"Barracuda" was released as the first single from the band's second album, Little Queen (1977).
In 2009, "Barracuda" was named the 34th Best Hard Rock Song of All Time by VH1.
Ann Wilson revealed in interviews that the song was about Heart's anger towards Mushroom Records, who as a publicity stunt released a made-up story of an incestuous affair involving Ann and her sister Nancy Wilson. 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, Ann became outraged, went back to her hotel room, and wrote the original lyrics of the song.
Lyrics
So this ain't the end, I saw you again today
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
Bet you gonna ambush me
You'd have me down, down, down to my knees
Wouldn't you, Barracuda?
Back over time when we were all trying for free
Met up with porpoise and me
No right no wrong you're selling a song, a name
Whisper game
If the real thing don't do the trick
You better make up something quick
You gonna burn it out to the wick
Aren't you, Barracuda?
"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 fools!
Songwriters: Ann Wilson / Michael Joseph Derosier / Nancy Lamoureaux Wilson / Roger Douglas Fisher
Barracuda lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group