Do I have to come right flat out and tell you everything?
Somewhere around the turn of the century, the stigma attached to bands letting their songs be used in shameless, money-grubbing commercials was almost completely removed. Bands were free from peer scorn to start making the big bucks for doing absolutely nothing except allowing people to forever associate their art with mortgage companies and SUV's, to turning the point of a song from kicking heroin to spending quality time with your family on a cruise ship. Times change. Besides the fact that, from the point that commercial airs onward, there is almost no way that anyone will think of anything other than the product (or at least the commercial), I think it's pretty understandable why an artist would allow it. I'm not crazy about the practice, but I can't really fault anyone for it.
But doesn't it seem like it's gotten a little out of control? I've heard The Jam's "Start", Magnetic Fields' "I Think I Need A New Heart", The Go Team's "Huddle Formation" and The Stone Roses' "Love Spreads" in commercials recently. The worst, of course, is the Violent Femmes' "Blister In the Sun" being used to shill Wendy's. WHO the HELL thought it was a good idea to advertise burgers with a song about masturbation?! Insert your own "special sauce" joke here.
My brain was scrambled this evening when I heard a familiar song over a commercial for some sort of financial service. The song was a version of "Gimme Some Money" by...wait for it...SPINAL TAP! It was their "mersey beat period" song. So let's get this straight: a farcical song by a fictional band was covered by someone else and used in a commercial. What does that make it? Is it a joke? Serious? The next time I watch This Is Spinal Tap, will I laugh, or be suddenly and inexplicably compelled to open a retirement plan?
It's a strange world we live, readers. A strange world indeed.
5 comments:
What really puzzles me is that UPS is now using a Postal Service song in their new commercials. Didn't the Postal Service (the band) make a deal with the US Postal Service (the mail) where the band could continue to use their name (which was trademarked) and in exchange the USPS could use their songs in their advertising? How is it that their competitor, UPS, now gets to use the same song?
Not that I will really ever associate Such Great Heights with either mail service.
Nothing top's Of Montreal's "Let's Go Outback Tonight" shilling. And on a random note, I recently have seen an ad that very obviously steals a track from the Feelies' "The Good Earth" album. There is no mistaking the similarity. Someone in some ad agency very obviously gave some jingle composer/producer the track and said "just give us this". Struck me as odd. Of course, they get away with it because absolutely no one on earth knows the Feelies. But hey...why not just buy the song and gives those guys some dough?
Heh, special sauce.
In the same, um, vein, Morningwood's "Morningwood," kinda sorta about erections is being used to sell cars. Which is not that odd, I guess.
I thought the "Such Great Heights" was a pretty good subtle joke.
Am I crazy, or did I hear a Buzzcock's song in a mainstream commercial?
Yes! Buzzcocks are shilling for the AARP! That was a nice one too!
There is an ad around here for the for-profit "Phoenix University" (which is apparently not in Phoenix but is actually EVERYWHERE) that uses the New Pornographers "The Bleeding Heart Show" song - UGH! At least they do it tastefully, but still...
But yeah, the Of Montreal thing is really the most disappointing. I guess I can actually take a cool song moment to sell VW's and UPS, but to bastardize a song to sell steaks? argh.
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