Barracuda!

[French G.]

Hey, another tangential Palin thread!

Heart is stupid. Seems they are mad at the Republicans for using "Barracuda" for Palin's music. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/05/mccain-palin-embrace-barracuda/

Do they really have much going on right now? They need to be good little capitalists and cut a new video featuring Palin and try to squeeze some cash out of it. But no, gotta be good little leftists.

[AZRedhawk44]

I'd be awful pissed if I wrote a classic song and some leftist commie pinko "borrowed" it for his hopechangefest.  I think I have a right to license its use with particular products, even if those products are political in nature.

I don't see anything wrong with Heart's stance, other than the fact that THEY are leftist commie pinkos out for a hopechangefest.

[French G.]

I definitely think they have a right to their intellectual? property. I think that is the right to make tons of money. But they're too busy being stupid lefties.

[280plus]

Meh, never really liked that song anyways... 

[AJ Dual]

Bruce Springsteen was P.O.'ed at the use of "Born in the USA" as a patriotic song at political conventions (GOP/Reagan mainly) and perpetually dismayed at how it's generally interpreted as being a patriotic uplifting song by most people. When you actually read the lyrics, it's anything but patriotic, the patriotic powerful refrain is supposed to be sharp contrasty irony to the rest of the lyrics.

Good. 

Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
'Til you spend half your life just covering up

[chorus:]
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

I got in a little hometown jam
And so they put a rifle in my hands
Sent me off to Vietnam
To go and kill the yellow man

[chorus]

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says "Son if it was up to me"
I go down to see the V.A. man
He said "Son don't you understand"

[chorus]

I had a buddy at Khe Sahn
Fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there, he's all gone
He had a little girl in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms

Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years down the road
Nowhere to run, ain't got nowhere to go

I'm a long gone Daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a cool rocking Daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

[MechAg94]

Does anyone actually remember all those lyrics?  They only remember the chorus.  Who cares about the rest. 

[MechAg94]

I definitely think they have a right to their intellectual? property. I think that is the right to make tons of money. But they're too busy being stupid lefties.

If they pay them for the use of it just like everyone else, do they have a right to tell them to stop?  Just curious how those rules work for that kind of property.  I guess it would be the same if they decided a particular radio station should not play their music.

[280plus]

I definitely think they have a right to their intellectual? property. I think that is the right to make tons of money. But they're too busy being stupid lefties.

If they pay them for the use of it just like everyone else, do they have a right to tell them to stop?  Just curious how those rules work for that kind of property.  I guess it would be the same if they decided a particular radio station should not play their music.

Depends, did the RNC or the convention center pay someone like ASCAP or whoever covers that tune for it's use? I think once they're out in the public domain anybody can use them as long as royalties are paid. I'm not sure if an artist can prevent the use of their material if the proper channels are followed. 

[Tallpine]

did the RNC or the convention center pay someone like ASCAP or whoever covers that tune for it's use?

Isn't it something like 7.5 cents ($0.075) per play/performance

[MillCreek]

According to an article in today's Seattle Times, the Wilson sisters (who were born, raised and live in the Seattle area), say that 'Barracuda' is a metaphor for how difficult it is for women to break into the rock music business.  'Barracuda' refers not to the fish, but to the music business itself.  This article in Slate explains that as long as licensing fees are paid, and the song is not used in an ad without their permission, Heart has little recourse:  http://www.slate.com/id/2199492/&GT1=38001

Here are the lyrics:

So this ain't the end- I saw you again - today
I had to turn my heart away
You smiled like the sun- kisses for real
And tales- it never fails!

You're lying so low in the weeds
I bet you're gonna ambush me
You'd have me down, down, down, down on my knees
Now wouldn't you, barracuda?

OH!

Back over time when we were all trying for free
You met the porpoise and me
No right, no wrong, you're selling a song- a name
Whisper game

And if the real thing don't do the trick
You better make up something quick
You gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn it to the wick
Ooooh, barracuda!

OH!

'Sell me sell you' the porpoise said
Dive down deep down, deeper than
You.. I think that you got the blues too

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

The real thing don't do the trick, no?
You better make up something quick
You gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn it to the wick
Ahh, barra- barracuda!

[Sergeant Bob]

The McCain campaign is reported to have paid all licensing and royalties for use of the song. I'm afraid Anne and Nancy are just out of luck.
I wonder why that article chose to show an older picture of them instead of this?

[280plus]

Don't blink or she'll be the next one doing jenny craig commercials, "Have you called Jenny yet?"

[Werewolf]

Way back in the mid 80's right after I got out of the Navy I spent some time at a TV station as an engineer. We had a huge room full of movies that no royalty fees need be paid when we broadcast them. Reason - copyright ran out after 25 years of so and they entered the public domain.

Is music different? Copyright Laws changed since then?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Regolith]

Way back in the mid 80's right after I got out of the Navy I spent some time at a TV station as an engineer. We had a huge room full of movies that no royalty fees need be paid when we broadcast them. Reason - copyright ran out after 25 years of so and they entered the public domain.

Is music different? Copyright Laws changed since then?

Inquiring minds want to know.

So long as the artist(s) who created the work is/are alive, the copyright remains.  After that, I believe its 75 years until it enters public domain (used to be 25; no longer, thanks to Disney).  During that time their heirs/the owners of the copyright can milk it for all its worth.

It's different for trademarks and patents. 

[Perd Hapley]

I like Heart. 

[French G.]

I knew it!





















Your fault. 

[Monkeyleg]

AJ, I remember when Ronald Reagan started talking about Springsteen's "Born in the USA" as a positive song. I'd wished there was a direct line to the White House to tell him to stop before he made a fool of himself.

I'm sure there's a way for musicians to have clauses written into their contracts that allow them to dictate where their songs can be played. Too bad for the Wilson girls if they didn't think about that.

And I'm certain that Chrissie Hines of The Pretenders goes nuts every time Rush Limbaugh has the intro music for his show.

[Stevie-Ray]

Crap what do they know? The only good song they ever did was Alone

[Uncle Bubba]

AJ, I remember when Ronald Reagan started talking about Springsteen's "Born in the USA" as a positive song. I'd wished there was a direct line to the White House to tell him to stop before he made a fool of himself.

I'm sure there's a way for musicians to have clauses written into their contracts that allow them to dictate where their songs can be played. Too bad for the Wilson girls if they didn't think about that.

And I'm certain that Chrissie Hines of The Pretenders goes nuts every time Rush Limbaugh has the intro music for his show.

Bruce Hornsby has several times expressed his dismay at Sean Hannity using part of "That's The Way It Is" as theme music for his show. Nothing Bruce can do about it, Sean paid for its use.

I read somewhere recently that Jackson Browne got his jock in a knot over some non-Leftist using one of his songs in the same way.

[280plus]

Crap what do they know? The only good song they ever did was Alone

Where's the barf amiley? 

Their first album "Annie" is the best, a friggin' classic. The second one (with Barracuda on it) wasn't bad. "Dog and Butterfly" isn't bad either. After that they went pop and began to suck bad. Just Like Billy Joel. 

[seeker_two]

When was the last time that song was played for such a large audience, esp. in a way that may stimulate people to buy/download their music and help the group earn a few cents of royalty?.....

I'm just surprised the Wilson sisters were sober enough to notice..... 

[Perd Hapley]

Bruce Hornsby has several times expressed his dismay at Sean Hannity using part of "That's The Way It Is" as theme music for his show.

I would think anyone who's ever listened to Hannity is dismayed to hear him play that song.  Some things should really, really be left in the eighties.   

[Monkeyleg]

""Dog and Butterfly" isn't bad either."

Sorry, 280plus, but that song drives me out of my mind. It could have been written in the 60's.

[wmenorr67]

""Dog and Butterfly" isn't bad either."

Sorry, 280plus, but that song drives me out of my mind. It could have been written in the 60's.

It probably was.

[280plus]

Drink a few Bacardi and Cokes, it'll sound better. 

The whole album not the tune... although I do like the tune. I think it's got some nice vocal harmonies. The girl could sing in her day.