Heart - "Crazy on You" - 25 years later

Heart was back in the news this week as reported by Jezebel:

The sister act behind "Barracuda," the song used by the McCain-Palin campaign in reference to Sarah Palin's "Barracuda" nickname, is none too pleased that their pro-woman anthem is being co-opted by the GOP. Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart sent a cease and desist letter to the McCain campaign, and, in reaction to last night's use of it, Nancy sent an angry letter to Entertainment Weekly, tearing Sarah Barracuda a new one. "I feel completely fucked over," she said. "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.

However, Wiki notes that "the song is also licensed for use in public performances under a blanket fee paid to ASCAP by the convention's venue." So it wasn't illegal for the RNC to use it, but the irony of course is that "Barracuda" was written as a rant about going down on ones' knees against the soulless ruthlessness of big business, and now it's being co-opted as the theme music for a politician.

I've embedded two YouTube versions of "Crazy on You" above. The bottom one is the original, from 1976. It has the better back-up instrumentation, and the more youthful enthusiasm.

But the upper video, from the Women Rock 2000 concert is, for my money, much better. Ann Wilson is 25 years older, with a better voice, better intonation, and more feeling for the lyrics. She rocks - and suggests to me what Janis Joplin would have been like had she grown to adulthood.

Addendum: Lyrics HERE (open in another window to follow along while watching video)