Barracuda (song)
Encyclopedia
"Barracuda" is a song written and recorded by the rock band Heart
. It was released as the first single from the band's second album Little Queen
(1977).
number notable for a galloping guitar riff which has often been compared to that of Led Zeppelin
's "Achilles Last Stand
". It has been noted for its use of natural harmonics, particularly in the intro where the harmonics are bent using the tremolo arm
of the guitar.
Upon its release "Barracuda" became Heart's second top-20 hit in the U.S., peaking at number 11 on the Billboard
Hot 100
. The song has become the band's signature song
and is a staple on American classic rock radio playlists.
In 2009, it was named the 34th best hard rock song of all time by VH1
.
revealed in interviews that the song was about Heart's anger towards Mushroom Records
attempted publicity stunt involving her and her sister Nancy in a made-up lesbian affair. The song particularly focuses on Ann's rage towards a man who came up to her after a concert asking how her "lover" was. She initially thought he was talking about her boyfriend, band manager Michael Fisher. After he revealed he was talking about her sister Nancy Wilson, Ann became angry and went back to her hotel room to write the original lyrics of the song.
in reference to John McCain
's running mate, Sarah Palin
, who was known as "Sarah Barracuda" as a high school basketball star (and as "Sarracuda" after the convention, a play on her name). The Wilson sisters disapproved, as they disagreed with Palin's politics, and sent a cease-and-desist letter to John McCain's campaign, despite the McCain campaign's claim to have lawfully purchased rights to use the song.
In an appearance on a Seattle talk show, song co-writer and lead guitarist Roger Fisher announced he was thrilled with the RNC's use of the song, because it both resulted in royalties for the band and gave them an opportunity to publicly point out that he is a "staunch" supporter of Barack Obama. DeRosier, lead drummer on the recording and song co-writer, also supports the use of the song by the RNC. The McCain campaign continued to use the song, despite Nancy Wilson's statement to Entertainment Weekly
that "Sarah Palin’s views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women."
Heart (band)
Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...
. It was released as the first single from the band's second album Little Queen
Little Queen
Little Queen is the second album released by Heart. It was released in May 1977 on Portrait Records, and re-released in 2004 with two bonus tracks....
(1977).
Reception
The song is an aggressive hard rockHard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
number notable for a galloping guitar riff which has often been compared to that of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's "Achilles Last Stand
Achilles Last Stand
"Achilles Last Stand" is a song by the English rock group Led Zeppelin, featured as the opening track on their 1976 album Presence. It was written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant at Page's house in Malibu, California where they stayed for a month while Plant recovered from a serious car accident he...
". It has been noted for its use of natural harmonics, particularly in the intro where the harmonics are bent using the tremolo arm
Tremolo arm
A whammy bar, tremolo arm/bar, or vibrato arm/bar is a component of a guitar, used to add vibrato to the sound by changing the tension of the strings, typically at the bridge or tailpiece...
of the guitar.
Upon its release "Barracuda" became Heart's second top-20 hit in the U.S., peaking at number 11 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The song has become the band's signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
and is a staple on American classic rock radio playlists.
In 2009, it was named the 34th best hard rock song of all time by VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
.
Catalyst
Ann WilsonAnn Wilson
Ann Dustin Wilson is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, flute player, songwriter, and occasional guitar player of the rock band Heart.-Personal life:...
revealed in interviews that the song was about Heart's anger towards Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records (Canada)
Mushroom Records was a recording label company founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, by brothers Wink and Dick Vogel in 1974. Shelly Siegel was the label's Vice-president and creative director. Mushroom released approximately 15 LPs and 50 singles between 1974 and 1980.The Mushroom...
attempted publicity stunt involving her and her sister Nancy in a made-up lesbian affair. The song particularly focuses on Ann's rage towards a man who came up to her after a concert asking how her "lover" was. She initially thought he was talking about her boyfriend, band manager Michael Fisher. After he revealed he was talking about her sister Nancy Wilson, Ann became angry and went back to her hotel room to write the original lyrics of the song.
Chart performance
| Chart (1977) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 15 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 16 |
| Belgian Singles Chart | 24 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 29 |
| French Singles Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 8 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 37 |
| South African Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 14 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 11 |
Usage at the 2008 Republican National Convention
"Barracuda" was played at the 2008 Republican National Convention2008 Republican National Convention
The United States 2008 Republican National Convention took place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from September 1, through September 4, 2008...
in reference to John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
's running mate, Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, who was known as "Sarah Barracuda" as a high school basketball star (and as "Sarracuda" after the convention, a play on her name). The Wilson sisters disapproved, as they disagreed with Palin's politics, and sent a cease-and-desist letter to John McCain's campaign, despite the McCain campaign's claim to have lawfully purchased rights to use the song.
In an appearance on a Seattle talk show, song co-writer and lead guitarist Roger Fisher announced he was thrilled with the RNC's use of the song, because it both resulted in royalties for the band and gave them an opportunity to publicly point out that he is a "staunch" supporter of Barack Obama. DeRosier, lead drummer on the recording and song co-writer, also supports the use of the song by the RNC. The McCain campaign continued to use the song, despite Nancy Wilson's statement to Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
that "Sarah Palin’s views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women."
Covers
- The AccüsedThe AccüsedThe Accüsed is a crossover thrash band from Seattle, WA, founded in 1981. They are considered to be an important progenitor of the crossover style that bridged the gap between thrashcore and thrash metal, later influencing grindcore and some crust punk bands; as well as an influential band in the...
covered this song on their Hymns for the Deranged EP (1988). - Joal covered this song on the album Joal (1989).
- ChastainChastainThere have been several prominent current and historical figures named Chastain:* Bob Chastain is a writer on religious history* Brandi Chastain was a player on the United States Women's National Soccer Team. She won a gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and is well-known for taking off...
covered this song on their 1990 album For Those Who DareFor Those Who DareFor Those Who Dare is the fifth studio album of the American heavy metal band Chastain, released in 1990 through Leviathan Records. New members David Harbour and John Luke Hebert were part of the band that played in Leather Leone solo album Shock Waves in 1989.-Track listing:All songs by David T...
. - A cover of "Barracuda" is featured on Rasputina's 2005 live album A Radical Recital. Rasputina has played the song on tours and while opening for PrimusPrimus (band)Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
. - "Barracuda" was covered by pop, R&B and hip-hop singer Fergie for the soundtrackSoundtrackA soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
of the 20072007 in filmThis is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
animated film Shrek the ThirdShrek the ThirdShrek the Third is a 2007 American animated film, and the third film in the Shrek series. It was produced by Jeffrey Katzenberg for DreamWorks Animation, and is distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was released in U.S. theaters on May 18, 2007...
. It was released as a promo for the film. "Barracuda" is also featured in the UK & US Deluxe Edition of her album The DutchessThe DutchessThe Dutchess is the debut and only studio album by American recording artist Fergie, who is a member of The Black Eyed Peas. The album was released on September 19, 2006. As of 2008, the album has sold more than six million copies worldwide...
. - Alice in ChainsAlice in ChainsAlice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
covered this song with Gretchen WilsonGretchen WilsonGretchen Frances Wilson is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 2004 with the Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman," a number-one hit on the Billboard country charts. The song served as the lead-off single of her debut album, Here for the Party...
at the 2007 VH1 Rock HonorsVH1 Rock HonorsThe VH1 Rock Honors were an annual ceremony paying homage to bands who influenced the sound of rock music. The events began in 2006, and the final event took place in 2008. The general format of each show is for modern bands to "pay tribute" to classic greats of the rock/metal world , after which...
. - The jazz trioJazz trioThe term "piano trio" in jazz usually refers to a group comprising a pianist, a double bass player and a drummer. The pianist is usually considered the leader of these trios, and trios are usually named after their pianist...
The Bad PlusThe Bad PlusThe Bad Plus are a jazz trio from the United States, consisting of pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson, and drummer Dave King, originating from Minneapolis, MN.-History:...
played the song on their cover album For All I CareFor All I CareFor All I Care is an album by The Bad Plus with Wendy Lewis on vocals. It was released on October 20th, 2008 in Europe and on February 3rd 2009 in the U.S. This is the first Bad Plus album to include a vocalist, as well as the first to feature no original songs...
, with Wendy LewisWendy LewisWendy Lewis is a Minneapolis-based singer who worked with The Bad Plus on their first album release with vocals, For All I Care.-References:* http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111690750* http://www.thebadplus.com/people.php...
providing the vocals. - Doro PeschDoro (musician)Dorothee Pesch , popularly known as Doro Pesch or Doro, is a female rock vocalist, formerly of the German heavy metal band Warlock ....
, a German heavy metal singer, also covered this song on the album Love Me in BlackLove Me in BlackLove Me in Black is the sixth solo album of the German female hard rock singer Doro Pesch. It was released in 1998, after the dissolution of her contract with Polygram/Vertigo...
in 1998. - Allison IrahetaAllison IrahetaAllison Iraheta is an American singer from Los Angeles, California, who was the fourth place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, Iraheta won the Telemundo competition Quinceañera: Mamá Quiero Ser Artista. Following the conclusion of Idol, Iraheta was signed to a record...
performed "Barracuda" as part of her set during the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009The American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009 was a summer concert tour in the United States and Canada that featured the top 10 contestants of the eighth season of American Idol...
. She also performed it on The Tonight Show with Conan O' Brien on July 15, 2009. - Superfly and The Lemon Bats covered this song on tour in 2010.
Other commercial usage
- This song is mentioned in popular sitcom FriendsFriendsFriends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, where Chandler, Joey and Ross discuss the fact that HeartHeart (band)Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...
had split up (episode titled "The One With the Joke"). Chandler mentions "Barracuda" as being one of their greatest songs, Ross also says it's the first song he learned to play on the keyboard. - "Barracuda" is featured in the 2000 movie Charlie's AngelsCharlie's Angels (film)Charlie's Angels is a 2000 American action comedy film directed by McG, starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu as three women working for a private investigation agency...
. - "Barracuda" is featured in the May 2002 episode "Dang Ol' Love" of the TV series King of the HillKing of the HillKing of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
. - "Barracuda" can be heard playing on Silvio DanteSilvio DanteSilvio Manfred Dante, often referred to as "Sil", played by Steven Van Zandt, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is the consigliere to Tony Soprano in the Soprano crime family. Silvio has one of the lowest profiles on the show. He is usually a behind the scenes figure...
's car radio in the 2004 episode "Long Term Parking" on the HBO series The SopranosThe SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
. - In a season 2 (2004) episode of Reno 911!Reno 911!Reno 911! is an American comedy television series on Comedy Central that ran from 2003 to 2009. It is a mockumentary-style parody of law enforcement documentary shows, specifically COPS, with comic actors playing the police officers. Most of the material is improvised, using a broad outline, and...
, the cast plays "Barracuda" after kicking out a local garage bandGarage bandThe term garage band can refer to:* A band that performs garage rock* GarageBand, audio production software published by Apple Inc.* GarageBand.com, a website that helps publicize emerging bands...
for being too noisy and "playing crappy music." - "Barracuda" is featured in the 2004 Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
video game on the K-DST radio station. - The song was played in the 2005 movie Roll BounceRoll BounceRoll Bounce is a 2005 American comedy-drama film written by Norman Vance Jr. and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. The film stars hip hop artist Bow Wow as the leader of a roller skating crew in 1970s Chicago. The film also stars Nick Cannon, Meagan Good, Brandon T...
. - "Barracuda" is played at the bar on the alien spaceship in the 2006 video game PreyPrey (video game)Prey is a first-person shooter video game developed by Human Head Studios , and published by 2K Games. The Xbox 360 version was ported by Venom Games. The game was initially released in North America and Europe on 11 July 2006...
. You can also listen to the song on the jukebox in the begging scene. - "Barracuda" is a playable song for the WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, PC, PS2 and PS3 versions of the 2007 video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of RockGuitar Hero III: Legends of RockGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is a music video game, the third main installment in the Guitar Hero series, and the fourth title overall...
. However, it is a cover version, not the original recording. Though, the master track is playable on Guitar Hero Smash Hits. - Heart performed "Barracuda" with AnastaciaAnastaciaAnastacia is an American singer-songwriter. Anastacia has been highly successful in Europe, Asia, South Africa and South America, but has had only minor success in her native United States...
on Frosted Pink, an entertainment show in aid of Breast Cancer, in October 2007. - "Barracuda" is played during the 2008 Honda OdysseyHonda Odyssey (North America)The Honda Odyssey is a minivan manufactured by Japanese automaker Honda since 1994.The Odyssey had originally been conceived and engineered in Japan, in the wake of country's economic crisis of the 1990s – which in turn imposed severe constraints on the vehicle's size and overall concept,...
commercial Viking. - On January 25, 2008, Heart performed "Barracuda" on The Ellen DeGeneres ShowThe Ellen DeGeneres ShowThe Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
to celebrate EllenEllen DeGeneresEllen Lee DeGeneres is an American stand-up comedienne, television host and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and was also a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season....
's 50th Birthday. Ellen provided an intro on Guitar Hero III: Legends of RockGuitar Hero III: Legends of RockGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is a music video game, the third main installment in the Guitar Hero series, and the fourth title overall...
. On Ellen's 2008 "Summer Preview" episode, she and Josh GrobanJosh GrobanJoshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
played this song in their Guitar HeroGuitar Hero III: Legends of RockGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is a music video game, the third main installment in the Guitar Hero series, and the fourth title overall...
duel, which Ellen won. - Heart performed "Barracuda" on Idol Gives BackIdol Gives BackIdol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol during its sixth season. A second Idol Gives Back concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the show. Idol Gives Back was not held in 2009 due to the ongoing...
on April 9, 2008, with Fergie, who sang in harmony with Ann WilsonAnn WilsonAnn Dustin Wilson is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, flute player, songwriter, and occasional guitar player of the rock band Heart.-Personal life:...
. - In the My Name is EarlMy Name Is EarlMy Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
season 4 episode "Joy in a Bubble", "Barracuda" is played when Joy goes to get her kids from the party. - In the second season episode of ChuckChuck (TV series)Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
, "Chuck Versus the Break-Up", the song is played during Anna's fight with Mitt. - In the 14th episode of The good guys(2010) the track is played during a chase sequence.
- "Barracuda" is featured on the soundtrack of the video game Shaun White SnowboardingShaun White SnowboardingShaun White Snowboarding is a sports video game for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Nintendo DS, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Xbox 360 systems. It was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It was released on November 14, 2008...
. - Chelsie HightowerChelsie HightowerChelsie Hightower is a Latin ballroom dancer, who is best known for being a regular dance partner, trainer, and choreographer on the ABC competition show Dancing with the Stars.-Biography:...
and Ty MurrayTy MurrayTy Monroe Murray is a nine-time World Champion rodeo cowboy and co-founder and board adviser of the Professional Bull Riders.-Early life:...
danced the Paso Doble on Dancing with the StarsDancing with the StarsDancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
Season 8 to the song. - Allison IrahetaAllison IrahetaAllison Iraheta is an American singer from Los Angeles, California, who was the fourth place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, Iraheta won the Telemundo competition Quinceañera: Mamá Quiero Ser Artista. Following the conclusion of Idol, Iraheta was signed to a record...
performed "Barracuda" as part of her set during the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009The American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009 was a summer concert tour in the United States and Canada that featured the top 10 contestants of the eighth season of American Idol...
. She also performed it on The Tonight Show with Conan O' Brien on July 15, 2009. - Cassie SteeleCassie SteeleCassandra Rae "Cassie" Steele is a Canadian actress and singer-songwriter best known for portraying Manny Santos on Degrassi: The Next Generation.-Life and career:...
's song "Monster" on the Destructo DollDestructo DollDestructo Doll is Canadian actress and singer-songwriter Cassie Steele's second studio album. It was released on July 21, 2009. Steele co-wrote or wrote all of the songs on Destructo Doll. It was announced on Cassie Steele's official fan website that "Go Dark" will be the second official single...
album uses the "ooo Barracuda" hook in the chorus, most likely as a homage to the band. - "Barracuda" is available as downloadable content on the video game platform Rock BandRock BandRock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...