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Thanks for all the great input into the whole "great songs, bad ads" subject, and a special thank you to Mares for pointing out that what we’re hearing in the AARP ad isn’t actually the Buzzcocks’ original recording of “Everybody’s Happy Nowadays,” but a more recent cover version by Ash, a band I now remember really liking at some point (if memory serves, “Girl from Mars” is a stone-cold classic single). After reading through the comments I now have two confessions to make. First, re raputathebuta’s post, I must admit that I always secretly thought the Volkswagen ad featuring Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" that was really quite lovely, even though using the song to sell cars probably caused St. Nick to spin in his grave. But hey, if it took an ad to turn people on to such a criminally neglected artist as Nick Drake (and the ad did boost sales of his albums higher than they ever were during his all-too-brief lifetime), well then I guess I can live with that.
Secondly, I must also confess that after first seeing the same “So easy a caveman can do it” Geico ad the_hobbet, SassyMurasaki and Raven mention – the one in the airport -- I did immediately Google the lyrics, find the song title and artist’s name, and then download both the “radio edit” and the “radio remix” of Royksopp’s “Remind Me” from iTunes. Cheesy, I know, but it’s a great song and I’m not sorry I did it. (Future blog topic: recent, seriously guilty but pleasurable iTunes downloads. Laura Branigan’s name will be mentioned.)
And speaking of cheesy, Angel Cohn and I just saw what’s got to be the most grievous misuse of a song in an ad yet, and the best example I could imagine of how a viewer’s prior knowledge of a song’s lyrics can completely undercut the intent of the commercial. Anyone recognize the Violent Femmes’ “Blister in the Sun” in the new Wendy’s spot for that mozzarella sandwich? They don’t actually play much – just that unmistakable opening guitar riff and that ear-catching little snare hiccup – but they don't have to. It’s instantly recognizable and anyone familiar with the song will immediately flash forward to “I’m high as a kite,” “I stain my sheets,” and “I’m so strung out.” Now even if Wendy’s is in fact trying to turn on its junkie consumer base to the sugary benefits of the Frosty, there’s no excusing the chorus. Humming “Let me go on, like a blister in the sun…” to yourself while watching white cheese bubble and ooze over a slab of hot meat enough to make you lose your lunch and swear-off Wendy’s forever. Didn’t they have enough trouble already with the whole finger-in-the-chili debacle? What could they possibly be thinking?
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