“It definitely grabs you by the whatevers,” says Heart co-founder and guitarist Nancy Wilson, speaking about the band’s enduring 1977 hit “Barracuda.” “From the first few moments, it says, ‘This is rock’ — spelled R-A-W-K. It’s a great riff, and the guitar tones are so muscular and aggressive. I think it’s one of those amazing moments in time, and we were lucky enough to catch it.”
The writing of “Barracuda” was something of an all-hands-on-deck affair within the Heart camp. However, Nancy gives major kudos to then co-lead guitarist Roger Fisher for coming up with the song’s powerhouse riff and an outline of the musical structure. “Roger had the riff and kind of a jam on a cassette,” she recalls. “From there, we all sat down and crafted it as a band. We were into groups like Yes, so we wanted to be tricky, with various time signatures flying around.”
"He was one of those guys — a slimeball in a satin jacket. We were appalled."
— Nancy Wilson
The forceful nature of the music offered a perfect platform for lead singer Ann Wilson to unleash her rage at a music industry exec who had floated a false story to the press about an incestuous relationship with Nancy, her sister. “He was one of those guys — a slimeball in a satin jacket,” Nancy says. “We heard about this totally untrue story at a party and were appalled. To think that this guy would diminish our musicianship and songwriting by reducing us to these sexual objects. The whole thing was so slimy and salacious, and we weren’t having it.”
Once Ann had completed her venomous lyrics, Nancy came up with a dreamy bridge section that provided a brief respite to the song’s full-on assault. “It’s gets very pretty there for a bit,” she says. “That’s my acoustic influence coming through. I always liked dropping in mood and texture shifts like that.”
The band – which also included co-lead guitarist Howard Leese, bassist Steve Fossen and drummer Michael DeRosier – convened at Seattle’s Kay-Smith studio in early 1977 to record their third album, Little Queen. “In the case of ‘Barracuda,’ we knew we’d caught a marlin,” Nancy jokes. “We ran through the track a few times live in the room. This was before Pro Tools, so we had to nail it perfectly.”
Nancy opted to play an acoustic guitar on the song — a Guild model she borrowed from producer Mike Flicker — while Fisher and Leese shared rhythm and lead duties on electric guitar. “They could play off each other beautifully, and they got amazing sounds,” she notes. “They used phase shifters and did some backward tracks by flipping the tape over. It was incredible.” Of her sister’s volcanic vocals, Nancy is nothing short of awestruck. “Watching Ann sing, it’s like you’re seeing someone have an out-of-body experience. She’s bigger than all of us put together. There’s very few singers who can do what she does. It’s magic.”
The song’s abrupt ending is a head turner, one which Nancy reveals was a post-recording feat achieved when all the band members worked faders on the recoding console and cut out on cue. “We were pushing ourselves louder and louder in the mix until we were pegging into the red,” she remembers. “By the end, I think smoke was coming out of the board.”
“We were pushing ourselves louder and louder in the mix. By the end, I think smoke was coming out of the board.”
— Nancy Wilson
“Barracuda” was the single off Little Queen, and within weeks of its release in May of 1977, it dominated AM and FM radio, reaching number 11 on Billboard’s Hot 100. “We came out guns blazing,” Nancy says. “There was no doubt about how strong a song it was.” Through the years, it’s been a staple at Heart live shows, and the guitarist says it will remain in the band’s set as long as there is a band. “For one thing, it’s always fun to play, so we enjoy it. But more important, we feel it’s our obligation to our fans to play it. It’s our way of showing respect to them for our whole career.”
The fast-rising pop star Chappell Roan has recently performed her own fiery version of “Barracuda” live, and Nancy gives the singer an enthusiastic thumbs up. “It’s great. She calls it her favorite song. I applaud her bravery for doing it.” But the Wilson sisters were less thrilled when the track was played at the 2008 Republican National Convention as an introduction to John McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin. “We were pissed off,” Nancy says. “We could have written another ‘Barracuda’ because of that. I dropped an F-bomb in the press about it, and we sent a cease-and-desist letter.” She adds, “They stopped using it.”
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