I'm delighted to see a news story blending two of my current obsessions: NW music and the presidential political campaign. In today's news, Heart takes on the Republicans for copyright infringement.

Heart's 1977 song "Barracuda" has been blaring from Republican public speakers since the nomination of Sarah Palin for VP (Palin earned the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" for her viciousness on the basketball and political playing fields). Think the Repubs got permission from Heart or the band's label (Universal/Sony BMG) before using the song?

Of course not.

From the Boston Globe (emphasis mine):

Universal Music Publishing and Sony BMG have sent a cease-and-desist order to the GOP after the song was played at the convention Wednesday night.

“The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song, nor would they have been granted that permission,” the members of Heart said in a statement. “We have asked the Republican campaign publicly not to use our music. We hope our wishes are honored.”

The statement also “condemn(ed)” the use of the song at the RNC.

When the band’s wishes were ignored Thursday night, Nancy Wilson told EW.com in an e-mail: “Sarah Palin’s views and values in no way represent us as American women. 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. 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.”

Word up, Wilson sisters. Incidently, Van Halen, Boston, Jackson Browne and John Mellencamp are all similar pissed off at the Repubs for "borrowing" their songs sans permission.

I guess the Republicans are down with property rights if they involved your four seven houses. But not intellectual property rights.