Good songs in bad commercials

[Hawkeye]

The other day I was watching TV and this menopause commercial comes on, no big deal, I wasn't really paying attention until I realized I knew the song in the background. All of the sudden I realized I was listening to the Allman Brothers Band's Blue Sky in this awful menopause commercial. It has really been bugging me, I mean I just can't see Greg Allman sitting at a table in a suit saying "Menopause commercial, ya, ya, great, sounds like a good idea, where do I sign."

 

[Get Smart]

It bummed me out hearing The Sonic's cover of "have love will travel" in a Range Rover commercial. That song is forever going to be known to the masses as "that expensive SUV commercial song" ugh

 

[Margaret]

By being used in that atrocious yogurt commercial, "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" has been stripped of all emotional resonance.

 

[Hawkeye]

I just remembered Spoon in that new Jaguar commercial.

 

[Nick M]

Don't know about "good" songs, but...

There was a car commercial on over here for a while that used the Dandy Warhol's "Bohemian Like You" - they kept in the line, "You've got a great car", but cut out, "Yeah, what's wrong with it today?".

There's also a bank commercial running right now that uses Sheryl Crow's "If it Makes You Happy", to promote using your investments to make you happy - the ad conveniently omits the line, "If it makes you happy, then why the hell are you so sad?". BECAUSE I'M BANKING WITH ST GEORGE THAT'S WHY GODDAMMIT.

These ads are all made by, and for, people that don't actually like music.

 

[romafan]

Whatever Steve Earle song ("Revolution Starts Now"?) is in that car commercial

A truly surprising artistic decision...

 

[stach]

Also remember that many artists get suckered out of residuals so they may have no control of their catalogue. On the other hand, I remember hearing Phoebe Snow singing jingles on television years ago and being appalled. Later I discovered that she has an autistic daughter and I'm assuming she was trying to make a trust fund to take care of her kid for life. You never know -

 

[romafan]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

It bummed me out hearing The Sonic's cover of "have love will travel" in a Range Rover commercial. That song is forever going to be known to the masses as "that expensive SUV commercial song" ugh

Whenever I see that I pretend they're using "Psycho"!

 

[rdawson808]

How about Iggy Pop's Lust for Life being used for cruise commercials? Isn't that song about heroin addiction for christ's sake?

And does anyone know the song playing in the Saturn Ion ad here in the States? It is very laid-back indie-pop sounding. Any help please?

bob

 

[DNW]

Thanks to Chevy, I'll never be able to listen to Led Zeppelin's Rock & Roll the same way again.

 

[ATM]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

Thanks to Chevy, I'll never be able to listen to Led Zeppelin's Rock & Roll the same way again.
Cadillac.

 

[odoreater]

I think there's a commercial for Choice Hotels that has the song "I've been everywhere" by Johnny Cash. Not sure that this really bothers me though - it's just a good song in a bad commercial.

 

[shoreman1782]

And does anyone know the song playing in the Saturn Ion ad here in the States? It is very laid-back indie-pop sounding. Any help please?

What's the commercial look like? An older Saturn ad (the one where they're driving through a tract housing development with all the kids on swingsets) used the Walkmen's "We've Been Had." The Iggy Pop cruise ad conveniently skips the "liquor and drugs" part, though they're part of my favorite vacation experience. A honda ad uses an M.I.A. track (song quality up for discussion); I think another car ad (maybe honda too?) uses grandaddy's "Nature Anthem."

I think a lot of commercials are using newer bands, both because they're prices are lower and the perceived hipness.

 

[Get Smart]

Originally Posted by shoreman1782

A honda ad uses an M.I.A. track (song quality up for discussion);


MIA, as in the old so cal punk band??? if so, we just saw The Briefs on the 4th and they brought up Mike Connelly from MIA to sing "Tell Me Why" which was on the American Youth Report comp from like 1981 or 2...f'ing awesome.

 

[shoreman1782]

Ha, definitely not! As in the semi-controversial Sri Lanka by way of London Diplo-collaborator and dance-y hip hop lady. Probably born the year that comp came out.