Heart – Barracuda

About The Song

“Barracuda” was written by Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Roger Fisher, and Michael Derosier, performed by Heart, and released in May 1977 as the lead single from their album Little Queen on Portrait Records. It peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, spending 20 weeks on the chart, and was named the 34th-best hard rock song of all time by VH1 in 2009.

The song was recorded in Vancouver and Seattle, produced by Mike Flicker, with Ann Wilson on lead vocals, Nancy Wilson on guitar, and the band’s classic lineup. The track runs 4:21 and features a hard rock sound with psychedelic rock elements, marking a shift from their earlier folk-rock style.

The lyrics were inspired by an incident where a male radio promoter asked Ann Wilson about her “lover” after a concert, implying an incestuous relationship with her sister Nancy. Ann initially thought he meant her boyfriend, Michael Fisher, but his clarification enraged her, leading her to write the lyrics in her hotel room. Nancy contributed the melody and bridge, turning the song into a protest against Mushroom Records’ exploitative publicity stunts.

The recording features a powerful guitar riff by Roger Fisher, a galloping rhythm by Michael Derosier, and an abrupt meter shift to 5/4, adding complexity. The “barracuda” metaphor targets predatory figures in the music industry, reflecting Heart’s anger over rumors and contract disputes with Mushroom Records.

Upon release, “Barracuda” became a hit, contributing to Little Queen’s multi-platinum status. It has appeared on numerous compilations, including Greatest Hits/Live (1980) and Strange Euphoria (2012), and remains a live staple. The song’s legacy grew with its use in the 2008 Republican National Convention for Sarah Palin, though the Wilson sisters opposed this, citing political differences.

Heart, formed in 1967 as The Army in Seattle, promoted the single with tours and TV appearances. The music video, though basic, includes live footage from 1977, later expanded in retrospectives.

The track has been covered by artists like Fergie and featured in films like Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003). Its cultural impact endures, often linked to the #MeToo movement for its stance against sexism.

Video

Lyric

So this ain’t the end, I had to turn my heart away
You smiled like the sun, kisses for everyone
And tales, it never fails

You lying so low in the weeds
I bet you 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, uh-huh
No right, no wrong, 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 to the wick
Ooh, Barracuda, oh yeah

“Sell me, sell you,” the porpoise said
Dive down deep to save my head, you
I think 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 to the wick
Ooh, Barra-Barracuda, yeah