Heart: Barracuda

About Heart

Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson of legendary rock music group Heart got their start in Seattle, Washington. After college, Nancy worked as a folksinger while Ann joined a local male vocal group, The Army, in 1970. The group's name was changed to White Heart and eventually shorted to Heart in 1974. This was the same year that Nancy joined the group.

The group's debut album, Dreamboat Annie, spawned two hits: Crazy on You and Magic Man. Both singles charted well, and the album sold over a million copies. Little Queen, the band's follow-up album, was another massive hit, selling millions and seeing the song Barracuda chart just under the top 10 in 1977. Other albums followed, including Dog and Butterfly, Bebe Le Strange, Private Audition and Passionworks. The latter two failed to achieve the same success that previous albums enjoyed, and Heart entered the transitional period of its career.

Heart, the group's first album with Capitol Records, introduced the public to a different sound. It was a shift from the rock formula that had served the group so well in previous years. The new sound was softer, more radio-friendly and infinitely more pop-oriented. It was no surprise, then, that the album scored a handful of hits, including What About Love?, Never and These Dreams. Another album, Bad Animals, found success with singles like the chart-topping Alone, as well as "Who Will You Run To?" and "There's the Girl." The group followed this up with Brigade, which is perhaps best known for the hit single All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You, but also scored with Stranded.

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Heart continued to record, although the group's profile was markedly lower than it had been in previous years. The group's most recent release is Jupiter's Darling, and Ann Wilson released a solo effort in 2007 entitled Hope & Glory.

Behind the Tunes by Heart: Barracuda

In 1977, Barracuda ruled the airwaves. The now-classic song was an instant hit, reaching number 11 on the charts. From the album Little Queen, the song is famous for its opening guitar riff, which many have said is influenced by Led Zeppelin's Achilles Last Stand. In fact, some theories suggest that the song lifted the riff directly from Led Zeppelin's track. The similar "galloping" sound of the riff is enough for some people to invite comparisons between the two.

Perhaps even more interesting are the theories behind the song's lyrics. Different stories have been tossed back and forth throughout the years, with each one proving vastly different from the others. The real story, though, was confirmed by Ann and Nancy to VH-1 Classic's Lynn Hoffman in a televised interview.

Ann Wilson states that the song was written in anger after a man approached her at a backstage meet-and-greet and made denigrating, lowball statements that were insulting to women. Though the group was relatively new to the music industry, Ann recognized that this wouldn't be the last person to speak derogatorily to them. As the story goes, Ann left the meet-and-greet, went to her hotel room and penned "Barracuda" in a fit of rage.

So what exactly did the man actually say? Music legend has it that he inquired about her lover. Ann, assuming the man (whom she referred to as a "slimeball" on VH-1) was referring to her actual boyfriend at the time, responded that he was fine. The man quickly corrected her and said he'd been referring to her lesbian lover – her sister.

The false story was one that had spread like wildfire in response to the cover of Dreamboat Annie, which showed the sisters standing back to back. The cover is discreet but shows the sisters' bare shoulders. The press was quick to brand the sisters "lesbian lovers." The man's question was the last straw – and the rest, as they say, is music history.

Hear it Now

Chances are that you've already heard the opening riff hundreds of times over the years. Watch a classic performance from a 1984 episode of Solid Gold here.