Republicans have repeatedly been caught using the songs of artists (e.g., Jackson Browne) who don't agree with them politically. Shortly after the end of McCain's speech just now, the Heart song Barracuda was playing. The usage of the song is probably intended as a reference to the moniker "Sarah Barracuda", Sarah Palin's nickname from her days as a basketball player. Are Ann and Nancy Wilson, the core members of Heart, OK with this usage? Maybe, but I doubt it, considering their history of activism in support of Democrats and environmental causes.
Here's what Nancy Wilson had to say in a USA Today chat session in 2005 (emphasis added):
Mesa, Arizona: Dear Ann and Nancy, I appreciate your support of environmental causes thoughout the years to preserve special places on the planet. Are there any plans in the works or near future to be play concerts to benefit environmental causes? What are some of your special natural places in the outdoors? Thanks, John (JRiver on the Heart BBS)
Nancy Wilson: In the interim between the last Heart studio album and since The Road Home, we worked a lot on environmental causes. We did quite a few benefits, played for Al Gore and Hillary Clinton, and Bill Clinton as well. So we did a lot of benefits, stuff for old growth, a lot of wildlife causes. Since then we've sort of turned our focus back on the band and are pretty booked up right now. If something really great came along we'd do it, but we're fully booked for a while (unless a hotshot Democrat steps forward)
Now, I'll grant you that McCain is not the worst Republican out there on environmental issues. The use of "Barracuda" is meant to bolster Palin, though. Sarah Palin doubts whether global warming is man-made. Sarah Palin fiercely advocates drilling in ANWR.
Let me be clear: I have no direct evidence that either of the Wilsons object to the usage of their song. I'd really like to get confirmation that they approve, though. I'm sure the Republicans will continue to use the song at rallies where Palin appears, unless asked to stop.
Update: Lest there's any doubt, it appears that Ann Wilson wrote the song. I don't yet know who owns the rights, but even if the Wilsons don't own the rights, it's hard to believe that the McCain campaign would keep using the song if the Wilsons made it known that they disapprove of the usage and the whole incident got some play in the media.
Update II::
I was right. The Wilsons are not pleased. From the website TMZ.com:
Ann and Nancy Wilson are pissed at the Republican Party and have fired off a cease and desist letter to the McCain/Palin campaign.
Specifically, the Heart women are upset that the GOP has used their classic "Barracuda" as a theme song for Sarah Palin. TMZ obtained a statement from Heart's rep, who says "The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song, nor would they have been granted that permission."
I wanted to make sure that the Wilsons had been alerted, Kudos to TMZ for doing so.