches when the lights are turned on.

The amazing thing is that when it comes to politics, Americans somehow turn into lemmings, blinding believing anything that is spouted by their candidate or party. Wake up, listen closely to both sides, ask questions of things that don't sound right and then make your decision. It's the least we can for the generations to come.

Was a repub, then a demo, now an independent. All politicians suck, except one.
Write in Ron Paul.

The original Heart members still have the last laugh.

It's widely known that before making it big, Heart moved from Seattle to Vancouver so their male members could avoid the Vietnam War draft. They didn't return to the US until Carter granted draft dodgers amnesty in 1977.

Therefore, "Barracuda" was the perfect song to play after McCain's POW war hero speech.

I’m not an attorney, but I don’t think the artist has to give consent to play a song off a CD at a public gathering. However, a compulsory performance fee must be paid to whichever performing rights organization the artist has chosen to collect royalties. In fact, I don’t think it’s the artist, per se, that gets the money, but the songwriter. In this case, the Wilson sisters are both.

But what I take away from this is something that kind of bubbles under the entire Republican operation, which is experiencing a groundswell of resistance from actual citizens to whom they offer little. I read yesterday that, out of over 3500 delegates at the Republican convention, only 36 were black. As has been noted here by others, Bruce Springsteen, Van Halen, Jackson Browne, John Mellencamp and now, Heart, have all come out publicly to make sure the electorate knows they do not support the Republican party candidates.

The point is, Republicans talk a good game every four years, but it’s all pretend. Pretend change is coming, pretend popular musicians like you, pretend you are an all-inclusive party. And when you realize no one believes your tired rhetoric anymore, bring in Karl Rove to brow-beat people with innuendo, half-truths and downright lies that threaten their deeply-held beliefs and distract them from all the pretending. It’s sad, because there are decent Republicans, too. But they don’t control their party anymore.

Given that the government has been aggressively pursuing new coypright and IP laws that, among other things, force universities and ISPs to act as quasi-policemen for the RIAA and the MPAA, and given that Ronald Reagan's campaign incurred this exact same response from Bruce Springsteen for using "Born In The USA" without permission, there's no way in h*** that the RNC wasn't fully aware that it is copyright violation to use an artist's work in a public setting without permission or remuneration.

They're using an old legal maneuver, as when a lawyer makes a statement that is inadmissable: the other side objects, the judge concurs and tells the jury to disregard it. But thing is, the jury already heard it, and that's why the lawyer intentionally introduced it even though he knew it would be overridden. So even if they can't use the song again, they used it at the moment they most needed it for. Now they'll pay some kind of royalty and that's the end of it, as far as they're concerned. They got what they wanted, by using a method they already knew was illegal...

The perhaps unintentionally ironic use of BARRACUDA can only be matched by the use of Jerry Herman's song THE BEST OF TIMES (from his musical LA CAGE AUX FOLLES) during the 1984 convention at which Reagan was re-nominated. The song, in context, pointed out the joy of two men loving each other and living in unmarried bliss for decades. That bit was entirely lost on an administration that still had not even mentioned the word AIDS as thousands of men and women were dying from it. So, what has changed in 2008? Not much. They're still clueless.

From Merriam-Webser online:

Main Entry: bar·ra·cu·da
Pronunciation: \ˌber-ə-ˈkü-də, ˌba-rə-\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural bar·ra·cu·da or bar·ra·cu·das
Etymology: American Spanish
Date: 1678
1 : any of a genus (Sphyraena of the family Sphyraenidae) of elongate predaceous often large bony fishes of warm seas that includes food and sport fishes as well as some forms frequently causing ciguatera poisoning
2 : one that uses aggressive, selfish, and sometimes unethical methods to obtain a goal especially in business

The Republicans have selected yet another one of their own (the second "barracuda" definition), but this time she has been recast in the form of a lipstick-wearing pitbull!

To all the people critical of Sarah Palin: if she were a pro-choice Democrat, you would absolutely love her! Despite her limited experience, she's brought tremendous energy to this presidential race. Believe it or not, there are lots of smart, articulate, and achieving young women who happen to be pro-choice and conservative (even in Boston!). Palin gives a voice to these women.

This story about Heart is hardly even newsworthy. Most musicians tend to be liberal, so naturally they would be horrified if their music was being used by political opponents.

From Merriam-Webser online:

Main Entry: bar·ra·cu·da
Pronunciation: \ˌber-ə-ˈkü-də, ˌba-rə-\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural bar·ra·cu·da or bar·ra·cu·das
Etymology: American Spanish
Date: 1678
1 : any of a genus (Sphyraena of the family Sphyraenidae) of elongate predaceous often large bony fishes of warm seas that includes food and sport fishes as well as some forms frequently causing ciguatera poisoning
2 : one that uses aggressive, selfish, and sometimes unethical methods to obtain a goal especially in business

The Republicans have selected yet another one of their own (the second "barracuda" definition), but this time she has been recast in the form of a lipstick-wearing pitbull!

Parsing for Fun and (not for) Profit … while I await a hurricane …

Scott #30: “Typical Liberal garbage. "Using someone's music without permission is not allowed."

No, it is neither liberal nor is it garbage. It’s a statement of fact of US copyright law, albeit way simplified and not addressing all situations regarding music recordings. But generally speaking, the statement is true.

“They are not broadcasting the song over the airwaves on TV “

The convention was televised. Are you saying the RNC made sure the broadcasters were not broadcasting or taping at the moment that music was played? That’s not what I thought I understood. This brings up a whole new set of copyright questions.

“Last time I checked, once you buy a CD you can play it on your stereo where you want.”

Not untrue if you add what you wrote a little further down, to make this statement:

“Last time I checked, once you buy a CD you can play it on your stereo where you want … as long as it doesn't violate copyright laws”.

Yes, that is true.

“Once you release the song, a person that buys the song can use it for their own enjoyment as long as it doesn't violate copyright laws.”

Not untrue per se, but a little clarification: Your saying “…a person that buys the song can use it for their own enjoyment …” is technically incorrect because this hypothetical person did not buy THE SONG, they bought a specific RECORDING of the song.

“And playing it in the arena isn't prohibited by any copyright laws!”

This I’m not so sure of. I know a bit about music copyrights but more from the print music angle than recorded, however, I do understand the concept of the mechanical (reproduction) rights (i.e., performer’s rights) as distinct from the author’s rights (in the case of songs, a composer and a lyricist). So your hypothetical example with Liza Minelli doesn’t go far enough - what about the rights of John Kander and Fred Ebb? Why should the Yankees get to use their music to entertain a crowd that PAID to come in, without sharing a teeny, tiny amount of money with them for the use of their music?

But I digress. Here’s a question for any and all of you:

Let’s say Scott is correct, and the RNC can legally use whatever music they like.

If a presidential candidate is specifically asked to please stop using a certain piece of music by the very people who authored and performed the music, how should the candidate respond to that, and how would their decision reflect on their character?

Before answering, imagine if Obama at the DNC used Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA”, and Lee Greenwood requested it not be used, what is your opinion of Obama if he continues to use that music against Greenwood’s wishes, even if it is technically legal for him to do so?

@ Scott (post # 30) " Once you release the song, a person that buys the song can use it for their own enjoyment as long as it doesn't violate copyright laws. And playing it in the arena isn't prohibited by any copyright laws!"

Wrong. Picking up the first CD to hand, I read the back: 'unauthorised copying, hiring, lending, reproduction, public performance and broadcasting of the work prohibited

Are they getting a royalty check?

I think the best song would have been "Lies Lies Lies" by Ministry.

I am so disappointed that McCain / Palin will have to concede the talentless hack vote :)

The Dems are running scared !!!

RE: Boss's comment:

Why does it not surprise me at all that someone who would support McCain/Palin would be so ignorant of copyright laws that protect the artists? Such little regard for others is displayed from the top on down in what has become the White Trailer Trash Political Party called the GOP.

Scott, you obviously have never heard of royalties. The fact that Barracuda is still a popular song that gets played on classic rock radio and at public sporting events is the reason the Wilson sisters don't have day jobs.

"Typical Liberal garbage. "Using someone's music without permission is not allowed." They are not broadcasting the song over the airwaves on TV or radio commercials. They are playing it in a arena."

Wow! I thought I was watching the Republican Convention on TV all this week. Guess I was wrong. The Republicans are soooooo confusing these days.

Who the hell is Heart?

It is a know fact that Barracudas like most predators eat their own offspring.
McBush and his princess so far have only used her pregnant minor child as a POLITICAL TOOL.
Shameful.

But something republicans obviously have no trouble doing.

Legally speaking, the Republicans need to pay for using the song. How many millions did they spend on the convention but the musicians? They get screwed again.Obviously permission wasn't given beforehand.

I love this. First Jackson Browne comes down on McCain for using "Running On Empty" and now this...

Is the entire party born with some gene that whispers "Screw the rule of law, just do what you want, only first yell at the top of your voice that liberals are immoral"?

I am still an undecided voter. I have many questions about both candidates.

I am still confused about what Obama has accomplished that makes him qualified to lead our great nation out of the funk we are in?

I AM NOT LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO INSULT THE OTHER PARTY, I AM LOOKING FOR ANSWERS.

What has Obama done to make him qualified to lead our nation?

looks like there's a lot of venemous, whiny palin/mccain fans on this message board.

you can always tell the right wing a-holes because, instead of admitting heart's right to not have their creation used to promote someone who's agenda they may not support, these dullard's concentrate on how heart is an old band, or somehow irrelevant, or that they deserve no respect 'cause their not selling millions of records now. as if there isn't such a thing as copyright law against using someone's material in a public setting as a promotional tool.

the funny thing with the republican party is- they just keep getting in trouble over this same thing again and again every 4 years. funny how NO ONE seems to want them to use their music. just this campaign alone, there's already been 3 well known bands/artists who have had to ask mccain to knock it off just during this campaign. 4 years ago, there was a whole 'nother set of artists asking for a ceast and desist.

but that's republicans for you- "we'll talk about what lawful people we are, then we'll use your copyrighted material for our own gain without asking, even though we're repeatedly called out on it, because we really don't have no respect for - and give a s**t what anyone thinks.

Sarah Palin seems to have made a dramatically positive impression on most everyone except the hyper-partisan Democrats who've spent most of this election season (again) spewing their venom in the mistaken belief that others actually care about hearing more of what they hate. This "I-hate-you-stupid-people-if-you-don't-do-what-I-say/want" mentality is what makes them so very difficult to take seriously.

hey m1020us,

wrong. they're not "listening" to heart at the convention. they're using the song as a promotional tool for sarah "barracuda" palin. at a political public event. without permission or compensation. you have no freakin' clue about copyright law, do you?

you sure don't. but there goes your furious little fingers flying.

god, are the right wing uptight whiners.

it's the difference bewteen you taping a football game to watch at home, vs. you taking the videotape to a bar to broadcast on the big screen for the whole place. the latter scenario is illegal.

you stiff little rePUBICans need to understand that your views are the minority, they don't shape the world, and you miss the point on just about everything that's of importance.

Dear Republicans,

You know all those "intellectual property" laws you passed? The big RIAA valentine in honor of Sonny Bono?

Biting you in the rear end this year, isn't it. Then again, like in all of her "executive experience", Ms. Palin probably thinks these laws don't apply to her highness, either.

It's funny that Obama's popularity is such a point of contention for conservatives. Is it really SO wrong for a candidate to excite, motivate and inspire people to donate, volunteer ,and ultimately vote? The simple fact that Obama has moved masses to get involved and get passionate again is what the Reps are sneering at when the call him a celebrity. In other words "Your candidate is too popular to be good! Too many people LIKE him! For God sakes, people want to VOTE for him! That's indulgent and hysterical" I mean... c'mon!.

Using popular music like this always turns my stomach, it doesn't matter if it's at the RNC or the DNC. It's just so cheap and obvious. Ooooh, "Still, the One," get it? Get it?

doesn't it scare anyone else that sarah palin took six years to get through college? and that she went to FIVE colleges in those six years? and all of that was for a degree in "broadcasting"?

this person is an idiot!

Scott: Playing a song in an arena filled with thousands of people constitutes PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, one of the exclusive rights given to the AUTHOR of a song, and no one else. Maybe you should READ the copyright act before you go around advising everyone about its attributes.

Heart is a has been band with nothing musically new to say for decades. They should be grateful for any publicity their oldies might get. It's unfortunate that the Wilson sisters ignore the fact that the public that has supported them in the past was comprised of persons with diverse political views. In a time of creative and economic downturn for the band, their tantrum was not a smart business decision.

You Heart ladies must still be high from the 70's. You wrote your songs and sold them to the world to listen and enjoy. By playing one of your songs doesn't necessarily mean the player intimately knows you and your beliefs or is wanting to invite you to dinner to get to know you and your ideals. Perhaps they simply liked the words or the tune and wanted to convey their OWN message, NOT yours -- ever thought of that? Let's try something else to occupy precious time dear Heart and Heart fans.... like, oh...a cure for cancer or raising funds for the mistreatment of the elderly and mentally ill. Spend your time and efforts on something worth-while, something profound, something that can truly make a difference in the world. A blessed day to all...

The republications there is no law against using their material. they checked with Bush-Chaney

Palin is arrogant and stupid. That's typical, attack the messenger.
That'd be like saying Nancy Wilson is only against using the song because she wants the royalties, so she can buy a few more cheeseburgers.

re-reading a couple posts I've made to this thread, I look like I have a bad attitude. I came off as harsh, sarcastic, meanspirited, and very partisan.

sorry- I've been watching the re-pubic-an speeches the last couple nights. their style must have rubbed off on me.

I knew it the minute I heard them playing that song.... I thought "Heart/Wilson sisters don't support McCain/Palin, and I bet they will have an issue with this". Don't these people think about these things before playing it on national tv? I guess the repubs would have trouble finding any musicthey could legally use except for some country stuff or Musak.

This is friggin rdiculous. When reading all of the idiots on this board, Democrat and Republican, its easy to see why the country is so screwed up. THIS IS NOT A FOOTBALL SEASON PEOPLE. As long as this country continues to treat the parties like two sports teams, nothing is going to get accomplished.

"Obama is a left wing socialist, McCain is a power hungry crook." Cool and original nicknames like McSame and Ozero. Its friggin pathetic.

Obama skyrocketed to the top of the Democratic party. Its historical and commendable. John McCain served his country and was a POW for 5.5 years and a Congressman for over 25 years. Both have complimented each other. Both have worked together. Both will have to work together no matter who wins.

Stop the division. There are scumbag Republicans and Democrats alike. Neither party has cornered the market on that title.

As a registered Democrat, Obama had my vote until he chose Biden. Brother, putting this geezer on your ticket ain't my idea of change!

By the way, if plagiarism was reason enough for Biden to drop out of the Presidential race in the late 1980s, shouldn't it be reason enough to keep him off the ticket in 2008? What changed? He's still a plagiarist!

If you don't use a song to make money then it is not copyright infringment.

Love these comments. One only has to read for a few minutes to realize they offend more that 51% of Americans. That's all it takes. Keep it up, haters.

Convention music is a tragedy all around. Heart was and is a joke. Sorry someone decided to tack on a few more seconds to their 15 minutes...

i'm confused. did the democrats ask permission of every band whose music they played at their convention? i understand that it's illegal to download certain music w/o paying, or use it in an advertisement without asking permission, but since when is it illegal to play the music in public? do dj's ask permission of every band before playing a wedding or dj'ing some pblic event? i don't see why it's all that different.

if heart wants the republicans to stop playing thier song, then the republicans should honor that request.... same goes for the dems. but it certainly wasn't illegal (as far as i'm concerned) for the parties to play songs during their convention without asking permission!

So if I play a Heart CD on a stereo at a public beach, am I in violation of U.S. Copyright laws? Is it a violation if a brother blasts his tunes on a city bus?

These overpaid, sanctimonious clowns wonder why the entertainment industry is in trouble and noone goes to see their movies or buy their music. Alienate and offend the half of the country that they don't agree with politically. Idiots!

All this hot air over a song. Just keep underestimating Sarah. She is not after the NYC liberal women's vote. Sh's after the working class in middle America. A group that she is actually a member of as opposed to the Democratic team of a Harvard lawyer and a career politician.

Seems after the first go round with Springsteen and others, McSames camp would have actually tried to secure rights before they STOLE peoples music. It really says that no matter what they said in their speeches its SAME OLD, SAME OLD, take what we want and toss a few crumbs to the peasants.

Nothing is changed with this campaign except the names and the extremes they will go to in order to retain power.

ENOUGH!!!!!!!

boy are the liberals_secular progressives on here running scared. they instantly resort to name calling and unsubstantiated statements. the vitriol is dripping.
i love it. now i am going to sit back and enjoy all the name calling you will direct at me. I LOVE IT.

I went to see Heart play with Journey and Cheap Trick in July and am going again next week. Heart (and Journey) were awesome. People who say they are washed up have not heard them play lately. Everybody was amazed that Ann Wilson and her sister Nancy sounded every bit as good as they did 30 years ago. They are working on a new CD that should come out early next year. Not just my opinion, many reviews have stated this as well. I have such respect for them as musicians and now even more. Go Ann and Nancy!

ASCAP says Nancy Wilson is being payed Royalties by the association for that song so Heart does not have the power to stop Palin from playing the song.

Much ado about Nancy and her dopey band.......I doubt if this will kill the McCain/Palin campaign. Cannot believe all these lib entertainers are so bent out of shape about THEIR song being played! It's probably the only time you'll be hearing Barracuda again on either side. Anyway, I don't think Lee Greenwood would be that petty in forbidding Obama to use his song. It would certainly make Lee the bigger person. Cannot say the same about your side.

I can see the smell of fear on this Boston Globe page.

Heart fears her

Obama fears her

and apparently the Oprah fears her.

Your fear is well founded. A real person always trumps a person with nothing going for him in platitudes.

It may not be enough for McCain but its going to be a lot of fun watching people squirm for a while and if they DO win can you 2012 vs Clinton will be a lot of fun.

That being said it is Heart's song and they have every right to protect their copyright.

This is about Heart - as artists and citizens - not wanting to be associated in the public mind with the GOP. Who can blame Heart for that?

The GOP should sticmoose-shooting music. The choice of "Barracuda" should be a hint to the American public what the GOP stands for, if the Iraq war wasn't enough of a hintk to .

The RNC has a licensing agreement with ASCAP and BMI for all music played there, so the use of the song was legal. The amount of the fee is based on the size of the audience. Heart can complain, and they might be able to prevent further use by removing their song from the the blanket license, but the only thing they can do about the usage at the convention is cash the check they'll get.

I love it, you democratic know nothings quote the wrong people, oh and Mary? its tech savvy not tech sabe.

But as usual the dems are running scared. You seem to have backed off the experience thing especially since gov. Palin has more than Obama, Mr. 122 days of the senate somehow makes you people think he is qualified to lead?
Im sorry , i am an independant but i would rather vote for santa claus before I would vote for someone whos entire resume is based on oprah, and celebrity status. I just do not understand what people see in this guy? He hasnt come out with one thing he will do to help the economy except keep m tires inflated and dont drill in the continental coasts? I keepasking and none of you have said one word.
But i keep asking, what will obama actualy do, give me a fact, something a plan, anything?? please. If i hear we need a change, well duh, anyone new is a change thats simply a fact. So please one of you democatic lapdogs, what s obamas plan? on anything? All i know was hementioned something about instead of using trickle down economics, ( rich pass on wealth to the economy and then to the people) he feels if we give the money to the poor , it will trickle up to the middle class and higher. Um i dont get either one? How about just leting me keep more of what i earn . Why is that so hard?

Ann and Nancy Wilson should be careful not to pick a fight with the next VP or the United States....better start getting those tax returns in order...

The Dumbocraps are going bananas over the next Vice President of the United States. Why? Because they have been tromped in their spitting ultra left wing hate and they can't touch this graceful lady. At least not with the lying, puke loser Hitliary types they got....BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

As a MASSACHUSETTS resident I find it humorous that the filthy dirty liberals have to grasp at straws to find anything they can to slap at McCain/Plain. Obama invited his family to attend a church that teaches hatred and his patriotism has been questioned over and over. He attended this church for almost 20 years. He writes books not laws and has NO experience at all. John McCain is a HERO. We do not have to question his patriotism, we already know he is genuine. You see, liberals are the worst hypocrites on the planet.
How did Jimmy Carter get away with calling Obama a "little black boy"? I guess you have to be a Democrat/Liberal to be racist and hypocritical. Wake up idiots! Look at our Governor Deval Patrick, he is no different than Obama! I voted against Patrick and I will vote against Obama. You people have been brainwashed. Look at what Deval Patrick is doing to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Soon we won't even be able to buy cigarettes. I do not smoke but I believe we are getting closer and closer to socialism.
Of course voting for Obama is really voting for Biden (someone who couldn't even make it half way through your own primary)
Do not be naive and think for one second that Obama will survive one year in office. Biden is so dirty he will most likely have him knocked off himself! Look at Biden's son. He is an snob and a pompous thief. The money his son stole, he should be in jail.
I am sure you are unaware of that! It is typical, uneducated Liberals trying to control good people.
WAKE UP IDIOTS BECAUSE YOUR GOING GET THE CHANGE YOU SO DESPERATELY WANT.. 12 year olds on birth control, illegal aliens with drivers licenses, millions more murders of the unborn.. I hope you all rot in the hell you are turning America in to.

If McCain is going to be the man to make laws why is his campaign breaking copyright ones. Seems pretty stupid to me. he of all people...or his cronees should know better. wheather you agree with Heart or not you have to see that!.
Heart is right its thier song they deserve the say as to how its used.
How would you like your image used to sell VD cream..or something you may find against your beliefs, without asking.
I guess people who steal music from the internet wouldnt see the issues with this.
thats also against the law too. HMMMMMM
Guarentee you if it was a drawing or poem or music YOU wrote you 'd be pissed too if someone used without asking you. Publicity or not!
Theres hundreds of songs out there if Heart said no...that is if he asked before hand, use another one.
Respect the artists rights, whether you like them or not, it does affect ALL artists. dont steal music.
As far as doing something with your time- without Musicians,artists ,actors & others like them, all of us would have nothing to relax to, NO movies, No Music, no Art, Music & art is able to do alot fo the common good of someones soul & proceeds for such things go to help less fortunate & causes in some cases & many other things, dont be so shallow to assume its for personal gain. SO grow up.
i bet you watch a movie or documentary ro relax or listen to whatever kind of music you like, classical ,blues jazz, metal, repsect what these people do to bring these things to us.
All they ask for us permission for THIER SONG.

I have been listening to Heart and buying their albums for years. The Republican Party did nothing illegal, because they are not profiting or trying to profit from the use of their song.

This is typical piss poor liberal attitude, intolerance, and one sided thinking. I really hope to God that they lose this election, and maye learn a lesson about being genuine human beings.

I will not listen to Heart any longer, and the CD's will be in the trash by days end!

Good! I'm glad it will no longer be played. Its an old worn out tune and I'm tired of hearing it. I'm also glad for Heart as it appears they have made enough money to comfortably continure their retirement that they can pass on any royalties or income from music purchase sites.

Like a previous blogger stated, Heart & Sony BMG own the license to Barricuda. They are entitled to royalties, every single time their song is played, especially to garner attention or money for someone else' venture, in this instance it is for the election of McCain/Palin. They do not have the right to use someone else' material without the owner's permission, & now they have been told that not only is the song off limits to them, but they have been told in no uncertain terms that they do not have the support of the 2 WOMEN who wrote it. The words in the song discuss the exact opposite of what McCain & Palin are preaching, other than in reference to her nickname. If McCain/Palin win in November, I can only imagine the repercussions that many Rock Bands & Sony/BMG may face. She has already fired a Librarian for refusing to remove a book from the shelves that Palin found offensive to her idealogical Close-minded Views. Stamp out Censorship, & stamp out the McCain/Palin ticket

Is it the law that a person cannot play a song in a public setting after they have paid for the CD?

boy i found this site by accident because i was looking for a song barracuda because i had never heard of it. you liberals/secular progressives are something. you must really be running scared because whenever you are scared and cannot find anything truthful against someone you start calling names. the vitriol is unreal. i think I'll watch the forum just for comic relief . ROFL

So if I buy the album and Heart does not like me, they can prevent me from playing it? Once you've sold your soul to sell your music, artistic control goes to the purchaser. The Wilson's have grown old and bitter, like most liberals do.

I'm sure Ms. Wilson can now sit around with all her aging hippy rock friends and congratulate themselves on how wonderful they are and how much they hate every one to the right of Barbara Striesand. Must be nice to be a rocker and not ever have to grow up.

HEY HEART.....NEVER HEARD OF YOU. NEVER HEARD OF YOUR SONG.
DON'T REMEMBER THE TUNE.

I COME FROM A FAMILY OF FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL MUSICIANS SO I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF GOOD AND BAD MUSIC.

YOUR MUSIC JUST DOESN'T RING A BELL.

SeaAggieMom - how do you even know what Heart does? For all you know, they probably do a lot of charity work like many celebrities do. They've performed in several charity concerts (most notably Idol Gives Back), and with the success of Guitar Hero and their songs on American Idol they are hardly washed up. And they didn't sell their songs to the world. It's called copyright laws. The song is theirs and can't be just used by others in public as they wish. Look them up and stop making assumptions.

That's nice SeaAggie Mom at 101 ... now google "copyright law" and check out the history of Republicans protecting Mickey Mouse at the expense of original intent.

What was that about ownership again? Oh, violating laws doesn't matter if they have a life of their own now that they are written, ha hah. IOKIYAR, eh?

Justin, ask yer mother who Heart was/is. They are old enough to be my mom, but only in the Bristol Palin sense.

I don't understand why liberals are so hate filled. It is amazing that they supposedly promote tolerance and yet they are the most intolerant people on the planet. God forbid someone would have different beliefs than they do.

Quale=Quayle as Potatoe=Potato

Barracuda

So this aint the end -
I saw you again today
I had to turn my heart away
Smiled like the sun -
Kisses for real
And tales - it never fails!

You lying so low in the weeds
I bet you gonna ambush me
Youd have me down down down down on my knees
Now wouldnt you, barracuda?

Back over time we were all
Trying for free
You met the porpoise and me
No right no wrong, selling a song-
A name, whisper game.

If the real thing dont do the trick
You better make up something quick
You gonna burn burn burn burn it to the wick
Ooooooh, barracuda?

Sell me sell you the porpoise said
Dive down deep down to save my head
You...i think you got the blues too.

All that night and all the next
Swam without looking back
Made for the western pools - silly fools!

If the real thing dont do the trick
No, you better make up something quick
You gonna burn burn burn burn it to the wick
Ooooooohhhh, barra barracuda.

I just finished reading all the comments on this blog, and the first thing that I learned is that somepeople making comments know about copyright laws.

The second thing is that others like to believe anything that they hear and write it in a blog. I wonder if there were any laws broken here today?

"American the land of the Free" I sure love this country, and our ability to make our own decisions. "Be careful of what you ask for, you might get it."

Kudos to Matt...

What has Obama done to lead this nation? I can't name one. It is about time we start healing this country and stop attacking each other parties. The last 8 years is both the democrats and Republican fault.

Note: I am sick and tired of celebrities getting into politics. Just entertain.

Regarding this whole copywrite issue on the use of the Heart song. Someone did bring up the legality of it. That once you buy a CD you have the right to play it in any forum you want. Another person mentioned that you don't have the right to broadcast it on national TV. But the RNC does not own a National TV. so they are not responsible for that aspect. That would be like saying if a DJ's is playing at a Nightclub (he has bought the CD and has the legal right to play it) and for some reason a News Station comes in to do a story. The DJ has now infrindged on the Copywrite laws - Hummm - very complex - I will ponder this.

My other Point is - I am excited abou Sarah Palin. She is just what we need - Someone who has a vested intrest in this country - all aspects. She is real woman with a real family. She came from a typical background and not one of privledge.

All this hot air over a song. Just keep underestimating Sarah. She is not after the NYC liberal women's vote. Sh's after the working class in middle America. A group that she is actually a member of as opposed to the Democratic team of a Harvard lawyer and a career politician.

I love reading Republicans in this forum yelling out to Liberals to "stop thinking your views are those of the rest of the country" and that Democrats have been the ones busy "spewing their venom". Last I checked it is the Rightwing Evangelical Christians that are trying to push their Anti-Choice platform on abortion on the rest of the country, and like Sara Palin herself, trying to actively remove books from libraries and text from textbooks that does not support Creationism and Evangelical Christian doctrine. THAT is forcing your vies on the rest of the country - not being pro-choice (operative word there being CHOICE), and offering scientific facts and other factually-based evidence to explain such things as the creation of Earth, evolution of species etc. Check Palin's record, if we are talking qualifications - the only things she has 'accomplished' are getting further into bed with Right Wing lobbies, and firing a police officer (you know those ones you Republicans fawn over in public but then deny them protection from criminals who use automatic assault rifles on them?) who was going through a messy divorce with her sister as well as firing a librarian who refused to remove books from her shelves that did not support Evangelical Christian doctrine (yeah, you're right, that is not forcing beliefs on anyone). Look it up Righties - facts are facts....oh right, facts are NOT facts - they are created by the liberal media. Unlike the "fact" that Saddam had WMDs, or that al Qaeda attacked us because they 'hate freedom', while freer countries like Canada, Holland, Sweden, etc remain unscathed. Republicanism used ot be about smart economic choices and safety for citizens - now it is only about scaring the good people of the midwest into supporting their economic and military industrial agenda while stealing from their Social Security coffers, retirement funds, and getting rich off of predatory lending policies.

And who is "venomous"? I have not heard ONE speech at the RNC addressing ANY of the critically important issues facing our country now - the disastrous wasteful unjust war in Iraq that has diverted billions in resources from protecting our citizens from another terrorist attack and only helped bolster al Qaeda's recruitment message. The now trillion dollar trade deficit we have thanks to Bush granting tax breaks to companies who ship working class jobs overseas in the interest of bigger profits for their officers, the wasting of our Social Security surplus because Bush has been spending out of it to fund Iraq even after pledging he would not touch it in his stump speech in 2000. The utter destruction of our environment or the fact that the average person can’t even afford to drive to work anymore while oil companies are recording record profits!!!

All I have heard is Thompson, Giuliani, and Palin go on trying to paint Obama as an unqualified phony, making his populariity seem like a bad thing, and trying to scare voters into supporting them with the same themes of how Democrats won't make you safe, and that something new and different than they are used to is inherently dangerous and scary. Using insulting, divisive language, and continually undermining the intelligence of the average voter by drawing the not so subtle comparison of how Obama's name sounds like Osama, and how their ticket looks like it could read Osama bin Laden. Seriously? Are we freaking 8 year olds? Or that somehow Palin IS qualified to run this country when her most notable experience is running an office in which she won with a TOTAL number of votes equal to a mere 20,000 more people than were at Invesco Field the final night of the DNC. Seriously?!

Not to mention creating this idea of the 'hockey mom' vote. I grew up around plenty of hockey moms and NONE of them were rich enough to vote Republican. Most of them were working class mothers whose husbands and families Bush and his trustfund cohorts would gladly urinate on before helping them put more money in their bank accounts and food on their tables. Obama and the DNC talked about real issues and how we would go about solving them, and making this country better, safer, and wholler. Republicans have again done nothing but try and win the election and will obviously stop at nothing to lie and misrepresent the truth to get there. They have not mentioned word ONE about how they’d fix what is wrong because guess what – to them, nothing is wrong.

And look at where that has gotten us the last 8 years - we've gone from a Social Security surplus to a dire deficit, at a time when more of our citizens are about to go on Soc Sec than ever before (that is what happens when you START a war right after the biggest tax cut in our nation's history), a trading surplus to a TRILLION dollar trade deficit, and a bleak at best employment and national security picture thanks to all the attention paid by Bush et al on the BIG issues (gay marriage, our 'right' to own automatic weapons, keeping 'God' and religious doctrine in our schools and books).

But all that aside - tell me this: are you truly better off now than you were before Bush took office? My guess is that if you make more than a Million a year, you are, because your capital gains taxes are less and you are keeping more money in your pocket. Sure your town’s public schools are in the toilet and 75% of the people in your state can’t afford healthcare despite being legally obligated to have it, and that al Qaeda is stronger and a bigger threat than ever thanks to all the money we have spent in Iraq chasing around Saddam’s supporters and involving ourselves in a centuries-old civil war instead of protecting our borders and going after al Qaeda (who incidentally had nothing to do with Saddam).

And that if you are Middle Class or anywhere near it, you are not. Which kind of puts the Republicans' whole strategy into focus now doesn't it – “how else can we get the Middle Class of this country to support our lifestyles, and make sure that we don't have to be bothered paying our share to help ensure that the growing population in our country, one that will only get bigger once abortion rights are taken away from women and they are FORCED to have all children, even though unwanted children are FAR more likely to end up in our prison system, furthering the public financial burden that the middle class will have to shoulder, is safe, well-educated, and healthy. Well facts don't work so we can say that all facts are a figment of the angry liberal media. And the truth doesn't work so we can somehow convince them that Democrats make them unsafe even though 9/11 happened right under the nose of a Republican president, and every dollar and day we spend in Iraq is one we are NOT spending protecting us from another 9/11. We can paint popularity of a new kind of candidate as a bad thing - like a snake oil salesman at a country carnival - slyly tricking the passersby into believing that these snobby cityfolk are out to get them and their guns.”

Force a Republican politician to LIVE amongst the people whose votes he is scaring up, in the lifestyle they have to live due to their policies, and you will see them running away faster than Bush from his Nation Guard post, although probably a bit less drunken-and-coke-addled.

Heart did the right thing in maintaining their copyright.

These ladies are incredibily talented. I have to say seeing these two ladies persform a warm up set a@ EMP in Seattle was amazing.

Maybe it was meant to be that the Palin people used the song with out permission - maybe this will inspire Heart to become active like they once were. Maybe they can once more find a commerical tone to their music and get people thinking while they listen to the beat!

I will never buy another Heart album again, wait...i havent in 20yrs!

I love how these liberal artists are such stringent supporters when it comes to free speech and creating exposure for their music...but only on their terms. If it weren't for guys like McCain and others in our military fighting for their rights and freedom, the Wilson sisters would be nowhere. Look for a Dixie Chick-esque backlash in the near future. In today's music industry, you can't pre-select your audience. And trying to do so when half of that audience is undoubtedly Republican is an absolutely idiotic business move...say what you want about their politics.

I guarantee you they bought that Heart Album or MP3 legitimately so go to hell heart. You were paid.

Hey Testpattern,

I have a LEGAL account with napster and I buy my songs legally you moron!. I am not like the republican thieves.

Some people are actually honest! And that includes me. I have been the one speaking out against illegal downloading to everyone I know. I happen to be a former muscian that is why!

Learn before you open your foolish mouth at me!!!

I have all my napster receits to prove this. In fact I just purchased a few songs the other night.

FYI I know alot more about music then youll ever know.!!!!!

Not allowed? Cease and Desist?
Seriously?
Then I guess you are not allowed to play any music, by any artist, ever, at any public event.

Get over yourselves people...it's MUSIC, and they aren't selling it, or making money with it, or even advertising with it, they just played it.
And all you people who play any music during warm-ups for ball games, or have "your song" that you and your significant other play at a wedding...cease and desist, because that music wasn't written for you and has not been approved by the author.
People need to get a life. For Cripe Sakes...it's MUSIC.

Exactly SeaAggieMom!

Should we all check with bands before playing their music at our weddings/reunions/birthday parties from now on? Just to make sure that our lifestyles and celebrations meet with their approval?

And the band probably does want royalties, since they haven't done anything for over a decade.

I was disappointed when I heard "barracuda" play while watching the Republican National Convention that somehow Ann and Nancy lost there mind and were backing Mccain/Palin. Glad too here my suspicions were not correct!
Ann and Nancy Wilson I continue to be you're biggest fan!

Try Aerosmith's "Janey's Got A Gun."

jpdevin, it's not good for your self-esteem to project.

I was born into a strictly DEMOCRAT family. My mother who is now deceased was a delegate for Mondale when he was running for office.She retired working at AMERICAN MOTORS CORP IN KENOSHA, WIS. I also ,however, have been raised reading the BIBLE............America what has happen to all of your morals......This country was given the right to worship GOD freely. Look at what the parties represent. Vote what you will....I truely believe that OBAMA IS THE ANTICHRIST.....I DO NOT BELIEVE FOR ONE MINUTE THAT HE WILL PROTECT THE USA OR AMERICANS.....YOU JUST WATCH THOSE OF YOU WHO VOTE FOR HIM.................AMERICA will CHANGE but it will be for the worse. I wonder what is it gonna take to wake up AMERICAN PEOPLE....REAL AMERICAN PEOPLE...THOSE BORN AND RAISED HERE. Those who LOVE this country. Obama will see to it that his african family will be taken care of first and foremost. Then whoever else is NOT from the good old USA....WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE THINKING.....READ YOUR BIBLES-YOU WILL BE AFRAID-VERY AFRAID OF OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY OPINION-----HE USES HIS ATTENDANCE AT THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AS A WAY TO REACH AMERICAN PEOPLE..........MY FAMILY IS ALSO CHURCH OF CHRIST........BUT I AM NOT BUYING HIS LIES......................
READ YOUR BIBLES.... IT FLAT OUT DESCRIBES TO YOU THE ANTICHRIST......DOES IT NEED TO SPELL OBAMA OUT FOR YOU??????? I PRAY FOR ALL AMERICANS THIS ELECTION.......WE ARE GONNA NEED IT.

I hope Heart doesn't end up like the Dixie Chicks??

Hey Testpattern

what difference does it make if the group is washed up? the point is that the GOP knew the Hearts didnt want them playing their music and the GOP didnt care. I cant wait for McCain and Palin to loose so she can go bck to the rock that she came from

Heart should be happy the GOP used their recorded music... if you've heard them live lately (Ribfest in Naperville) you would know how washed up Heart really is. Heart should be thanking them for the free publicity and hope a few republicans like the song and buy it for a buck per download.

I think I hear a baby crying somewhere... oh wait, no one cares because they're complaining over something so lame and trivial. I tell ya, the priorities of the savages in this country is so saddening!

Gee, I wish Heart had told us of their political stances long ago and their wish that only those who agree with them play their music.

I don't happen to agree with Heart and I bought their tapes back in the day. SO WHEN WILL THEY GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK?

Over 100 posts and only #73 has a clue. My copy of Heart's "Dreamboat Annie" album says "ASCAP".

You pay the royalties directly to ASCAP, normally though a blanket license for all their artists (which is pretty much everyone). This is standard and the RNC surely did this. The Wilson sisters will get paid.

So, the Wilson sisters (who surely know where their royalty checks come from) are simply lying, knowing that lots of folks will just fall for it -- and they're right.

And they're right.

Wow, political dialogue really is dead. These comments prove it. It has been replaced by hate speech. Gov. Palin is a breath of fresh air.

WHATEVER!!!
HEART, are you kidding me? You should be glad your song is being played somewhere!!! Back in the 70's it was whatever and today it's WHATEVER!!! As you stated..."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.) Hello, the intention here I believe was towards the actual "Barracuda" not the "music business"...
Instead of jumping on the RNC for your song being played why don't you ask the insightful almighty question Obama asked..."why don't they talk about your tax dollars and how that's going to effect your pocketbook?" No, instead, 30 + years later the focus is on you and your "WHATEVER" song!!!

I would think a has been group long gone from anyone's minds would welcome the chance to resurface to a new, younger age. Apparently they have all the publicity they ever need.

You want to know why bloggers are all super liberal. Because none of them have a job so they can sit at their computer all day and type how they want a government hand out and move towards Communism. Check out the ratings the part of America who works loves Barracuda because she beats the odds and is independent unlike all the bloggers that sit at home and cling to there government and Media.

All this over a silly Heart song? WHO CARES. I wish they had used a better song from a good band that might appreciate having their music enjoyed by others no matter where it was played. These people need to get a day job.

Responding to the comment

"doesn't it scare anyone else that sarah palin took six years to get through college? and that she went to FIVE colleges in those six years? and all of that was for a degree in "broadcasting"? this person is an idiot!"

It should not scare anyone. In this country especially, an individual should not be judged based on their educational path, especially if you do not have any information regarding the choices made by the individual. It has no bearing on the individual's intellectual propensities. I went to four colleges (including two community colleges) and it took me ten years to graduate with a Bachelor's Degree. I then went to law school, finished in two and 1/2 years (as opposed to 3), graduated in the top third of my class, passed the bar on the first try and become a partner in a large law firm in record time. If you judged me as you judged Palin on my undergraduate record, then you would miss the mark as you missed with Palin.

My problem with liberals (with whom i frequently agree) are the elite ones. So bitter. Doesn't Heart (way washed-up-nostaliga-only-still-living-on-dogandbutterfly) understand that getting so vindictive and personal about this betrays a very ugly side of being a commercial artist? Seriously, be passionate about your politics - but the nastiness of personalizing something like this is just, well, ugly. I might want to kill myself if the Dems used a song by The Replacements at their convention (they never would - both major parties have horrible taste in music), but hey, I'd have to give them some credit for picking a good song. Just because McCain and Palin may have very different VIEWS than Obama and Biden, doesn't mean they have different GOALS. Jeez Ann and Nancy, lighten up. I used to muscle my way through the first third of that song (before frantically changing stations) just for the AM radio memories - now I won't even be able to do that. And what's with knocking someone for how they went through college (a questionable undertaking to begin with)? Just because someone didn't go to, say, BC, intern on the Hill and then go to grad school (twice as questionable) en route to getting where they are makes them a moron? People go to college when they're 18, which is when you should be learning from mistakes and changing your mind about things. At least that's what "normal" people do.

I have news for you, that song can be played anytime, anywhere unless there is a bona fide commercial endorsement involved with its playing. Rush Limbaugh went through this with The Pretenders and poor Chrissy lost! Sorry but I do not have to seek permission from a musician to play their music. I can play it anytime, anywhere unless I'm using it strictly for commercial endorsement. Do you honestly believe that radio stations pay royalties every single time they play a song? If anyone believes that then they are dense and not worth talking to.

I've seen some truly idiotic people before, but these sisters are a new breed of stupid. Anyone remember Bebe La'Strange? That ended the careers of those two and one went on an eating binge for 25 years and the two of them still haven't been able to revive their careers which was dead long ago. The only reason they even brought this up is for the publicity. No one gives two craps what song a convention plays and these two know it.

It's sad to see them stoop to this mentality. The fact is girls, your careers took a total nosedive the larger your waist size grew and everyone but you knows it.

I didn't know you could avoid the draft in Seattle
That's where heart is from

I'll be sure never to buy any of his songs

Another forgotten band from the 70's. That could of gone on a reunion tour! Oh No!! Not cool Heart

NO PROBLEM Ann & Nancy I own radio stations. I have no problem dropping your music from our playlist either. Nobody is calling to her your music anymore anyway. I thought I was doing you a favor by playing it. Songs Dropped!
thewoodman

i will never listen to heart again, the suck, one fat and the other ugly.Go Palin , i want to see some oics of these other ladies that dog PALIN out,,,,,,ill bet there ugly and fat too. P.S. can someone tell me if obama has odopted any white kids, and how many blacks are voting for McCain , Whos rasist now

Let's examine why most pop culture music artists are so liberal. They like promiscuity without consequences (this is where abortion comes in handy!), and frivolous life of drinking, drugs, and partying without having to work a real job.They want to live a life of reckless wanton, not wanting to do any good for anybody else unlike the selfless service of our armed forces (hence the anti-war attitude! Our troops are the real defenders of freedom, not the self-serving elitist snobs of the left-wing media) Let's hand out taxpayer's money to the undisciplined freeloaders who want a government check they didn't earn. Vote for anarchy and free money for everbody and then see how long this country will last!

sarah palin is the biggest creepiest under-a-rock-creature the republikans could find. dont let the milfy good looks fool ya. she's vile shootin those poor dogs from her helicopter!

All of you psycho commie libs and Ann and Nancy Wilson will eat your vomitous words in November. McCain and Palin both hit the ball out of the park and your little bat boy of a candidate didn't even see the ball!

Biden better bring his "A" game to the debate with the Barracuda or better yet do what he does best....steal someone else's "A" game, he sure doesn't have one!

If memory serves, Chrissy Hynde of The Pretenders, who considers herself a conservative, asked Rush Whatshisface to stop using one of her songs on his radio show with her permission.

ANYONE that has played any music at ANY OF THEIR

events, IS USING THAT MUSIC FOR PERSONAL GAIN....

the gain? MAKING THEMSELVES LOOK GOOD
BY THROWING A "GREAT" PARTY/EVENT!!!

is th

is

I'm wondering if I should be scared of this candidate when so many Hollywood types endorses him. They are not the mainstream of America. When you can buy a dress for 20K or a house for 15mil don't tell me you're regular people. Went to a Heart/Kansas concert a long, long time ago when they were on the somewhat comeback trail and had to leave early they were so bad. But what do I know, I'm just a stupid Republican :-). I sure am glad I have talking heads and these posts to tell me what I should be thinking or else I won't find myself out a paper bag. Election time is way too funny!

Just wondering if in the future instead of explicit lyrics, will they label CDs "For Dems only"? Who do you make music for?

Congratulations to Heart! They actually made Yahoo news!!!

Now, go back to your retirement shanty and never speak of this again.

Palin is magic, "she is gonna cast a spell on you" . America is going to enter a period of true greatness once she becomes President.

Andrea: Hear, hear! Scott: Public performance requires a Public Performance License. Licensed DJ's, radio stations and advertisers pay fees for the music they play. You know full well that these tracks are going to end up nationally broadcast on television, just like the speeches. The Democratic convention did not use original recordings, they used a cover band to play the tunes and removed lyrics when necessary. They avoided the mechanical royalties of playing original recordings. Atrists who do not want to be associated with a political party should not be compromised in such fashion. The Republicans have been pulling this stunt for years.

Sounds like a little bit of "childhood playground" drama - "You can't play with my toy because you're not my friend." I think with all the great music out there, Heart should be flattered that the RNC used their song at a national event! I don't think that "most" level-headed, logical people felt that it was an endorsement from Heart, but instead that the song simply described Palin's personality - BARRACUDA - not afraid to go after what she wants and not afraid to fight for what she feels is right!!! It sounds like the Heart ladies are "feminists" but only if you're a female who supports the things they support - "selective feminists" perhaps???

Funny, I was thinking that the song was inappropriate for such an intelligent, well spoken lady! She is too classy for a song by Heart--I know, I grew up in that era with the Wilsons and their music. Finally, someone we can relate to, a REAL mom who has had a REAL life. We love our VP pick; ROCK ON SARAH!

Let's give credit where credit is due - 'Barracuda' is a good, hard rocking tune with a great thundering riff! It still sounds awesome. Good for the RNC to play such a powerful, heavy track. Sorry to hear the Wilsons are so offended, they shoud just lighten up, as should a lot of posters here. Sarah P. is a breath of fresh air (you lucky Americans) and if she pisses off the tiresome feminist hairy armpit left wing lesbians, then all power to her.

I feel that the American people have to to "grow up", you did not see this kind of ridiculous behavior back in the 1920's or thirties or forties. A song was a song to be played whenever and for whatever purpose. I feel the American people and the entertainment artists involved should be ashamed of thenselves. Their minds should be focused on more important issues. The artists should be glad that someone is still playing their songs. When judgement day arrives they will have to explain to someone more important than Obama, McCain and Nader why they were so selfish. Money is not everything!!!!

Heart IS making money from the download off the song on iTunes. It's being downloaded more than ever! I won't be downloading it now. I used to love Heart and I personally didn't think the song being played at the RNC was any type of endorsement on their part.

Since the song is about how difficult it was for women in the music industry you would think they would appreciate it being used for a woman trying to break the glass ceiling in any arena. Very dissappointing that Heart seems to lack HEART!

HI IM A WHINEY DEMOCRAT, GLOBAL WARMING IS GEORGE BUSH"S FAULT.
EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG IN THE WORLD IS BUSH'S FAULT. WAH! WAH! WAH! BOO HOO! IM SO STUPID I ACTUALLY BELIEVE OBAMA AND BIDEN ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO SOMTHING FOR THIS COUNTRY. PLEASE DO NOT WASTE YOUR VOTE AMERICA . IF YOU THINK AMERICA IS IN SHAMBLES NOW WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IF THE DEMOCRATS CONTROL THE WHITE HOUSE. NOW THAT IVE SAID MY PEACE WHERE IS MY WELFARE CHECK SO I CAN BUY SOME LIQUOR AND CRACK

Even though I want the smart guy to win for once, having suffered through 8 years of Bush's smug grins and mangling of the language, the next president is going to reap the whirlwind of crap that is building right now. The economy is going to tank big time, peak oil should start kicking in in a few years, and the American standard of living is going to erode further.

Bush and his merry gang have kept a lid on it with ever more borrowing (admittedly a bi-partisan practice), ever lower interest rates (while massive market bubbles form), foolish stimulus checks, etc, but the next President is out of wiggle room. For that reason, I don't mind too much if McSame gets elected. With America's 10 second attention span, I want the Republican party to reap that which it has been largely responsible for planting.

Oh, and Romney -- you looked such the fool up there saying McCain was going to get rid of "Big Brother" in government. But hey, if McCain is now on the "Change" bandwagon then it must be true. Just like Palin "has more credentials than Obama." Keep repeating a lie and ...

Hell, if it were up to me I would keep Bush around for 8 more years. America reelected him and deserves him. He's made some mistakes but 8 more years should be enough time for him to fix them and bring about the utopian America that Cheney and he promised.

8 MORE YEARS, BUSH/CHENEY!

Newsflash- the RNC did no broadcasting, ergo owes no royalty. NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, Fox did the broadcasting, and as such, would be liable for paying royalties, if any were in order. Just a legal point of view---

As a conservative, even I did not take "Still the One" as any kind of reference to Obama. It was clearly a tribute to Ted Kennedy's long service (like him or not) and standing in the Democrat party. To connect it to Obama would be a ridiculous stretch.

As for the "Addicted to Love", that was just a stupid choice when they could have used "Don't Stop (thinking about tomorrow)" from the Clinton campaign.

I'm surprised the Reps used "Barracuda" after McCain's speech anyway. It was clearly a reference to Palin (not the obscure Pacific Northwest connection with Heart, Mr. Beard) and something should have been played that kept the attention on McCain as the nominee, not the veep offering.

And wow. The vitriole does need to be dialed back. Some of you people can't discuss anything without resorting to the gutter can you?

It is amazing the lefties out there talk about freedom of speech and expression, but when someone presses their buttons in any certain way, they want to take that freedom away from the people that don't parrott their philosophies.
Heart should be happy McCain's campaign decided to use their song because it hasn't been played in 20 years.........B A R R A C U D A.....watch out Sarah will get you liberals !!!

Heart... what a washed up old relic.....

please, who gives ... if the republicans use your music? your days are over... doing you a favor if you ask me to allude to a band that "once was"

quit acting like they repubs have done you some injustice... or like you even matter for that part. If you were someone worth listening to, I could see your gripe...

but alas... it's not so

They should be grateful for any publicity their oldies might get.

Failure is always so quick to give advice to Success.

Sarah Palin represents enough women and that will be confirmed come Nov. As far as the Heart sisters and all the other Hollywood flakes. THANK GOD she doesn't represent them.

I'm a mainstream American politically moderate who happens to be fiscally conservative and socially liberal. I have been both a registered Republican and Democrat, but am not Independent. This is mainstream America. Mostly in the middle, but leaning to the right on some things and to the left on others. I love having someone whose comments suggest they are clearly liberal telling me what mainstream Americans want. You're clueless what we want.

BTW, I seriously doubt the DNC got permission to use any of the songs the blasted out either. The difference is, you don't have any hyper-wealthy, pampered, out of touch with mainstream America, has been way left rockers complaining about the DNC's use.

And kill the condescending attitude that says Liberal equals intelligent and Conservative equals dullard. It smacks of the elitism you always deny.

And regarding the comment suggesting Palin is stupid because it took her 5 years to get a degree (while you praise the genius of Heart, Mellencamp, Springsteen, and JB, none of whom graduated college). It took me 23 years to get through college and I have a 148 IQ. To suggest Palin is stupid is the height of stupidity.

RIGHT ON!!!! Take it away from them Heart! Good goin!! They have no right to use it!!!!!! Phonies!!!!!!!!!!

embarrassing forum... let's just end it here and pretend it never happened

Well, to all of you Obama supporters..you had better get your fill of these kind of blogs and comments...in his world, the freedom we know now will be no more...ask any good Muslim.

Michael C wrote: "Reading all this pointless banter convinces me more than ever that the privilege to vote, not right, should be earned and licensed. We need intelligent voters, not brain-dead, drug-infested, morons. I’m tired of falling victim to the whims and fancies of idiots voting because some group pushed them into registering and voting someone else’s mind."

Micheal could you please ellaborate on your rather general and vague comment? Are you trying to say that only the liberal democrats are morans that have done drugs because GWB had a very public cocaine addiction? And as far as failing victim to the "Whims" and "fansies of idiots" are you talking to the elderly in FL. that couldn't figure out the hole punch technique while voting for thier favorite candidate? As far as falling victims goes, did you every once think that this electoral college voting process is perhaps to blame more than your tyrant claim of easily lead morans who listen to their favorite groups for political advise? I know thousands of people form all walks of life, liberal, conservative, radical you name it. I am more than happy to tell you that it is the liberal folks that use thier heads and actually listen to an issue let it swirl in their heads and then figure out a way to make it fair for everyone, they don't just run off to the bible and plug in an answer, and by the way, Jesus was the first liberal!

for the dems who say palin is unethicaland self serving, how about bill clinton, hillary clinton and john edwards

Ron Paul- now there is someone who knows what he is talking about!!

for the dems who say palin is unethicaland self serving, how about bill clinton, hillary clinton and john edwards

Hey go Hillary,
Im gald you were entertained by the RNC and its music. It was quite a show by a great man and woman. And if all you took from it was what song played for who then Im terribly sorry you missed the boat. I guess not all are good Americans. But if I may lay in the progressive socialist democratic filth for a second, didnt the DNC play "Addicted to Love" after Bill Clinton. As a Hillary supporter you surley remember Monica. Now thats funny!

Ann & Nancy WIlson are just liberal celebrities like the rest of them who wanted to make a pitiful attempt at entering the spotlight again. Cheap shot. And I used to like them...I can't even sell their crap on ebay for a penny. They ought to be honored that the future leader of the free world though their song was worth playing.
I need more than a celebrity for a president. What has Obama done for America?

Scott,
In spite of your name-calling attacks on liberals, I'll refrain from responding in kind by making gross broad-based generalizations about conservatives (for example: "typical idiot conservative lying BS...acting like they know what the law says when clearly they do not. And only the other moronic ditto-head conservatives actually believe their hot air and don't bother to look anything up because they might need to actually READ something and THINK about it.") no. I won't say that. But...I digress. Back to my point.

Let me just point out that although I am not a lawyer, I have taken a number of classes in business law, inculding intellectual property law, and here is my take on it: playing a song at a convention is not the same as playing it on an MP3 or CD player (for private use of the person who legally purchased it) or playing it on the radio (which pays royalties to broadcast the song). It is considered a public performance of the music, and since the musician isn't getting paid for it, it violates copyright laws for "fair use" (unless the musician or copyright owner gives permission for them to play it without paying royalties). I suspect that people rarely worry about this because in most cases, the musican probably doesn't care or is glad that their song is getting more publicity, so the organizers didn't bother to get permission before they played it. Like I said, I'm not a lawyer and there are many gray areas of the law but one thing should be a big clue to you that it is either a clear copyright violation or very likely a violation: the record company (which is chock full o' copyright lawyers who understand all this stuff) sent the Republicans a cease and desist letter. They wouldn't bother unless they had a case. BTW...what is wrong with an artist saying they don't want people misrepresenting their work or using their copyrighted work without permission? Last time I checked, it was a free country and copyright laws were still in place.

I guess the next Heart concert will be a full blown herd of draft dodging liberals sheep like the boys in their band. BAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

They can have their crap music.

Grace Slick is the queen of rock. The Wilsons are gas bags. Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now, works for me.

I may not be the sharpist knife in the drawer but I am not the dullest either; I spent time in service for our country and I've seen both sides of the major political arenas. I have also had LADY bosses and am no worse for wear than working for offiers in the military or men who own their bussinesses. Many have stated" if you really want to straighten up our economy put a woman in one (1) of the top two (2) positions and allow her to clean up/get rid of the unwanted and unneeded crutches or aids that had been campaigned promises. I belive that when the two (2) mavericks are elected you will see the the country get the CHANGES it so desperately needs and are ready for. A US Army retiree (2-tour Nam Vet--Artillery Fire Support Officer)

The absolute most ironic thing about this controversy over using Barracuda is this..."Barracuda" itself, as a song, is a completely Illegitimate, rip-off, pillaged song.

It´s Hearts cover version of "Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin. The guitars are almost an exact copy. Various times Jimmy Page has stated that his favorite Led Zeppelin song is "Barracuda".

Heart should consider themselves lucky that their music was played in front of so many people at the GOP convention.

Considering that a large majority of rock 'n' roll artists are liberal, perhaps the safe bet for Republicans would be to choose a Ted Nugent if they want some classic rock. Just imagine Palin going up on stage as Ted's "Wang Dang Sweet-" ... ya know, maybe that wouldn't be such a good idea.

back in the late 60's I protested in the halls of my high school about a war that was going on on the other side of the world. I was sooooooo cool by getting away with shouting HELL NO, WE WON'T GO. and then going against the "establishment" as a "long haired hippie country hillbilly". As I look back at those times, I realized how, at the time, I was caught up in the moment, and how very stupid I was.

Very rarely do you see republican party individuals protesting. Why? Because they have a respect for those that they don't agree with . How untrue of these low life, free spirit, public assistance, peace and love holdovers of the 60's and 70's. I grew during those times. I got a life, I got a great education and I have had a very successful career. I pay more in taxes than most of the posters on this board earn (a likely possibility) and probably more in taxes than the repub bashers combined. I also grew up in a state where there was only 1 party and because of lack of education, or just plain lack of common sense, most of their feelings were "I am a demoncrat" !!!! Why? Because my daddy was and his daddy was and his daddy's daddy was. And these people look "to beat" the system everyway they can, to get additional $ so they won't have to work.
I think it is so funny that the repubs get blamed for everything under the sun, and it is always backed by big oil, big business, and lied to by GWB. All I can say is get a life, quit your bitching, and get a job.......so I can keep some of my hard earned money for myself, my family and charitable organization that really need it. Or BETTER Yet... put back into my business so I can hire some good qualified respectful people unlike you moaners and groaners whom always seem to not be accountable for anything.....

Good day

An interesting discussion of Copyright law. If I have a group of friends over to my home and play copyrighted music do I need to get permission from the author to play it?

Now lets say I rent a hall and have my friends over an play this same music, do not charge admission. Do I need to get permission to play the music?

The media wants to broadcast my party over their networks and I still play this music. Do I need to get permission to play the music? Since I am not doing the broadcasting and am deriving no income from the broadcast do I need permission to play the music? Do the networks need permission to broadcast the music (as well as pay royalties?

Is this an election or an iTunes commercial? Hollywood once again using their status to influence voters and show their true colors. I used to be a Heart fan.

Heart........You've got none! Your music is old and weak, so who needs it?

By the way...You don't represent anyone but the idiot fringe anyway.

After reading these messages, I can see that this Country is in big trouble. I saw very few that were not down right nasty & stupid to say the least. You people need to stop & really check out your candidate. You seem to be so much into hate that you can't see whats really going on.
As for this song thing if I buy a CD they better not try to tell me where I can play or when.

...not to mention that "Still The One" was also used without permission by Bush 2004 campaign events, as well as John McCain 2008 campaign events, then dropped both times under enraged protest from the band - as it was written and performed by Democratic Congressman John Hall, formerly of the band Orleans!

An interesting discussion of Copyright law. If I have a group of friends over to my home and play copyrighted music do I need to get permission from the author to play it?

Now lets say I rent a hall and have my friends over an play this same music, do not charge admission. Do I need to get permission to play the music?

The media wants to broadcast my party over their networks and I still play this music. Do I need to get permission to play the music? Since I am not doing the broadcasting and am deriving no income from the broadcast do I need permission to play the music? Do the networks need permission to broadcast the music (as well as pay royalties?

Just like the incompetent McCain camp to use a song that they don't even understand. The song is about corporate greed, specifically in the music business. The people in the GOP are exactly the kinds of lowlifes the Wilsons are decrying in the song. They did the same thing with "Born in the USA." And they have been asked to stop using other songs without permission, songs by artists like John Mellencamp who disagrees wholeheartedly with everything the Republicans stand for. This is how these people operate, with no regard for the law, in this case intellectual property law. Vote for Obama this fall and put in end to Republican rule once and for all.

You know, I live in Seattle. I hve met and watched Heart for many many years. They are intelligent, talented and definetally NOT conservative or re[ublican. When Clinton used "Don't Stop," by Fleetwood Mac, they not only endorsed it, but performed LIVE for him at the convention. Using an artists intellectual and artistic property in a campaign is a from of advertising, for which artists must be compensated. Playing it on the beach is fair use, whoch you pay for when you buy the cd or electronic version of the music, but it does not give you legal license to use as a theme or a representation of your self or your business, Nor does it allow you to use it for political purposes unless approved by the artist/copywrite holder. Michael Jackson owns the Beatles book, so that is why you see Beatles songs in commercials. If Paul McCartney still owned the rights, he would not have let them be used in advertising. Study a little bit people. And by the way, the person who wrote that Heart has "thousands, not millions" of dollars from their work is seriously delluded. They are quite rich from their body of work, and mean WORK. They were groundbreakers in rock and roll at a time when only male voices were successful in the industry, and Ann Wilson is the most talented rock singer I have EVER seen in concert. Nancy is pretty damn good herself, and they are both great profound and thoughtful composers. The musicians in the band are also very talented performers. I have seen Ann play bass and flute as well as sing while performing, and Nancy plays anything that has strings, including guitar and mandolin.

Scott (#30) ... clearly you are not familiar with copyright laws. It is not illegal to play the song in an arena, however, it was broadcast on national television without permission, which is, in fact, illegal. Idiot.

If someone were to have sang the song...then, it would have been legal. ~Hands down....But, since that didn't happen, you have to ask: was it a "Union Stadium? Sara herself, didn't push the play button and I think, Union's or Stadium's usually pay the BMG fee's so that they can play pre-recorded music. If they were to use the song to market Sara...then, yes..they would have to pay extra. The one song, played at a fund raising event over seen by Union Stagehands, does not make a whole National Marketing Campaign....
Heart does have the right to say, please do not use my art for your cause...but, if the BMG fee's were paid...then...to bad....
But, Why would she want to appear as a "Pit Bull" Barracuda? We've had enough

of that!
The

The bigger quiestion is why would she

You all need to get jobs. Ridiculous.

I thought Barracuda was slang for a Cougar. Palin is one after all, isn't that why we are supposed to vote for her?

Yeah, yeah all you liberals. I'll bet if it was the Dumbocrat using Heart's song then it would be ok and not illegal. Funny how the laws change to accommodate the dumbocrat party and those that follow that party are also lawbreakers. They revel in hurting other people - just take a look at the (rich - might i add) anarchists at the RNC.

Country - They do. Look at the back of the CD. What J.S.McSame said earlier: "Picking up the first CD to hand, I read the back: 'unauthorised copying, hiring, lending, reproduction, public performance and broadcasting of the work prohibited." Artists need their rights protected.

You're buying a recording, not the song itself. See the difference? You don't have the same rights the record company and artists do.

People...it is called copyright infringement; it is not a conspiracy by the left, but the law of the land.

I wish that those on the Right would read more books, and get the facts, instead of absorbing the soundbites!

ALL the idots that is race haters and cracks jokes on OBAMA at least his daughter is not pregnant and unwed and at least he married MICHELLE BEFORE SHE WAS PREGNANT . IT WOULD OF BEEN SO MUCH MESS OVER THE WHOLE THING IF THE FAMILY WAS BLACK , BUT LOOK AT IT , THE BLACKS ARE NOT DEGRADING THEIR SELVES THIS TIME AND HELL SHE WAS HAVING BABIES THATS WHY SHE COULD NOT FINISH SCHOOL. WHY PROTRAY THE HAPPY FAMILY NOW WITH THE BOYFRIEND ON TV I REPEAT THE BOYFRIEND .

IT IS SAD THAT AMERICA IS STILL THIS RACIST! anybody can do better than bush leaving the white house a billionaire and we all are poorer because of it I repeat ALL OF US ARE POORER.
aND sue form mississippi must be bonkers to say obama is the ANTI CHRIST , then who are you delivering the message nutcase.

Oh, for crying out loud. It's a stupid song. What is the big deal?
Oh, brother. How immature can you get???? Pretty, it seems

Showing a definite immaturity there. So what. They used your song. So what. Now we're going to say who can and can't use your music? "It's my song and you can't have it.... waaa waaaa waaaa." As Bruce Willis says in The Kid, "Somebody call the 'Waaaambulance!"

salem- You're right. It is a really ridiculous thing to cry and waste time over. Get over it and get a life. Don't you find it amazing, though, the things that people go bonkers over??? A song. A stupid song and people are having a fit and a half because someone played it. Oh, brother.

O.B.L.- you are so funny. I absolutely love your comment.

Country- this country has been heading down the bad path for a long time. It's just that now we are heading at full speed with no brakes, and more nitwits behind it pushin' even faster.

"It is so much fun watching democrats get all huffy when they start to lose. And it is going to be huge amounts of fun to watch them lose their minds when they do lose." -- Jon Whitmore

The five year old child mentality of the typical Republican.

Heart is being utterly ridiculous! If they would only like their music played for the Dems, well then so be it. From this point on, this Republican will eliminate any Heart music from its Itunes library.

"GO TO HELL HEART...free speech...you release a song, You should be allowed to play it where ever you want."

Totally untrue. An artist has a right to block such a usage if it is in their contract with their music company. If the music company did not grant the permission, then they had to right to use it, especially was it was being televised.

I was a single mom for eight years. I worked 60 hours a week , and was a softball,track, girl scout, and cheerleading Mom to name a few. I am NOT impressed that she is a hockey mom or feels that this fact makes her impressive. I am also not impressed by her family or lack of values. If I were the band Heart I would never want to be associated with her or the adulterous McCain.

i have a new song for Barrucunta. How's about "Papa Don't Preach" or "There Goes My Life" she could share them with her daugher

Hey Heart and all of your their Liberal Radiohead "Band" members!
There is one thing I've learned from reading all your ridiculous comments.
You are all for Abortion (no matter what the gestational (look it up) age is.
You don't have brains to think for yourselves. You are not leaders, but followers. You believe in paying higher taxes and getting less. You do not want to be incharge of your own lifes, you want others to take on the responsiblity for you and tell you what to do. I for one can not see any one of you putting your Country First, no matter what, and you probably could not handle being beaten-up every four hours or couple of days. Happy to know that all you liberal fools are all about "ME"
Someday, you will all be old, and then where are you going to be. Waiting for a part of your anatomy with 1,000 people a head of you in the same line.
I can't afford to pay more or any new tax that may be assessed in the future, so I am happy to hear that you are willing an able to pay for mine!
The only reason Hillary is upset about this ticket is that their is a qualified Women who is running for office (VP) and she is not on the other ticket.!
By the way, have any of you liberals out there aborted a child,? Played music two loud?, Done Drugs? Made a hard decision regarding someone else instead of your self?

Oh PLEASE HEART - just because someone choses to play your song doesn't mean that you associated with them or connected with them or anything else - GET THE HELL OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE! - They chose the song to connect to a theme. What about when the Clintons chose Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow - It didn't change the way I felt about them - they were still assholes. It is a free world - they can play whatever music they like.

I never knew that the Barracuda was supposed to represent a sexist music corporation. Though I'm not too sure why that would be so ironic for Republicans to use it. Sure, they support (and are supported by) businesses outside of the government, but it's the democrats who support making the government into a bigger company-like-entity than it already is, in effect, making it a business itself. In truth, the GENERAL difference (emphasis on GENERAL) between a Democrat and Republican on economic policies, is that Republicans are going to leave more of your money for you to decide which business you're going to buy and thus support, where as the Democrats will take more of our money, away from our choosing, to pay for the government businesses they've made, that either won't benefit all of us, or are things charities could take care of if someone chose under a Republican policy to donate to them.

With the Democrats supporting a company like government, and with all the sexist remarks the democratic supporters have been making about Palin; wouldn't it be more ironic if the Democrats had used Barracuda? Since Governor Palin is going up against such people, the song aptly applies to her.

Having been a Heart fan for decades, I was very disappointed when I heard it during the speech. I assumed they had permission to use it, so I'm very happy to read Heart's statement otherwise.

Whomever suggested its use in this context should be fired.

Miriam:

Your post asserting that those on the Right need to "get the facts" is particularly ironic when one considers that it is the Left that has created a creepy, hateful, amoral personality cult around a man with essentially no real accomplishments and one who (as Geraldine Ferraro ably observed) owes essentially everything he has to the nation's racial spoils system. You and yours have absorbed way too many soundbites and vapid platitudes yourselves.

As a musician and a Heart fan, I fully support the band for speaking up and stopping the misuse of their song. Anyone who has issues with this is either misinformed about copyright law, or defensive because an established musical group like Heart have felt the need to publicly state that they do not want to be associated with the policies of Sarah Palin. Way to go!

Rebulican or Democrat, I am not impressed with a candidate that uses "Barracuda" as their theme song. Palin is obviously still a young ego-tripper that thinks shes Americas gift to womens lib (and I am a woman). Think again Palin!

RIGHT ON KENNETH! (Re: 213 Comment)
... I am so embarrassed right now by many of the previous comments! I am part of this future generation and all I have to say is WOW. I'm going to have to deal with these people being my fellow citizens.
AGREED, you said it perfectly: "All I can say is get a life, quit your bitching, and get a job.......so I can keep some of my hard earned money for myself, my family and charitable organization that really need it. Or BETTER Yet... put back into my business so I can hire some good qualified respectful people unlike you moaners and groaners whom always seem to not be accountable for anything....."

Wow, this blog went downhill in a hurry.
Such venom, anger and hatred.
Loosen up, people.
How many more days until the election?

If you care about this country at all you will do your homework on the issues. You might start by reading the US Constitution, The Declaration Of Independence and maybe the Mayflower compact to get some AMERICAN history under your belts before you begin looking at the issues. Anyone who stated Sarah is arrogant or mean etc., you'd better look in the mirror! I doubt you have met her much less know enough to show your hate. Likewise, in the same manner you judge, you will be judged!

If I am not mistaken, this is not the first time the McCain camp has used a song without authorization first.

As Elizabeth posted, his camp may want to take the time to read the back of the CD where it says, 'unauthorised copying, hiring, lending, reproduction, public performance and broadcasting of the work prohibited."

From now on, every artist that whines about anyone using a song they wrote and sold to the public will be banished from my music collection forever, and never will the whiners get in my pocketbook again. I own ever alblum Heart ever made, started buying them with lawn mowing money many years ago. I will go home tonight and force myself to throw them all out.

I think palin should come out to something of the cougar suggestion. She is hottttttt

Just wow. No wonder the left sucks....

Cat Scratch Fever!!! lol

MCcain just picked her so they can have some nasty affair while his wife sits at home clueless, just like all these other nasty politicians! Gross, she is about as qualified to be vice president as Paris Hilton!

I think Obama should have come out to a Cat Stevens song. Would have been fitting considering both are sympathetic to violent and extremist islam

I used to LOVE Heart and attended several concerts. After the public statement that they put out on the RNC "not using the song Barracuda," I am no longer a fan and plan to ditch all of my albums.

It is only copyright infringment if Heart filed for a 47 year extension of the copyright. Otherwide, "Barracuda" became public domain in 2005. If there was a legal violation, there would be a lawsuit filed, not an indignant protest. Would the Wilson sisters consider debating Sarah Palin 2 on 1?

Thought not. Frankly, If I were the Wilsons I would be greatful for the publicity.

Sarah # 222:

FYI. The RNC did not broadcast the song on national television. The various news networks broadcast the convention as a news event. Some how I don't think the networks are guilty of infringement.

I'm done with Heart. They should be flattered thirty years after they released that song that someone was playing it to over 38 million people. Instead, they bust them! They don't need me as a fan any longer. I'll stop playing and buying their music as well.

Sorry Kids,

It's not illegal at all to use the song. The venue has the right to play whatever music they want. They are registered with ASCAP and BMI. Both of these agencies collect the usage fees and pay the artist accordingly.

I love Heart, they rock. They're misinformed by thinking they have any power over this situation.

A confused Rock star? Really? Go figure.

I'm and independent but the more I see the more I feel that Democrats are the ones that are hateful and intolerant. This just more proof. Keep it up Dems, you aren't winning any new friends with your attitudes.

@Boss and his/her #10 post: Sorry, you're wrong. Use of the song implies endorsement of the politician or political group by the artist who wrote/created it. That artist therefore has the right to limit or prohibit use of the song by political groups. Also, there are copyright issues--politician or political groups should have to seek permission to use song beforehand AND negotiate royalty payments. Copyrighted songs are NOT in the public domain.

As has been displayed before by other performers, the Heart band uses their complete lack of common sense to alienate at least 50% of the populace by making a political statement through this unnecessary attack. I'll bet their accountants are cringing.

Anyone who thinks that public presentation of pre-recorded material isn't subject to copyright protection needs to familiarize themselves with the law.

Simple way would be to call up ASCAP or BMI, the clearinghouses for publishing and performance royalties and ask them.

You know why supermarket and department store chains have their own radio networks? So they don't have to deal with complex rights payments using broadcast songs.

It's so good to hear of someone in the entertainment industry that isn't a complete douche bag liberal...Alah...Sean Penn...douche bag...Babs...douche bagette...like bread...Susan and Tim Sarandon...blah...blah...blah...on and on and on...You rock Heart...glad to hear you back McCain and Palin...you girls rock...You silly Barracuda's. Go McCain and Palin!!! Ann and Nancy are Republicans!!! Ann and Nancy love Republicans!!! I never would have guessed...you're awesome...sweeeeettttt!!!

If a song is put on the market for the public to purchase no artist has the right to say who can purchase it and play it. If he or she doesn't want their music played they should not market it. Playing a song does not mean that the artist endorses whatever cause or function it is played at. It simply means they want the money for sales from the song and they are putting it out there for the public to buy and play anywhere they wish. If I were McCain I would tell them what they could do with their song and have someone write a new one for his own use since these artists are such cry babies. Get over it you wimps and stop recording songs for the market if you are that dumb. It is not copyright infringement someone buys the song and plays it at a party. DUH!!!! Public Performance restrictions means another artist performing the song in public, not someone playing it at a public function. As I said, DUH!!!!!!

Barracuda is her nickname you idots. Thats why they picked the song.

It was a private event for the RNC. Just like the DNC. They allow anyone to film it or cover it because its helps each party get there message out.

But its not open to the public just try and get in to the DNC or RNC.

You would think a couple of has-beens like Ann and Nancy Wilson would be thrilled at the chance of getting a few more record sales as a result of millions of people hearing their song on national television. And and Nancy Wilson, like other feminists are hypocrites. Here you have Sarah Palin, a self-made woman who earned everything on her own. A woman who started out as a concerned mom who joined the PTA, then was elected mayor of her hometown, then became governor of her state. Unlike Barack Hussein Obama, she's vetoed dozens of irresponsible spending bills, faced down corruption within her own party, led the state's National Guard and is now the first woman to run for Vice President. But no, the feminists want women to believe they have to only support pro-abortion feminists like Hillary Clinton who has achieved nothing and can trace her so-called career back to the fact that she's the wife of an ex president. Feminists are such hypocrites and Heart is so 1970s.

Anyone who does not like the message of the republicans for this term are obviously those that look to collect welfare and live off the WORKING AMERICANS hard earned dollar. Its easy for an anti-american band like Heart to talk....hell look how much money they have and more importantly look where they made it...the US FREE ECONOMY!

This seems so petty against all the real issues we are trying to figure out here. If they were so bothered they could have asked the McCain campaign privately to stop using the song or asked for royalties for the privilege to use it. This is just a sad way to jump on the bandwagon and state their personal political views although no one is interested in hearing them. If they supported Palin, would they have minded so much that the song was used without permission or would they have felt proud to contribute to the cause they stood for. Besides, I don't assume that when I hear a song, the writer is a staunch supporter for that side. This is truly silly.

What don't you all find something to really get upset about..... like our failing schools, children with disabilites, people in the world starving or the millions of children being sexually abused... I could go on for days. This isn't really an issue in light of things to really get upset over is it? Why don't we all go get busy helping someone in need and change something that really matters!

Heart is lucky their has been song to be receiving attention. I'm sure at least 10 people ran over to Walmart to buy their back in the day CD.--they should be grateful. Some people just don't get it.

I cannot see how some people are so deaf that they fall for McCain's b.s. he has been in wa. for 26 yrs. has voted with Bush for all the yrs. Bush has been in office,effected no change while in Wa. and now wants to be all about change..He wants more tax cuts for the wealthy.did you hear the words middle class,healthcare,climate change,or loss of jobs come out of his mouth once during his great"all about me speech" I am sick to death of hearing what a hero he is.My brother was a viet nam war hero but i still wouldn't elect him as President.Wake up people.Americans need change,not some old geezer ready to kick the bucket and leave us in the power of some pistol packing,earmark grabbing,womens issues hating,all for insurance being forced to pay for viagra but not birth control pills,moron..........have i said enough,or should i mention the fact that she was for the bridge to nowhere earmarks until she was told no,or the fact that she hired Jack Abramhoff,the lobbyist who just went to prison for 4 yrs. involving illegal campaign funds,to get her 27 million for her state and gave back each citizen in Alaska $1400.00.of our tax dollars that we paid because they had an excess budget.........hmmm...why did i have to work soo hard to give them my tax dollars,and if they had an excess,why did she demand the 27 mill...kinda makes you say hmmmmmmmmm? change? i don't think so

HEART just wants to "Have their cake and eat it too." They just want to control the public while collecting their royalties from ASCAP. Hypocrites. HEART should stop performing if they only want to take money from anyone that buys their songs and then wants to control when and where it is played. Shut up! I am a democrat and embarrassed that my democratic party has nominated Obama for president. Obama is an extension of his first cousin, corrupt political militant Odinga ( a marxist socialist in Kenya) Obama is so much like Odinga right down to his campaign. People should look up Obama and Odinga, and Odinga's campaign in Kenya. Lots of Black Africans DON'T LIKE Obama and don't like Odinga. They have many simalarities. Obama is a marxist socialist. Odinga is a marxist socialist. Obama lectured on marxist sociaism at his University. Odinga studied marxism in East Germany. (look up Obama and Odinga on the internet and learn the truth) Odinga ran his Orange Democratic Movement campaign in Kenya with the slogan "CHANGE", Obama is running his Democratic campaign with the exact same slogan "CHANGE" The Orange Democratic Movement in Kenya is the Socialist Democratic Party in Kenya. Odinga did not win the election. He threw a big hissy fit. His followers instituted mass rioting and massacres occurred in Kenya. People were burned and slaughtered, for trying to use free-speech, by Odinga's men. It is known that Obama and Odinga speek regularly. Why isn't our American Liberal Media reporting on this? Why hasn't HEART made a song to complain about it? The first people in our country that will loose their freedoms of speech will be the liberal media and the liberal music writers and performers if Obama is elected. I don't doubt that Obama plans a tax cut for 95 % of the population in our country. I believe he will do it under his marxist socialist "Cap and Trade" plan. You know the one he will use on large corporations like GMC once he has government take over the car industry and the oil companies. He will limit your salary amount to what his corrupt political cronies think you should make. Let's say you write and produce a song and you think that song should bring in $50,000. Obama decides you should only make $40,000 for your song. Obama has just "capped" your income for the song at $40,000. Any additional income the song generates Obama's government will keep the surplus, HOWEVER, you will only be taxed at the $40,000. Therefore, Obama gets to claim he has "cut your taxes." Heres the best part. He will "trade" the income tax you pay to another country of his choice. Let's guess which country that will be since his sole allegiance that he has practiced for the last 20 years has been to Africa. You guessed it. Africa. He could trade your tax dollars to Indonesia also. So much for helping the poor and disadvantaged in the USA. I hear he may have Native Allegiance to both countries besides the USA. How many passports does he have anyway? Shouldn't this put him in a conflict of interest running for president of the USA? You are supposed to be 100% Loyal to the USA in order to be Commander in Chief. In the book Hopes and Dreams The Story of Barack Obama he is quoted in Chapter 2 as saying "It's that fundamental belief- I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper-that makes this country work." Barack Obama. In the book Dreams of My Father, Obama not only writes about his cocaine use, but of his views of white people which are not nice. Obama actually voted against a HR Bill which would have DENIED access to the United States by any known terrorist. Quite frankly, anyone who straps a bomb to themselves and , or someone else and detonates it anywhere is a weapon of mass destruction. Obama is not the best candidate to control our borders. The Taliban gets alot of funding from drug-traficking. Obama writes in his other book The Audacity of Hope, which by the way has an Indonesian Translation of the title that is titled Assault of Hope From Jakarta To the White House he writes that he, Obama will stand with them (Muslims) should the tide change. This book should be read by all Americans before they vote. It is no surprise that Obama was/is/was/is against the war in Iraq. Any success by the US in Iraq makes it harder for the oil cartel in the Middle East to control the oil production and cash flow of millions and millions of US Citizen's money to the middle east to fund the terrorist.
jihad plot to rule the world and eradicate anyone (including atheists) that don't follow Islam. Don't you think it is creepy that all these terrorists and muslim rulers favor Obama as president? There is a reason why. Obama is a Marxist Socialist that will have absolutely no problem radically redistributing all of America's income and trading it away to foreign corrupt governments. He has no plans to increase our country's security. He plans on decreasing it. Obama's energy plan is to do something to make the US green in 10 years. Ten years? How convenient, He would be out of office in 10 years if elected. Obama's energy plan is actually no plan at all. Obama's energy plan not to drill, or to really deter any real drilling at all will only serve to feed the Middle East's interests by transferring billions of American Money to corrupt leaders of countries that hate Americans.

. Sara Palin is an expert in energy. McCain and Palin understand that the only way to keep America safe is to have America become energy independant ASAP. Here is another little thing that Obama and Biden have on the horizon for their security plan. During a September 2005 Supreme Court confirmation hearing, Senator Joe Biden commented, "Can a microscopic tag be implanted in a person's body to track his every movement?" So are they now looking at having a microscopic tag be implanted in people's bodies to track their every movement. That's right: mandatory human microchipping is being discussed. So the band HEART could be mandatorially microchipped and all their trips to their favorite icecream parlors could be tracked. If only Obama had the microchipping during the Vietnam War, then some of the members of HEART could have been stopped before they went AWOL over the border to avoid serving in the Vietnam Conflict. Bet they would've liked that! And as far as abortion goes, many of us democrats are pro-choice. However, being pro-choice does NOT include murdering a survivor of a late-term partial-birth abortion. If a fetus survives the horrid process and takes a breath. It is no longer a fetus, it is a live breathing HUMAN BEING. Obama voted to NOT ALLOW for medical assistance to these children. OBAMA voted to allow them to die, ie murder them. That's not pro-choice. That's genocide. That's disgusting.
Yes, Obama and Biden are threatened by McCain/Palin. You can see it now because they have realized that trying to divide America into the Black/White race categories isn't working out so well over the long haul since alot of America's population is from many different countries around the world who are proud to say they are AMERICAN, not _____- American, but AMERCAN. Those people remember exactly what the Statue of Liberty stands for along with the Union Soldiers that gave up their lives during the Civil War to END slavery. Name one other country in the world that has a better affirmative-action policy than the United States. Don't you love how Obama blamed his white mother's side of the family on his slavery history? Please, truth be told, Obama is a DIRECT DESCENDENT of the LUO TRIBE IN KENYA. Obama's ancestors on his BLACK FATHER's side SOLD fellow Black-Africans into slavery to the Brittish and Portuguese so that they (the Obamas) could become wealthy farmers. The Audacity of Obama!. Barack Hussein Obama himself should be making a public apology to his fellow African Americans for slavery. If his black ancestors hadn't sold them, they wouldn't have become slaves to begin with. Obama and Biden plan to bring us marxist socialist economic slavery. Obama knows marxist socialism to the core. the way marxist socialists infiltrate the masses and convert them to their ways is through the utilization of what they term "Community Organizers" as they call themselves. They will say anything they can to get people to give them power. Sara Palin wasn't insulting the American Community Organizers that we are familiar with. I think she was trying to let Obama know that she is on to him. Obama may be trying to pull the wool over the liberal democrat's eyes. But Obama is NOT fooling the rest of us who have researched him. And as far as Obama's pathetic voting record of at least 184 "PRESENT, BUT NOT VOTING votes? Guess what? On election day, those of us who have researched the real Obama will do just that. Go and vote- PRESENT NOT VOTING FOR OBAMA. We will vote for McCAIN/PALIN. p.s. I won't be buying any HEART Tunes.

Miriam... It's not infringement unless the candidate explicitly states that the artist supports them. So my DJ can't play any Heart songs at my wedding? I'll dust off some of my old books and have them waiting here for you.

Someone needs to tell Ann Wilson that her giant bowl of Haagen Dazs is melting.

As a longtime pro songwriter myself, with TV and recording credits, I applaud the Wilson's standing up for what they believe in (in opposing the use of their song to promote McCain/Palin). Since songwriters get paid royalties when our songs are played on TV/radio/events (a different source of income than record sales), it is likely that Heart is willingly forfeiting lots of performance monies that they could have earned if their song was played.

Hooray for musicians who take a stand, even though it will cost them!!!

wow-i'm non-partisan, and i cant believe how ugly ppl get w this trivial stuff of music!! i watched the republicans, and truly was moved by both McCain and Palin's speeches! McCain made the comment that he respected Obama and the most important thing is that they r both Americans...i thought that was a decent thing to say--we need to respect ea other and come together here. of course we need the political sparring to make our decision-- so get over it out here already. grow up. Sarah Palin didnt seem snobbish to me, she has convictions--and she takes a stand--folks! thats something to admire! did u hear how McCain fought for his country? suffered for us and our rights? thats true commitment, true convictions carried out at a personal level!! more admiration/respect please!

Besides the venue owner pays a licensing fee to BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC which covers them to play any damn song they want.

Watch out Ann.... If this gets you more publicity, and you do sell more c.d.'s and make some money from responding to McCain's convention for playing your song, please I beg you not to go buy a HAM SANDWICH (Like mama cass did)..

Whaaaa! Get over it.

For all those that DON't see the problem in this, think about this. The song represents the Wilson's as much as your picture represents you. How would you feel if some organization you feel strongly against put your face on their billboard as their poster boy/girl?

I agree they should have requested that their song not be used in private not to make it a public affair. No class on Hearts part.

Heart get a grip.. you should be honored that any group at a convention uses your songs. Take as a compliment and move on.

I was always a loyal fan of Heart, in fact I just purchased their greatest hits from Amazon. I am disappointed to find out that Ann and Nancy have threatened to sue the McCain/Palin campaign if they continue to play their song. Im a republican and a fair open-minded person and I feel this is so wrong for them to do. So I just cancelled my order to Amazon and I threw out all my CD's of Heart, and I have 15 friends, a brother and 3 sisters who did the same. I guess you could say I am on my own campaign. I will never purchase or listen to another Heart song again, because God knows I might be sued by the Wilson sisters for being a republican and listening to their music. So Good Luck! Ms. Ann and Ms. Nancy Wilson, it is so sad that both of you are so very petty.

Regards
Elizabeth

Sarah, and the legion of grounded, value based women like her, are coming for your daughters. If you don't want your daughters to achieve like she strives to achieve, respect life like she clearly respects life, and shoot straight like she shoots straight, be afraid. Be very afraid.

Here's what I don't understand. Any law outlawing abortion is a law that applies ONLY to women.

Which makes is sexist - and I believe to have a law that applies to only certain members of a society is against our constitution and the principles it was founded on.

If everyone is so hot to define life at conception and treat these embryos as fully functioning citizens - what about the men? Why not simply take the right to choose to walk away from an unwanted pregnancy away from them as well.

Each pregnancy would be registered with the government and the men responsible for the creation of this new life would need to start taking responsibility immediately. Even if the child is carried to term and given up for adoption, the government should require both the man's presence in the life of the fetus and financial support until the adoptive parents can take responsibility.

Of course, there would be no more need for home pregnancy tests with mandatory government registration for all parties. DNA and paternity tests will insure accountability for men.

That works. That's a non-sexist abortion law, one that I can get behind.

So, if you want to take away choice, then take it away for everyone. Women do not create unwanted pregnancies by themselves and should not be singled out to bear all of the responsibility. It's just plain unAmerican.

I guess I won't bother buying the mp3 of Barracuda by Heart! WHY bother? I certainly won't be listening to it or any other Heart songs after all! Sorry girls, I thought you had more class. Sarah Palin DOES represent this mother of 5 who works and "has it all". SHE is classy!

Heart sucks. They should be thankful for the use of their song and the pubiicity. Hollywood should get over themselves. Obama is Hollywood's current golden boy. Unfortunately, he's an uppity snob and has fooled a lot of people. If he wins we will be paying for it for years to come. It's a disaster in the making.

I poked around a bit and found quite a lot of evidence that a political campaign, like any large gathering, needs to get explicit permission from the creator of the song as well as pay them a royalty. That would also be true if a cover band played the song instead of it being played from the recording. There are a few exceptions, like music that's in the public domain (like most classical music, for example), but none of those would apply here. Sorry for anyone I may have misled.

I'm still voting for Obama. And I'd bet his guys are all over things like this.

I'm new to blogs, I usually am too busy with a real life to spend much time on the computer 'playing'. I am truly amazed at the lack of real discussion. Name calling and idiotic platitudes about people we only know through media coverage is inane. If there was a real exchange of ideas, I might be more interested. Instead of discussing why we support either candidate and the merit of their specific plans, the uninformed spend their time attacking each other and the candidates personally. I agree with 'Happlily Retired'-- you all need to get a job!

Is it just me, or is Palin hot! Kinda got the sexy Librarian look going on.

Read your liner notes! Published copyright protected music comes with a "no public performance" clause, legally defined as any public playing of the music. ASCAP and BMI collect billions when copyrighted music is played on jukeboxes, radio stations, in clubs and restaurants, even elevators. It all involves legal protection for artists who create the music. Heart has every right to tell the republican party not to use the song. They join a long list of artists that have made it clear that they want nothing to do with helping republicans get elected.

Rick mentions that the GOP should use Nugent songs, but I think they are trying to find songs that people still actually like...

Kenneth seems not to have had such a great education after all. Otherwise, he would have known it was "who", not "whom." And despite what he says about Republicans, he doesn't seem respectful at all of others ideas. I, for one, would like to know what business he has, so that I could be sure not to "put anythng" back into his business.

man lets sit back and review yes the gop is that stupid shes scary

Ah, the poor wilsons! Poor, poor Heart! Pity, pity.

But Heart is paid every time the song played. And since it is an old song and not played very often Heart hasn't been getting much money for it.

So with a bit of hoopla about not wanting it played, I bet the song is really played a lot now.

Great for me and others, we love the song and it is good to hear it again. Maybe Heart will tour a bit now too.

Most campaigns pay ascap, sesac, and bmi license fees for this very reason--if you own a license you can play any licensed song you want.,whenever you want, for whatever reason you want. Amazing the liberals want freedom of speech, and do whatever they want, whenever they want, to whomever they want, unless a whiny famous celeb says no.

We GOP'ers can't help it if just about every musician and Hollywood celeb is a major liberal, although, them being behind the liberal dems didn't help Gore or Kerry win, and it won't help Obama either. Who cares what they think, play on Sarah!!

As an Alaskan who did not vote for Sarah Palin for governor, and is a registered Undeclared with liberal leanings, I have to say a lot of you rabid Democrats are uninformed morons spreading a pack of half-lies about her.

She is not Pentecostal, she is a Catholic. Pretty damned big difference there.

She did not fire a police officer. Before she was governor she submitted a complaint about a state trooper who was going through a messy divorce with her sister. This abusive scumbag of a man tasered his 10 year old stepson for fun, shot a moose illegally, and was caught drinking and driving, among other nasty things. She never asked for his firing while governor, and he is still a state trooper.

She did not fire a librarian for refusing to censor books. She asked the librarian to resign as a general house-clearing when she took office, along with several other city officials who were appointed by the previous mayor. It was a standard move for a new administration. She asked the librarian a general rhetorical question about how she felt about removing books from the library if asked. The librarian was never actually asked to remove anything.

Her husband is not a redneck. He's part native Alaskan and a very sweet man who loves his kids. He was not parading his "tired baby" like a campaign button, he was carrying him because they seldom leave their kids behind. Sarah Palin used to take her babies to work with her when she was a councilwoman in Wasilla.

And she is not arrogant, a snob, or an idiot. Again, I didn't vote for her and I'm not sure who I am voting for in November, but she doesn't deserve that. She's really a genuine person who wants to serve, which is why the rest of you down in the lower 48 just don't seem to get her, not yet. She's an Alaskan, and our politics are different.

Heart Who???

You're correct! Heart is a second rate band and always has been. Actually "has beens" is the perfect description. They could have played any Heart song they all sound alike anyway!

What a couple of sourpusses.

Ms. Congeniality will win without their silly song, but they'll still wish they had her looks, brains, guts and popularity. She is uber-cool!

Its awesome how all these rockers like springsteen, mellancamp and heart are protesting use of there music by the republicans. I guess the republicans are running out of playlists. Maybe they can get ricky martin or william hung..ha ha

As for me, I will never buy another Heart song again. How dare they!

This is really very silly. Artist release music to the public...the general public. As long as the user pays the royalties... It is now the public domain. This is the kinda of ..."this is my toy and you can;t have it" crap that separates us just the way the political power brokers love. It would seem tolerance is just another word we say but don't do. This breaks my Heart.

I am on the right and I have worked in the music industry and here is how it goes: if the arena or public area a performance license from one of the main licensing agencies (BMI & ASCAP), they are allowed to play any song that those agencies handle, as long as they pay the licensing fees. Next time you go to your favorite bar, somewhere near the entrance there will a sticker from one or two of these agencies. As far as having mp3's on your computer, and you didn't pay for them or the CD then you are committing copyright infringement, no matter if you play them privately or not, and if it wasn't for the Supreme Court, ripping your CD's, recording TV shows etc would be against the law.

I agree with you John #192. And for all you flaming liberals, I'm sure the Democrats got permission and paid royalties for any and all copyrighted material broadcast during their convention??!!

My family and I went to the Journey/Heart/Cheap Trick concert in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It was amazing, wonderful but....does that mean I can no longer sing those good old rock and roll songs in public? I think not! I am 100% for McCain and Palin. Has Orleans banned the use of their song "Still the One" used publicly? Free speech, 1st Amendment. I still love Heart and their music but sorry to hear their political views are clouding the use of their songs by endearing fans!
Go McCain and Palin!

I think its abundantly clear to most Americans that politicians are not asking every musician for permission to use every song at every political event. Heart is being less than gracious by their overly defensive reaction. You'd think, as two women, they'd be proud to see the first woman VP associated with one of their songs. Whatever....so much for the girl power of Heart!!!

I wish that all the stupid liberal Hollywood actors and music artists would just shut the hell up. Do they really think that the average person listens to them when they tell us who to vote for. Most of them are barely high school graduates.
By the way... Go McCain!
Obama, please just go away, you anti-American muslim piece of slime.

Now, I feel better.

Every time I read liberal nonsense it reminds of the most accurate quote I've heard:

If you are young and not liberal, you have no heart. If you are old and still liberal, you have no brain.

Watching you loons continually re-elect a drunken, corrupt, hypocritical, manslaughterer to the Senate for 40 years says all you need to know about your level of intelligence.

Picking a candidate that is barely qualified to be a school principal while as your presidential candidate while mocking Palin is priceless.

Hope is not a strategy!

Biden does not represent change!

Failing to admit when you were obviously wrong (hate to tell you but the surge worked) does not make you a "new kind of candidate"

Addressing the UN Security council to change Russia'a aggression is not a good idea, Obama, since they have a veto

Suing citizens to stop them from writing about you using your own words Obama is Stalinist behavior - oh that's right, the left admires Stalin. Sorry on that one

You libs support judges who let child rapists go free (Vermont )And not encouraging your pregnant daughter to kill her unborn child as a Dem would do is praiseworthy, not worthy of ridicule.

Finally, overtaxing people who create wealth to give it to people who don't is not an economic policy. Its called soicalism

I'm pretty sure that all arenas, venues, bars, etc pay BMG dues for the right to play copyrighted music while hosting events. Cover bands also pay these dues to different associations including BMG for the rights to play copyrighted music. If I were the McCain / Palin campaign I would ignore the "request" as long as all dues were paid by the hosting arena or the RNC. Perhaps people should do a little research prior to posting uninformed comments.

I think Heart should be grateful that anyone at all is playing there song.

If the RNC paid the royalty rights, then they can use the music without permission of the artist, because the artists are paid. Just because they may not believe in the cause of the Republicans, does not mean that the Republicans can't use the music.
Liberals would like you to believe that they can say anything they like about a Republican candidate, but heaven forbid anyone question a liberal. Look at good old Oprah, she has Obama on her show, then endorses him, but won't have Vice President Palin on her show. Shows you which way the artists and media lean. Maybe if the media, movie stars, music industry and talk show hosts would pay attention instead of spewing hate, they would see that the McCain/Palin ticket is the best thing to ever happen to this country. people like heart and bruce "no tone" springsteen need to retire anyway, they suck.

Ann and Nancy,

Heart is lucky ANYONE is willing to still play your music.

Funny how people pick on Palin's lack of "experience" when Obama has no more than she.

Artists are ridiculous. They get more and more dopey and vicious as time rolls on.

I went to a Kathy Griffin concert last night and she was mostly funny,and slightly intolerant.

She spent the first 10 minutes hammering Mccain and Palin, and even called Palin's newborn son a "tard" which I guess means developmentally disabled children are evil if their parents are republicans.

If I was Mccain I'd tell them to stick it and find a group who would appreciate their music being played.

Actually, a Barracuda is "any of several voracious pikelike marine fishes"

Typical that the first person who posted was an ignorant leftie comparing Sarah Palin to Britney Spears, and yet she did not know who really said that the medium is the message and thought that a 3rd rate poet was the author. What a joke these lefties are. And they are scared silly by Sarah Palin.

i am a professional recording engineer and it is NOT legal to play songs in a public forum without permission! its really very simple...if you didn't pay to use it you cant!!!!!! one must think of the music as a product, same as a hammer or electric drill or any other item that one must purchase to use! I'm sure the microphone used at the convention was paid for and not stolen, i imagine the podium was also not stolen.

a sports bar that has cable tv for their patrons to watch, must and does pay a fee.
a music club that has cover bands, must and does pay a similar fee.

they way some of these comments read I should be allowed to buy my favorite cd then play it in my backyard and charge people to hear it because i bought the cd....that makes no sense and a first year pre law student at a community collage could tell you that!

Imagine how you would feel if someone used your product or service without paying. think about it people.....

What if a scene from a movie was used....should that be free as well?

Dem or Repub or Indy, it really does not matter.....

It shows the disregard for the law that pretty much all politicians display. this whole ordeal leaves me feeling as if these people think they are above the law. If a person cannot respect simple copyright laws what other laws will said person ignore?

Miriam (#228) is correct!

I am a rockin Republican and am now going to think very low of Heart. To- bad. Obama is the anti-christ and he is a clown with his wart nose. He won't win anyway. He is a lying fool. People who follow him are stupid sheep. Most americans are smarter than that, the polls are always wrong, just like with Kerry, Gore, Bush, Reagan and others. People vote different in the booth than what they admit. Thank God they do!

Why is it that only the Republicans get heat for using various songs at their convention? I remember when President Bush was forbidden from using Tom Petty's "I won't back down" during the 2000 or 2004 convention. I almost never hear a music group asking the Democrats not to use a song.

If these bands make royalties, why do they care that it's used? It doesn't necessarily mean that any of the band members agree with Sarah on the issues. Heck, the band members might not even agree with each other on political issues.

Barracuda probably doesn't get much play other than on classic radio stations. If someone wanted to take a hit that I wrote back in 1977 I would be ecstatic that it would be getting new life and I would be getting rich on it. Even if I didn't necessarily agree with the views of the person using it.

People need to chill out and use their head. We can all agree to disagree on some issues and let fate choose the course we pursue. People are bound to their views to an unhealthy degree these days.

So pathetic.

Heart needs to be compensated as they would by a radio station.

Dems need to quit saying that they are the party of tolerance instead of showing that they are the party of intolerance that can not stand to see the minority (any minority) rise above where it is thought they should be.

Repubs need to stand on their strengths and pass the word that, if you're unable to stay above name-calling quit posting.

And all of you need to stop acting like the internet is made for 3rd grade antics and pity-parties.

The comments stopped at 4:42. You all put in a good hard days work I see.

Heart represents classic rock, and are distinctive artists because such searing guitar rifts were formerly a mostly-male endeavor. The band is talented.
Copyright laws aside, intellectual property is the real issue here. I can understand the band's reluctance to be associated with Republican party ideals, and the extreme Conservatism of Palin.
Yes.....a few of you have mentioned that us bleeding heart types are fearful and scared. Of course I am! After the theft of the last election, I am shaking in my boots at the thought of losing so many things we have struggled for, particularly as women! Reproductive freedoms tops my list; Supreme Court appointments influence our futures for generations to come.
I am definitely purchasing my tickets to see Heart/ Journey/ Cheap Trick in the great state of Washington in a couple of weeks! Rock on, ladies, and GO OBAMA/BIDEN!

You know that if the Dems were using their song they'd have no problem with it. This has nothing to do with copyright infringement and everything to do with their liberal views.

It's neither illegal nor unethical to use Heart's or any other song at the convention. It would be if they recorded it for commercial purposes. I'm sure that the RNC paid for the CD, and Heart got their royalties from the sale. That's the only permission the RNC needs. Just like I don't need Heart's permission to play their records during parties I give for my (mostly) conservative friends. As long as I don't make money off of it, it's legal.

It's amazing how many people can spend so much time typing things such drivel about things they know nothing about.

In my opinion Governor Palin is not ready to be VP, but the level to which many of you brain dead idiots go to slander a person you nothing about, only shows your lack of knowledge and of upbringing. Or, are you are just shills for the democrats?

Heart...I used to be a fan, but no more. As a matter of fact, just reading through these 200+ comments has made me realize that I should probably throw out all the rock music of my youth and purchase no more! I actually feel like I have been disloyal to my conservative stance by supporting the liberal left by purchasing their music. (btw, I will keep Ted Nugent!) That aside, I really do wish candidates would just talk about the issues and not be bashing one another. I had high hopes for Sarah Palin that she would be the one to take the high road, but alas, she did a bit of bashing herself. Still, I believe she will be an excellent vice president when McCain wins the presidency! Go McCain/Palin!!

Heart, you're coming off like little spoiled brats... you should be happy that you're getting any sort of national attention at all. That's the difference between conservatives and liberals. Liberals are like little spoiled brats, "I don't like you, so you can't use my music". This is the second instance where I've heard a liberal music act tell a conservative to stop using their song. You'd never catch a conservative singer/group telling the Democrats to stop playing their song.

And as far as you nit-wits on this blog picking on Sarah Palin, you need to brush up on the phrase "don't throw stones when you live in glass houses". You're criticizing her for not having any experience as the VP when your presidential candidates big claim to fame is that he's ran a presidential campaign. Besides, if she was Obama's VP selection, you'd be slurping her up. Turns out your party's big female stand out is an old crow, and your presidential candidate reminds people more of Steve Urkel rather than the leader of the free world. All of your personal attacks on Sarah Palin expose not only your infantile approach to politics, but also your fear... fear that she may be exactly what the Republicans need to knock your messiah from his throne before he is even anointed.

Copyright infringement it is not....performance, in context, would apply if McCain/Palin actually sang the song.... clubs across America, as well as the high school dances I chaperone, feature songs being played by artists who did not give express permission for their music to be played. They don't mind that because it might encourage some kid to actually buy their music. This debate is pointless.

All I see from most postings is hate - no wonder the students I teach don't care about this,or any other election. The namecalling here would have been better left behind in grade school....

Also, the Constitution did not refer to conventions because they weren't around until Andrew Jackson's era....

As a person from the right, I have read numerous books and have several college degrees. My time is best spent, however, respecting the views and opinions of all people - not just those who happen to agree with mine. That is really what America is supposed to be all about - our right to believe whatever we choose. I don't apologize for my beliefs, nor do I attempt to change the beliefs of others.

This election is proving to be another example of how far we have come from the values and principles on which this great nation was founded. Should we really be discussing whether bands agree or disagee with any political candidate? Let's just talk about the issues and make our own decisions.....and respect the outcome regardless of whether our candidate wins.

Wow: I never saw so many idiots all in one place. It seems Heart and all you libs have nothing better to do than tear down the next President and Vice President of this country. Unfortunately, Obama won't be elected to continue paying your welfare checks so you can sit around and write about dumb issues, while the rest of us have to work harder to pay for your dumb asses.. Grow up, get a job, and get your head out of Obamas butt.

It's amazing to see so many people tell us who Sarah Palin is and what she is all about. You make statements as to her personality and character as if you personally know her. Based on everything we have seen on television and on the internet, almost nothing was known about her until a week ago. So I would like to know how so many people now can claim to KNOW her so well now.
I do believe that everyone deserves a chance to prove themself before they are judged. We have not had the opportunity to see how she performs on a national stage except for the other night and she actually appeared to perform brilliantly her first time out, far beyond my expectations. Have we gotten to the point in this country where we can't give someone a fair shot simply because of our own political views? We automatically judge someone just because they belong to an opposing party? We were given brains so that we could analyze & rationalize & make informed decisions...it doesn't take intellect to spout rhetoric.
Please feel free to respond, berate, attack & call me names because I choose to watch & think & consider ALL of the issues before I make my decision. Just don't expect me to actually read your responses. This is probably the one & only time I will be on this site this month. While I have found it very entertaining to read all of the postings (sadly, most of them are pure nonsense which shows the downfall of government education), I actually have a life. I have a family & own a business which I am very afraid that Barack Obama is going to try & take from me. So yes, I will study both candidates economic plans very carefully!
By the way, since when is being a barracuda a bad thing in a feminist world?

In other Irony news:

McSame promises "Change" ?!?!
24+ years in WaRshington and 90% votes approving Bush (the real anti-christ) and he promises change????
Palin promises to cut spending when she LOBBIED for $750 Million for Alaska FROM THE FEDERAL GOV'T (mind you she hates lobbiests right?), had her Gov. office remodeled twice (no reason at all or need), sold the Gov. plane at a loss of $300,000, is being taught Bush foreign policy (because she has no experience in foreign policy what so ever) by BUSH ADMIN.
Change? HAHAHA

Republicans try to strike fear in the american citizen because they FEAR "CHANGE."

The only reason McSame is toting "change" is because its Obama's message and he knows its winning.

Obama IS Change. Better change.

The only thing McSame changes is the name on the mailbox.

I wonder if the democrats received permission from the artists to play all the music they played at the DNC?

I was a fan of Heart back in the day. However, this is a 25 year old song; who cares. I wonder if Heart will give back the revenue made from all who don't share their political views. If you will, then please send me a check.

Heart must be happy if Republicans use their song. I heard also Journey 's (cover Arnel Pineda) - Don't Stop Believin' - the group did not react. Why, because they are good, better and best. This is a part of promotion. You have good music but bad attitude. We, the public, owns the music because you sold it to us. You're old - think about it!!! There are new generations now. We love John and Sarah because their name is in the Bible.... The battle now is between GOOD and EVIL!!!. John the beloved and barack hussein obama the terror!!!!!
Barack Obama is like Osama Bin Laden... a terror... In the last days - there are people who wear sheep's clothing - but when you look inside - he is a wolf... Be careful... my brothers and sisters esp. you - ann and nancy.
Pitbull who wears lipstick is better than wolves.

i guess the writers of WHO LET THE DOGS OUT and ac/dc HELLS BELLS, COULD SUE EVERY PROFESSIONAL STADIUM IN THE COUNTRY.not to mention high school pep rallies.oh, i forgot you libs do not enjoy sports in which someone has to lose. GO MCAIN/PALIN next time play MAGIC MAN.

It is an absolute shame that Americans are no longer representatives of what Americans are supposed to be. The left wants "change" yet doesn't even know what that means. They don't understand freedom, yet want the government to dictate to them how to live. You think war is a "choice," yet when we are attacked here in the US, will, again, blame the government. As Americans, we believe in choice, the right to life, and true democracy. We became a nation because a few stood up to the tyranical government that wanted to run their lives and did what they needed to do. They didn't feel that the government "owed" them or that they they should be able to feed off of others who worked hard to make money. After reading some of the ridiculous comments in this thread, it is hard to believe that I am reading the words of Americans. The good news for all of you is that there are still a pretty strong base of us who believe that life is precious, and if a woman does not want to deal with a child than she should not do anything that would create one. We believe in hard work for what we get and a government that leaves it's business out of ours. Yet we also recognize to defend what is ours. It is a shame that our nation has become one that has so many sissys and pacificists living in it. Yet we accept you, as well. Just remember, though, that the United States is not what it is because of folks that are not strong enough to support themselves and men that are weak natures and have been sissified by their mothers, we are still a nation of the Strong, and the Courageous, and we still live in the Land of the Free, home of the Brave. If you don't like that, then you need to move to another land where you can leech off of the government, and those that believe in working for a living. Men, it is time to be strong and lead, lead like our forefathers. Women, if you don't want children and you don't want the risk of becoming pregnant, than take some responsibility for you actions and don't do anything that would create a child. Pretty simple - eh?

Heart already asked them to stop playing the song before. This is the second time. Also playing the song legally means you need to licence the song from the publisher before you can play it. Royalties are required for public performance and with a national TV audience of 38 million, the royalty rate would be pretty high... I hear Heart is trying to recoup the royalties. AND in an interesting twist of fate I JUST recieved this from Roger Fisher, former guitar player from Heart whose riff is the hook in the song

"As many of you have heard, there is a controversy regarding the use of the Heart song Barracuda by the McCain/Palin campaign.

I want it to be clear that, while I think using Barracuda was a feather in the cap for the McCain/Palin campaign, I STRONGLY ENDORSE OBAMA/BIDEN, and will donate a portion of royalties received from the Rebublican Convention Broadcast playing of Barracuda to the BARACK OBAMA campaign.

It is indicative of a gross lack of discretion on the Republican Party's part to make it appear that the musicians involved with Barracuda support McCain/Palin. This is wrong and Heart deserves a public apology from the McCain/Palin campaign.

I applaud you, Ann and Nancy Wilson!

Roger Fisher"

What a bunch of pinhead democrat.

A Copyright in a song gives the author no rights regarding the use of the word or phrase that comprises the name of the song. Neither does Copyright extend to give an author rights in any word used in the lyrics of the song, i.e. "barracuda".

Think about it. 80% of the words in Webster's have been used as lyrics at one time or another. Does that mean we all infringe on those copyrights every time we use one of those words? That would be no.

Neither does Heart or anyone else on the planet hold a trademark on a noun. Suppose I were to file for marks on the nouns "nitwit", "pinhead" or "elitist". How could anyone ever describe a member of the democrat party without infringing on my mark?

Great comments, Kevin (175), WorkingMomPower (186), ISAAC (190) and other similar posters! It's time that the left-wing celebrities, baby-killers (or supporting the "rights" of others to do so), and other "described in Kevin's # 175 post" (no need to reinvent the wheel) liberal riff-raff learn that they are NOT RUNNING THINGS.

Dave (313), great one from you too. Thanks!

Also, I find it VERY interesting that Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin (perhaps she more than he) are immensely popular with the population in general, but vehemently opposed in circles where the aforementioned "riff-raff" appear in disproportionately high numbers.

Against WHOM are defenses set up, attacks planned and carried out, etc.? That's right -- genuine threats. Could it be that, backed into a corner and with nowhere to go, and knowing that their time is up, those who are so rabidly opposed to Gov. Palin are striking out, knowing well (if they'd just stop and think) that the inevitable remains inevitable? Sort of like the demons freaking out in the presence of Christ, as if they'd somehow derail His mission.

I've been eyeing Gov. Palin as the hoped-for VP nominee for MONTHS now, and was pleasantly surprised she made it. I'm looking forward to voting for her like no one's business -- AND I know, or know of, registered DEMOCRATS who plan on doing the same.

Gov. Palin, please (not that you'd, as I've just, waste time on these blogs) . . . don't change a thing. Continue to be yourself. Many Americans have been waiting for you to come to the scene and love you and can't wait for you to be our Vice President!

The use of a song by a campaign is NOT illegal. Heart has ASKED the McCain campaign to not use the song, which, as the authors,is well within their rights. Personally, I think the request is silly. I know that in this ridiculous, foolish and ultimately dangerous climate of partisan insanity that everything and anything will be employed by both campaigns to try and destroy each other, but the use of a song to refer to a nickname a candidate had in high school is a minor thing. It really is. No one will confuse Heart for the Republican house band.

As a former Dem, it is easy for my former party to get out of taking responsibility for anything because they want the Government to control everything then for example they can abort a child because after all it is legal, the government says so. That's easier than taking responsibility for their actions. Why are people not doing well financially and losing their houses, it couldn't be because they didn't manage their finances responsibly. It's the governments fault. As stated I am no longer a Dem but I am also a long way from a Repub. I look at this election as having two choices; one of complete and total socialism with Obama or a man who based on 20+ years has been pretty much right down the middle irritating his Repub counterparts but to conservative to be a Dem. So, there is really no choice here for me. It seems pretty easy, but I am one who takes responsibility for my own actions. As for Palin, it seems the more that people moan the more obvious the envy becomes. I especially have heard this from women. They like making comments about her looks in references like "Barbie" and then get all fired up over abortion and womens rights. It seems contradictory. Now I am going to reveal some personal information that changed my life. I was in a relationship where my girlfriend became pregnant and she did not want the child. I did. Her body, but our child. Of course she won "because it was her body" and the baby and I lost. Liberals always have a way to justify abortion and all the candidates say it's a womens choice and they have to live with their decision. Not really! I have to live with someone else's decision. Furthermore, I don't even look at it from the religious aspect as the right wing christian fundamentalist do. I look at it from this point, our child had a beating heart until she and a doctor stopped it. Can anyone screaming about abortion rights tell me that is what the baby wanted? No! If that is not murder then I don't know what is! But again since some of us don't like to take responsibility for our actions we don't call it murder, the PC term is terminate.

I can't stand stupid musicians, maybe the crowds like to hear your music, what in the hell do you make music for?!?!?!

Can you be more pathetic..."don't use my songs!!!". ..We wrote it only for liberals to enoy. Can things get anymore ghey in America....The answer is YES!!!

As a music producer I'm truely embarresd!

It's out of control here!!!

Amazing!! Amazing how ridiculous some people and celebrities are. I for one am not surprised by the hate and vitriol spewed by some here( on both sides). I agreed with several posters and disagreed with just as many, however I think that some people are so misguided, like post #126 by WB. The first sentence:
"If McCain is going to be the man to make laws why is his campaign breaking copyright ones." Why is it that a lot of people think that the president can control everything? He or she cannot!! Congress makes laws, presidents(or executives if u like) enforce them. As for post #144 by flems, I don't even know where to start, maybe your childhood? How did you become so filled with hate for people you don't even know? And judging by your rants I'd be willing to bet that you think that 9-11 was conspired by and carried out by our government too, huh?

Wow, this little matter is generating tons of comments.

It's a little ironic that there's a property rights issue, and the convention was to using copyrighted material without permission. Not being an IP lawyer, I can't state whether what the letter of the law is, but public use broadcasting any copyrighted content generally requires a public/commercial use license, not just a copy of the book, CD or video you want to use. Had they asked to buy usage rights in advance they might have gotten it, instead they wanted to use it without paying. Or as we tell our kids, don't take anything that doesn't belong to you.

It's not widely known, but any use of copyrighted music in a commercial venue requires permission of the copyright owner. Supposedly, the Republicans understand and protect property rights better than the Democrats, but they seem to have made an exception here.
20 years ago it was not widely enforced, but it is now. For example, if you own a gym, you can't bring in your own CDs and play them as background music at the gym. Not kidding, I've discussed the issue with health club managers who've been visited by music industry (EMI, I think) lawyers. To use music commercially you need to buy a commercial use license or get permission from whatever entity owns the commercial use rights - such as Sony or BMI, but possibly the band that created it.
Kids and some adults think music is free, since you can download and share it without getting caught, but it's just like a patented invention or software. You can't legally buy, say, an iPod and make a second exact duplicate of it - it's a patented product. With software or music the chance of getting hauled into court over it is nearly zero for an indvidual, but then again bicycle thieves get the same outcome. This doesn't mean it's not immoral to steal bicycles.
Selling the rights are how musicians get paid. If nobody pays those royalties, small to medium bands will go out of business and not be replaced. Just because it's easy to take the product without paying doesn't make it legal or right.

I'm sure one can find similar issues with any political party. I do think its always worth pointing out hypocrisy; whether its Democrats driving Escalades or Republicans parking on someone's lawn. Both of these parties have enough consultants that such contradictions could be pointed out even if they're too accustomed to blowing smoke to smell their own. When they don't even bother keeping the appearance of the values they claim to hold, you have to wonder about the substance.

Republicans enjoy kicking the cat when no one is watching and then they will kick the cat again in plain view and will deny it ever happened. These thugs have no shame. The RNP is an evil group who is having a party in your face.

- Heart-up!

Heart wrote their songs for the public to enjoy and were paid well and received much fame. I wonder how it would affect Heart if all the Republican's quit listening to their music.

Dave Kominsky is a god! Out of all of the nonsense posted here, somebody, finally, speaks The Truth........

The GOP should pilfer more carefully. At the RNC they put up a picture of Walter Reed High School in CA when they intended to use an image of Walter Reed Army Hospital. (And they want us to give them the keys to the government - Not this time!). They also used the HEART music without permission (typical stealing types - no way, no how, no McCain). They also stole the mantra of Change (which doesn't fit them, since they are "conservatives" who dislike change). So what we got was just nonsense talk from them, interspersed with pilfered material. Great going, GOP. Your true colors are showing.

Regarding the use of "Barracuda" in a Honda commercial, there is a huge difference between being paid a fee that you’ve negotiated in advance to endorse a very general consumer product, and being surprised to find that your property (yes, music is legally considered the intellectual property of those that created and/or own it), is being used to promote an ideology that you do not believe in. Although it does seem that many Republicans have a hard time telling the difference between ideology and profit.

Did you notice on this blog, that all the Liberals responded to this article early, and all the conservatives responded late. There's a reason for that... it's because while us conservatives were at work earning a living, you liberals were sitting at home with nothing else better to do than spew your rhetoric on the internet.

If and when you do finally get jobs, you'll see how much Barry wants to take out of your paycheck, and then you turn into republicans. GET A JOB, START CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIETY, AND STOP RELYING ON THE GOVERNMENT FOR EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE. Truth is, a lot of democrats get by because of the government, while republicans get by in spite of the government.

Ronald Reagan once said, "Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the democrats believe every day is April 15." Those of you who actually pay taxes will get that.

You are so wrong Scott - get your legal facts straight. I am an artist and when I used to do art fairs, I wasn't even allowed to play music in my booth without paying royalties and getting permission and art galleries can't do it either. And, don't tell me it's because the politicians aren't trying to sell something - both parties use the conventions to raise money! And, no, I don't download MP3 songs free - I pay for them since the freebees put me at great risk for viruses, in addition to ripping off other artists which I don't do - I don't want my work ripped off for free - it's how I make my living.

Posted by Scott: Typical Liberal garbage. "Using someone's music without permission is not allowed." They are not broadcasting the song over the airwaves on TV or radio commercials. They are playing it in a arena. Last time I checked, once you buy a CD you can play it on your stereo where you want. It isn't like Liza Minelli can tell the Yankees that she doesn't want them playing her version of New York, New York after Yankee losses because it's insulting to her. Once you release the song, a person that buys the song can use it for their own enjoyment as long as it doesn't violate copyright laws. And playing it in the arena isn't prohibited by any copyright laws!

You

Hmmm 30 million in sales, still touring, successful scoring career and probably getting into the the hall of fame this year....yep they're total failures. Can you blame them for not wanting that Peg Hill clone to use their song? The last thing we need is another Jesus freak being this close to the presidency. C'mon people she reads good teleprompter and thats about it...do we really want another dumb ass in the oval office? 5 colleges in six years?! Lets shoot for something different, maybe someone who is smarter then the people who post on this board. I know all the republicans like to throw the "elitist" word around but the last thing we need is another president who you can run into at your local bar. Lets aim for something higher. And all you republicans who voted for Bush twice should have your voters card taken away. What a bunch of dumb asses!

Well, I was headed to iTunes to buy the song. Sorry Wilson Sister's, you just lost my money. I'll be glad to post on my blog your disdain so no one else helps to fund this "misuse" of your song.

Sincerely,
Another American Woman

Conventions are just pep rallies for people who already think/feel/believe a certain way. The conventions on both sides seem to be partisan platforms for spouting rhetoric that encourages and "confirms" that the way the dems and reps already feel is valid and common. It reminds me of high school social stuctures where the kids on the fringe of the inner circle go along with everything the popular kids say and do because they are insecure and unable or unwilling to think for themselves. The candidates and their advisors are counting on us to be unable or unwilling to think for ourselves beyond a certain point. The bottom line is that both candidates seem to be sincere in their beliefs but it's our job to cut through the bull**** to try and determine any hidden agendas and to unbiasedly evaluate qualifications, character and history. Look at thier resumes. Do some homework and vote for the team that not only represents our ideals but one that will be the best choice for the country on all fronts. Read the arguments of both sides. Both sides have valid beliefs and are guilty of being unwilling to consider the validity of other views. Both sides are naive to a degree. Unfortunately we only have two choices of "popular kids"; the great flaw in our system. Choose well.

To all of you uninformed people who think that anyone can play any piece of music anywhere, and don't understand that when a sporting event plays "Who Let the Dogs Out?" or "We Are the Champions" they can do so because they have asked for permission and are paying a fee for that usage to a performing rights society, all public usage of any copyrighted music must be paid for, even if it is not used specifically "for profit". If a bar or restaurant has a juke box or hires bands who do other peoples' material, they pay a licensing fee to ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC for that privilege. This is part of the way musicians earn a living. When a radio station plays a song, money goes to the writers, and soon will go to the artists.
For those of you who think Heart is washed up and "Barracuda" is an old song that doesn't matter any more, they are on a tour of large arenas this summer with Journey and Cheap Trick, and as far as I know, tickets are selling well, proving that once a group has a string of radio hits, people will be interested forever.

SO WHEN IS HEART GOING TO THANK THE GOP FOR ALL OF THE $$$ FROM THE RECENT SURGE OF INTEREST IN THE SONG????? ONCE YOU MADE IT AND OFFERED IT FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC IT'S FAIR GAME GIRLS!!!! mAYBE I GAVE THEM MY COPY TO PLAY...I PAID FOR IT , I CAN PLAY IT ANYWHERE I WANT ONCE I OWN THE COPY OF THE SONG. IT JUST SO HAPPEN I CHOOSE TO PLAY IT FOR MILLIONS TO HEAR. FRANKLY IT'LL B4E THE LAST TIME TOO!

SARAH PALIN IS A TRUE TESTIMONY TO A WOMEN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE. AHE CHOSE TO HAVE THAT BABY AND LOVE IT AS HER DAUGHTER HAS CHOSEN TO KEEP HERS. WHAT IN THE HECK ARE YOU LEFT WINGERS THINKING. I AM PROUD THAT MCCAIN HAS THE FORSIGHT TO INTRODUCE THE USA TO A TRUE AMERICAN LIKE HIMSELF THAT STAND UP FOR THEIR BELIEFS REGARDLESS OF PARTY. BRAVO TO THE MC CAIN PALIN TICKET!!!

#96 Amen! Obama worked his way up to the Senate by getting a good education and working his way up even though he was raised by a single mom and his grandparents. He did not have the advantages many others in politics have had, and yet he has done very well for himself. The republicans continue to spread hateful, false e-mails about him all over the internet. We've all seen the Muslim thing and the campaign plane nonsense and the ridiculous comments that he doesn't recite the Pledge or wear his flag pin every day. If you want the facts, check his website instead of buying into the bogus e-mails the republicans are spreading to thousands of people. Also, if you want to know what either candidate stands for, check their websites rather than reading the nonsense being spread through e-mails. One thing I find interesting is that the news media is condemning John Edwards for his affair which occurred two years ago and stating that his political career is over as a result of it, and John McCain, who has had at least two well-documented affairs, is running for president. It's okay for the republicans, but not the democrats I guess. Go figure!! Now there's a story about Mrs. Alaska Palin having an affair also. Don't know yet if it's true. Stay tuned.

Fact: Ann & Nancy Wilson are not doing this for the money. Nancy Wilson has been televised publicly many times saying "we don't need the money..we have enough of that. WE do it for the friggin' music!" The wilson sisters don't need the small amount they would receive from Palin to use their song. Don't forget Nancy is married to the director Cameron Crowe (Jerry Macguire, Almost Famous , Vanill aSky etc etc) the se women have money.
Fact: Heart is not a "washed up band". They chose a different direction after the 70s and 80s. They were tired of the headling arena tours. They wanted a simpler schedule...probably due to there being mothers. Heart still tours. As a matter of fact they have been on a sold out tour since June 2007. Their last album "JUpiter's Darling" was on every top ten list for the year from the states to europe. Washed up? Hardly. Just a lttle older and doing it on their terms now.
Fact: the song "barracuda" was written just as they have said time and time again. One night a sleeze music excect came backstage and insulted Ann by insinuating hat she and her sister were lovers. That was the hardsest thing Ann had ever heard. To have some scumbag talk about her SISTER that way. In anger and the protection of her sister Ann went back to her hotel and wrote the"scathing" barracuda.
Fact: Ann & Nancy wilson grew up on army bases. they were army brats. They have seen the life war creates for those in the services. Don't say they care nothing about this subject. That was their life!
As an artist I applaud anyone who stands up to those who feel they can just use an artists craft to gain attention for themselves without permission. This presidential campaign is world important. To not even ask just shows a lack of responsibilty and concern for the artist and their art. Barracuda in no way represents Palin. I can understand why the Wilson's don't want it used. It was a very personal song that has nothing to do with Palin or this campaign.
Fact: Roger Fisher the guitarist for Heart (at the time) and co writer of Barracuda has said he personally will take any monies from Palin for the song Barracuda and use it to support Obama. I think that's kinda funny.

"We have asked the Republican campaign publicly not to use our music,''

Someone who was legitimately concerned could have asked privately. "Publicly" just says "we are seizing this opportunity to drum up publicity for our washed-up band."

Posted by Zitface September 5, 08 07:28 AM

RIGHT ON!!!!!!!!!!!

"If the real thing don't do the trick, you better make up something quick" - sounds very much like the lies told about Palin..."the baby isn't really hers, it's her daughters and they are covering it up" -- so yes I would agree with the sentiment that the song is appropriate and the media and left wing websites are where things are being "made up quick."
Let's see - a woman who has achieved much beyond her years and Heart is upset. It seems they are in the bag for Obama. I am very disappointed.

Way to go Ann & Nancy! When I heard the song being played at the RePUKElicans convention, I did not believe that you had allowed them to use the song for this offensive, not-ready-for-prime time backwoods hick of a politician, and John McBush.

Right now I am going to Itunes to buy the Heart's Greatest Hits (they call it 'Classic Rock' for a reason).

The Wilson sisters need to remember that the song was played over the loud speaker at a party. One of the biggest of the year. They bought the CD/MP3, they can play it. They also need to remember that Palin and her husband are MY age and that is the kind of music us cuspers listen(ed) to.

However, if we must, then lets keep all the low IQ singers and actors out of the political elections completely. Except for Arnold of course.

I've been a fan of Heart for a long time. It's too bad that their political views are so distorted. Websters definition of a MENTOR is "a wise and trusted counselor or teacher" Who is Barrak Obamas mentor....Jeremiah Wright a RACIST!

The issue here is pretty simple. Ann and Nancy don't support Sarah Palin and they don't want their artwork (yes a rock song is artwork) used to represent her. Obviously it's not about royalties and getting paid, it's about their personal beliefs. They are just using the copyright laws already in place to keep control of THEIR music. And this is not the first time this has happened as clearly stated in previous posts. As for the comparisons between this example and someone blaring the song at a party or playing it at a sporting event, I think we can all see that there is a difference between casual use and use in a presidential campaign. That being said, all the mudflinging in these posts is truly disgusting. I'm a genetics major; I'm not the most politically savvy person ever. But I think it should be obvious to everyone that politicians (whether war heroes or lawyers) are all pretty much out for themselves no matter how much they talk about loving America in their campaign speeches.So all of you get off your high horse and stop critisizing the candidates personal lives because what's really important is who has the right goals and the ability to achieve them. You people need to realize that "the enemy" is not the other party, it is the stupid people that belong to both. Those are the people "ruining our country." So stop blaming other people for screwing things up for you and then bitching about it in a blog, and take some responsibility for yourself. The truly funny posts are the ones that make fun of all the other posters for wasting their time on this stupid article when they obviously took the time to read the article and the comments on it themselves. THAT, my friends, is hypocrisy.

And as for Heart being washed up and ruining their chances of a reunion tour, you people clearly missed the fact that they are on tour right now with Journey and Cheap Trick. Their careers are much more alive than many other performers from the 70s. And whether you like Barracuda or not, they are incredibly talented musicians. Go watch a youtube video, Ann is still a powerhouse. Amazing. And if you've never heard of Heart, that is more a product of your own ignorance than an indication of their merits.

Enjoy your bitchfest.

Why are so many rockers brainwashed by Democrat politics? These folks need to listen to their intellectual superior Ted Nugent and get away from their lemming-like adherence to liberalism.

I think the song suits Palin.

"If the real thing dont do the trick
You better make up something quick
You gonna burn burn burn burn it to the wick
Ooooooh, barracuda"

The Republican Party has been blatantly disrespecting the copyrights of musicians. I was disappointed that the Wilsons didn't serve McCain-Palin up with a lawsuit. The next progressive artist should sue the hell out of McCain-Palin and ALL 50 state Republican parties.

The GOP is nothing but misogynistic trash. They have trashed what was a proud party 44 years ago with their woman-hating agenda. Sarah Palin may be a woman, but she is not an ally to women. Not even close.

Anybody who votes for McCain-Palin just because she is on the ticket is a misogynist themselves. And both of them, just like every other Republican in the nation has been busy trying to get books banned because the books don't reflect the cons' Stone Age views. The Republican Party is the most anti-American party I've come to know in my short 24 years on this Earth. They love to talk about how they love their country, but every thing they have done have proven otherwise. Obama is a true partiot. He won't try to ban books just because they don't measure up to his views. He'll make sure that everyone can do anything they please without the fear of being arrested just for dissenting his and Biden's admin. I would rather vote for a oyster before I vote for a Republican.

Hey Heart, your band sucked in the 70's, sucks today and will forever suck. Picking a fight with the RNC is not going to help. The fact that anyone would play their crappy music in public is beyond me. Sara Palin can pick another song and go about her merry way, Heart will always suck. Zander, that's a lot of info on Heart. Get some help.

Heart needs to keep in mind that many of their fans are conservatives.

To: Suzy from Mississippi #155:

What bible are you reading? You sound like the mother on the movie "Carrie"...an over-zealous, extreme right-wing, don't know what the he#@ she is reading, overly religious and rightous NUT...for it surely isn't the bible most americans read. Please take your idiotic, republican scare-tactics shrill and throw it in the trash. YOU NEED JESUS! No, I mean REALLY need JESUS. I guess you even think your a christian too right? With all the ignorance, venom and hatred coming from your comments, you need to close yourself up in a monastery and REALLY read and get a good grasp of what the bible is really saying. PLEASE people...sit down and shut up if you don't know what you are talking about. So many Americans have "dumbed-down" since the Republicans ran our country in the ground that it is down-right scary. What is it going to take for you all to see what the Republicans have done to our country...are you that DUMB? Oh, maybe you haven't lost your job, or had to foreclose on your house, or have no problem with high gas prices, etc. Talk to a preacher so he can help you understand 'revelations' GOD HELP US ALL!!!

Zander (post #355) is right on the money.

Good for the Wilson sisters!!!!!

Well, so much for the party of tolerance again. Of course the Republican Party paid the royalties to play the song as they should. Heart also has the right to object to the use of their song. However, in doing so, they have had a sort of "coming out" as part of the Hollywood Liberal Elite. They have sent a cease and desist order to the McCain campaign because they are offended that a Republican candidate played their song. Not a problem for me. That's the wonderful thing about our country. Groups like Heart can spew forth any biased, opinionated, intolerant or spiteful words they want. People like myself, likewise, have the right not to listen to, purchase or buy anything connected to Heart if I'm offended. And it's Americans in uniform that allow us to be both safe and petty.

HEART has the RIGHT to stop REPS' usage of their song and can even sue them reps for using the song without permission!!! You reps who make fun of Obama just because Heart has stopped u from using that song ...WHAT type of BRAINS do u really have???? Voting a bunch of liars who boast of "experience" ? what where when and how??? Just because u go to PTA meetings makes u a good mother??? Now tell me what kind of good governor mother wife is a woman who makes a nanny out of her husband, and what kind of husband makes his wife work and earn the bread and has an luxurious hobby using his wife's hard earned money???? """PALIN and MCCain have no ORIGINALITY using the "change" slogan !!! Wanna know why ? BECAUSE they are too damn dumb to think up their own slogan!!! DUMMIES!!!

I think the definition from M-W says it all - especially the secondary one:
1 : any of a genus (Sphyraena of the family Sphyraenidae) of elongate predaceous often large bony fishes of warm seas that includes food and sport fishes as well as some forms frequently causing ciguatera poisoning
2 : one that uses aggressive, selfish, and sometimes unethical methods to obtain a goal especially in business

...and they are proud of her for being that? - need more be said?

I think heart is being ridiculously childish, its life deal with it. Whats the difference if a stripper dances to your song or if Sara makes her appearance somewhere with it at least she has her clothes on. Shut up Heart I used to like you.

Wow, Liberals are funny. Who the heck is Heart anyway? From the look of their picture it must be some kind of second rate female impersonator act. I guess when you are losing an election that was supossed to be a lay-up you get a little testy.

Hey Obama do like the female impersonator band, Heart?
BHO: Ummm....Present.

It's funny to read so many claim the McCain camp is using these songs without permission...

The permission is in the blanket license they apparently have... and pay for.

Heart has absolutely no grounds to force the RNC to not play the song... Unless the song is being used to promote the candidate... and in this case, it's really not...

#229, T Booker....Learn the meaning of what a "run on sentence" is. Also, you might want to look into some grammar classes before trying to post an "educated" response. If you're going to ridicule someone for not "finishing school" you might want to at least write as though you did. Or did you?
Everything isn't necessarily about race just because people don't agree with Obama's point of views. I don't believe in murdering babies and he thinks that's ok. It's a moral issue, not a race issue.

I get frightened more and more with every day that I continue living in this country. I read the comments posted on all of these websites and cringe. Heart, though in no way my favorite band, has every right to not have their song associated with people and beliefs they are against and I'm glad they stood up to the GOP. Too many bands and Americans in general have been scared into quietude and submission by the fear mongering tactics of the Bush/Cheney/Rove administration. Look at what happened to the Dixie Chicks- another band I don't care for musically, but was proud of for not being scared to voice their opinion in an America overrun by fanatics.
Personally, I don't like either candidate and was extremely disappointed with the Democratic party for letting the media so easily sway them with the Clinton/Obama show. There were other worthy people running as well that we never got to hear a word from because it wasn't as good of a story.
I am beyond sick of the 2 party system. I had hoped that one day we could get out of this rut but when I see comments posted like those by "Suzy from Mississippi" or the inanity of posts by someone willingly calling themselves "zitface", I realize that we will never get out of this until the common people get a clue and I can tell that that is not going to happen any time soon.
I'm sad and in fear of what will happen to this country that I love, that I was born and raised in. Neither McCain nor Obama are going to do anything good for US. They are after all politicians; by their very nature they are in it for themselves. Hopefully, once the average American realizes that it won't be too late to take the country back for WE THE PEOPLE!

To Dcart # 367
You my friend are the one that needs to read your BIBLE. And please re-read my first response. There is in no way hatred toward anyone. For your information I HAVE LOST MY JOB, MY HOME OF 11 YEARS WAS FORECLOSED ON, AND I DO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE HIGH GAS PROBLEMS. You need to SHUT YOUR MOUTH and SIT DOWN. You obviously don't know what you are talking about.
Furthermore, I Pray for YOU and everyone in the USA. including my family. I am not a OVERLY RELIGIOUS PERSON OR A RIGHTEOUS NUT.
I DO HOWEVER BELIEVE IN GOD. I do not attend church as often as I should- APPARENTLY YOU DON'T EITHER..........I am not going to the level you chose of cursing.
My opinions about Obama is just. Read his book. He does not like "WHITE PEOPLE". Nor does his wife...... What do you think will happen to white people in America with a president who does not like whites?
I also have several colored friends, that are ironically for McCain.....
I also have several cousins married to colored spouses with children. I love all of them. They are all precious regardless of race...So don't go there!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isn't the bottom line the fact that the people who created the lyrics, the music, and the performance -- and hold the copyright -- have prohibited its use for promoting a candidate (or if it were a product, it would be the same thing) that they do not endorse. They have that right. So, regardless of the party I support, or you support...the artist has the right to regulate how their art is used. They don't want this amazing song used to promote a critically under-experienced, ego-centric, political-ploy of a candidate. I agree with them.

I'm really enjoying this! Heart's tantrum, plus the reaction from the other left wing waccos in this thread, exposes one of the many liberal myths.....that you support women's rights. What a bunch of bull! What you really support is your narrow view of what a women should be.......and you won't tolerate someone that doesn't fit your mold. If she doesn't think aborting her special needs child is right, or.....she doesn't dress like a man, or.....if she doesn't think it's wrong to have your son join the military, or....if she doesn't think same sex marriage is good for America, or...etc., etc, etc.......then she can't be a women. Actually.....it's just a mask for your liberalism. If you you really supported women's rights you'd be excited that Palin has the opportunity to make history. Instead, you implode and start spewing hate and you don't even know her!

Thank god (sorry....for the reference) that between the left and right coasts there are several thousand miles of flyover space called Middle America. Many of us have much different view of America and the amazing underutilized role that real women will plan in shaping the future!

PS. So much for tolerance and bringing the country together. What you really want is a compromise and do it your way. Obama/Biden are incapable of this since they live on far left wing. America is smarter than that and it's clear that you're running scared ;-)

Divided we Fail....That's how I see Heart's comments. If the shallow sisters don't like it well guess what? News Flash! This is America and one can listen to what ever we want. If you don't accept it here's the number to call 1-800-GET-A-GRIP. To the GOP and the Democrats ROCK ON!!!!!!!

Heart? Sure, I remember the name. I have a very extensive music collection and have done much listening. Guess what? I don't have any of theirs. So I went and looked at some youtubes to see if it might refresh. Nope, pretty boring stuff ... nothing special there. I used to go to a lot of clubs too, and if they played it, well I must have been tuned out. I saw a better gig at a Holiday Day Inn in Topeka once.

Wow. What small minded people you are, Heart of stone. Losers!!

There is no such thing as "unauthorized" use of pre-recorded music at a campaign rally or convention. The ONLY issue is whether the royalties are paid.

AnnieK (#361),

Well said.

How shallow can we as Americans get....We are talking about a group of so called art/music mostly re-recorded form someone else. Now all of a sudden the songs belong to them. Well they are no Lennon/McCarthy that's for darn sure. So they wrote a few hits in the 70's and after that it was all commercial music....BORING!!! So my shallow Wilson sisters....get over it....the songs being played most likely need a little more exposure which is to your favor. Some advise...take a chill pill just...it will bring you memories of the 70's.

Can anyone name the 57 states that obama has been in ?? He learned that at Harvard. he is so smart . Royalties , are not paid as you think . A restrunat if it pipes in music form a radio station needs to pay a yerly fee to ASCAP , BMI ,and SESAC . An event may have to pay a one time fee , i have not looked into that . Buy the way I never heard of this group of old women before .It does not matter they can't sing , that maybe why I never heard of them . But Sara I have heard of her .

Real truth, you are a jack ass! That is why you are a democrat. Heart has not had a hit in a long,long time. They should have thanked them they played it.

piraa yea Piraa Barry has inspired alot of New Voters even the Dead and Micky Mouse thanks to ACORN

Holy Cow! I cannot get over the "Addicted to Love" choice for Bill! Now that is genius!

Hmmmm indeed.

"Washed-up" band?

A classic "washes up," decade after decades, because its work, its art, endures and is loved. McPain / McCroak / Sarah Pain-in are washed DOWN with acid, glug-glug-glug, and pooped DOWN, like, well, poop. See ya, guys.
Thanks, Heart!

Hmmmm indeed.

"Washed-up" band?

A classic "washes up," decade after decades, because its work, its art, endures and is loved. McPain / McCroak / Sarah Pain-in are washed DOWN with acid, glug-glug-glug, and pooped DOWN, like, well, poop. See ya, guys.
Thanks, Heart!

John 2000 Kalifornia:

Do you actually play music at all? No, I think I can tell, you don't.

Virginia

As an artist singer/songwriter, I don't have any music on my C Drive that I haven't paid for. By the way, who won the election, Boss and John Whitmore?

I believe the point here is that if you don't endorse a person politically then you have a right to disassociate yourself from that person. Playing that song implies an endorsement by Heart for Sarah Palin. As a personal friend and fan of Ann and Nancy Wilson, I know that they are two intelligent women who would never want to be associated with a gun slinging, book burning, animal killing, idiot who thinks that our involvement in the war in Iraq is "God's will!" I am sure they just want to make that point perfectly clear. As to being "washed up" musicians, clearly none of you have seen them perform in the last few years. They still rock!

Very nice site!

I'm glad heart stopped them from using barracuda. they should have at least asked for their permission! besides palin is not a "barracuda"!

go obama and go heart!

Very nice site!