Most upsetting use of a song you love in a commercial

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The new Hewlett-Packard commercial using "Pictures of You" inspired this thread, but here's my all-time worst:

I'm flipping around the TV a year or two ago when I hear the opening strains of "New Slang" by The Shins--one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded. To my dismay, I see that it's being used in a COMMERCIAL. It starts with a "warmly-lit" scene of a guy holding his baby, and then the voiceover comes in:

"There will be his first steps,
His first smile,
And of course,
His first french fry."

Sure enough, at this point the fucking McDonald's logo is superimposed over the scene.

How COULD they? And I'm NOT talking about McDonald's. I mean, I'm sure that The Shins got a ton of cash for this, but come on.

And if they HAD to sell out like this, could they at least not have picked a commercial with such an evil, soul-destroying message? "You WILL eat our food. It is an utter inevitablity! Embrace our domination of your society!" All to a truly lovely song.

Truly sad.

― Carrie Turner (cjt), Monday, 26 January 2004 03:16 (twenty-two years ago)

does mcdonalds dominate your society?
i bet the shins eat at mcdonalds.

― keith m (keithmcl), Monday, 26 January 2004 03:40 (twenty-two years ago)

i don't like th epictures of you one cause the music doesn't really fit in with the visual.

― keith m (keithmcl), Monday, 26 January 2004 03:41 (twenty-two years ago)

doesn't that shins song have a line about french fries? "dirt in your fries" or is it pies or eyes that guy can't contain his drawl. I bet the MCD ad agency did a search.

― caspar (caspar), Monday, 26 January 2004 03:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Ha! I never thought of that, but that's very funny and correct.

― Carrie Turner (cjt), Monday, 26 January 2004 04:04 (twenty-two years ago)

can everyone please get over which songs are being used in commercials? worrying about "selling out" is so 1993.

― notfazed (notfazed), Monday, 26 January 2004 04:42 (twenty-two years ago)

"i love to boogie" by t rex used in an advertisement for red meat. i'm fairly sure marc had vegetarian leanings.

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Monday, 26 January 2004 04:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Selling out is the new indie.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 26 January 2004 04:48 (twenty-two years ago)

It's not about the selling out so much as the "ew, the song I love is associated with this tacky-ass ad". Of course, the up side is that you can use "remember, the song from x ad" to prod recognition in others when they don't know the band you're talking about.

― Poppy (poppy), Monday, 26 January 2004 05:14 (twenty-two years ago)

n.b. This only works if your friends watch TV.

― lyra (lyra), Monday, 26 January 2004 05:15 (twenty-two years ago)

"too drunk to fuck" for budweiser

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 26 January 2004 05:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I was more annoyed (and also somewhat amused) by the "Lust For Life" - cruiseline commercials. They unfortunately eliminate all the money lines - "liquor and drugs," "striptease," etc.

I find the "Pictures of You" one pretty nice actually.

― djdee2005, Monday, 26 January 2004 05:47 (twenty-two years ago)

(christian rock band) sixpence none the richer's version of "there she goes" (a song about heroin) is being used to sell BIRTH CONTROL.

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 26 January 2004 05:49 (twenty-two years ago)

is it upsetting? i dunno, it's kinda funny actually!

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 26 January 2004 05:52 (twenty-two years ago)

The Pink Moon one is so great
It's like my favorite commercial ever

― sym (shmuel), Monday, 26 January 2004 05:56 (twenty-two years ago)

aleksandr, wow, really? You're right, though, it is funny.

― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Monday, 26 January 2004 06:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I get more, well not quite upset, maybe distrubed when I heard "Lolita Ya-Ya" being used in a Master Card commerical that had the tagline "Family Road Trip: Priceless" or the Midnight Cowboy theme being used in a gum commerical that was set on a cross country bus trip!!

― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Monday, 26 January 2004 06:10 (twenty-two years ago)

if i recall correctly there was a Modest Mouse song in an SUV commerical. gah!

and those electronics commercials using a hideous rendition of Getting Better by the Beatles. "i have to admit it's getting better, getting better all the time." ("it can't get no worse", for some odd reason, didn't make it into the commercial.)

but yeah, that Pink Moon commercial really is pretty sweet.

― Henry Jones, Jr, Monday, 26 January 2004 06:38 (twenty-two years ago)

There's a new VW ad with the last song off Stereolab's Mars Audiac Quintet playing. I'm not particularly upset, I just find it odd that an ostensibly Marxist groop is now marketing automobiles.

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 26 January 2004 06:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Now? They first did that with VW six years back.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 26 January 2004 06:43 (twenty-two years ago)

The only one that's bothered me is CCR's "Fortunate Son" being used as a patriotic anthem to sell Wranglers.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Monday, 26 January 2004 06:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I work for a car company that probably has the worst taste when it comes to picking songs to use in their commercials. I think Radar Love was about as good as it ever got. VW, we're not. So while listening to music, it's hard not to sometimes think "hey, this song would be great in one of our ads" and truth be told, if given the opportunity, I'd probably be the first one to take some song that I absolutely love and stick it in an advert that's hawking some crap station wagon.

Of course, it's always annoying when other car companies do it.

― may pang (maypang), Monday, 26 January 2004 06:56 (twenty-two years ago)

that Vitamin C song in the Mcdonalds put a smile on your face comericals

― A Nairn (moretap), Monday, 26 January 2004 06:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Alternate question: have you actually gotten into an artist because of a commercial? I can honestly say that I first got into Alan Jackson after his Ford Truck commercial (his version of "Mercury Blues", with "mercury" changed to "Ford truck").

― Broheems (diamond), Monday, 26 January 2004 07:16 (twenty-two years ago)

THe bank account a few years ago called "Smile" used a 'radio hit' called "Smile" to promote it, with a dancing strange person in a suit....

Funnily enough, the line "You'd better Smile.. Smile.. Smile.. Smile.. Smile.. Smile.. Smile.. Smile.. " was cut short before it got to "cause THATS ALL YOU GOT LEFT!!!"

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 26 January 2004 11:12 (twenty-two years ago)

i hated when philips (sony?) used 'it's getting better all the time' in a tv commercial as it ends 'couldn't get much worse'
pink moon wv? love.

― a wyck, Monday, 26 January 2004 22:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Alternate question: have you actually gotten into an artist

levi's 501 commercial the clash should i stay or should i go, yr 1992?

― a wyck, Monday, 26 January 2004 22:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I was disappointed that Royal Carribean wouldn't supply me with heroin after I was tricked into going on their cruise from Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life".

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Monday, 26 January 2004 22:18 (twenty-two years ago)

What I really object to is the use of The O'Jays "For The Love of Money" as the theme tune to the Donald Trump TV show "The Apprentice", particularly how they edit the lyrics to make it sound like a hymn to how wonderful the folding stuff is when it's the complete opposite.

― LondonLee (LondonLee), Monday, 26 January 2004 22:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Alternate question: have you actually gotten into an artist

Sure: Nick Drake, for starters. Before the Cabriolet ad, he was only a name to me. In the time since, there's no telling how many groups I've been turned on to by use in commercials. Does that mean I watch too much tv? Probably.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 26 January 2004 23:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Normally that shit doesn't bother me but Ian Curtis's epitaph used as the punchline for a cheezy beer ad put me into kill mode.

― fcussen (Burger), Monday, 26 January 2004 23:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm more upset when the commercial sucks. All car commercials are lame. That means Amon Tobin. TWICE.

VW ads are good though. Autechre r00l! Hell, VW made that Sunshine song from ELO or somesuch sound way better than it was.

Jeans commercial -- Mogwai's "Summer" -- BUFFALO STAMPEDE??? RETARDED! GRR. GET SIGUR ROS NEXT TIME.

― Leee Majors (Leee), Monday, 26 January 2004 23:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Someone should start a fantasy song in a commercial thread.

― Leee Majors (Leee), Monday, 26 January 2004 23:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Someone should start a fantasy song in a commercial thread

'suicide is painless' original or msp cover, for zoloft ad with the bouncy character

― a wyck, Monday, 26 January 2004 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't generally have a problem with commercials using songs I love-- my connection with those songs as songs is usually far stronger (and more lasting) than my connection with them as sales pitches. I particularly don't mind with indie bands, since most of them make virtually no money and need the exposure. That said, "London Calling" in an ad for Jaguar did seem a bit contradictory to the Clash's values.

― Ryan Pitchfork, Monday, 26 January 2004 23:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Hearing music I love in adverts is horrible. However, having cable means I can switch over to equally mindless bullshit. Hurrah!

― Ben Dot (1977), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 01:59 (twenty-two years ago)

First time I heard "TV Eye" (Stooges) used to sell some automobile or another, I was simultaneously stunned, disappointed and weirdly thrilled. Still am.

― Scott, Wednesday, 28 January 2004 16:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Mario's Cafe - St Etienne - in that shampoo ad of old...

Find it funny that a song about a greasy ol' spoon is promoting cleanliness. but it's upsetting too.

― Shooz (shooz), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 16:58 (twenty-two years ago)

What bothers me at all about is the way the ads recontextualize or even edit the song to fit their pitch.
But as for indie/whatever musico's selling songs to ads? It's the way of the future in post-download lalala.

― Huck Everlasting (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:04 (twenty-two years ago)

that cocteaus one (which they wrote *for* the ad) was quite bad.
wasn't it for sweets or such ?

― piscesboy, Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:11 (twenty-two years ago)

The orchestral version of 'Motorcycle Emptiness' used by some gas company takes some beating.

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 17:14 (twenty-two years ago)

The orchestral version of 'Motorcycle Emptiness' used by some gas company takes some beating.

Isn't it for T-mobile? The Australian Tourist Board using Australia by the Manics is also crap.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 20:08 (twenty-two years ago)

the Radio 4 song "Dance to the Underground" in a Mitsubishi ad last night made me real sad. Not to mention the fact that I had mistaken "To Hell w/Poverty" by Gang of 4 for a Radio 4 song recently...duh:(

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Ahh... I was wondering what the Mitsubishi song was, I heard that last night as well.

― Blood and sparkles (bloodandsparkles), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 20:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I think what's most upsetting is when they take a good song and edit the fuck out of it to make it fit into a 30 second spot.

― may pang (maypang), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 20:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm kind of in love with the "Whistle Song" from that Starburst Creme ad.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 21:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I liked the Walkmen song in an ad w/out knowing what it was, and then when I unknowingly downloaded it it was very strange to recognize a song from the ad.

― sym (shmuel), Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I have to admit I was pretty excited when I heard Galaxie 500's "Instrumental" on an Acura brand-ad.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 29 January 2004 01:00 (twenty-two years ago)

i can't believe mcdonalds is using "water no get enemy" by fela in their "i'm lovin it" campaign.

― sean marvin (williamtell), Thursday, 29 January 2004 01:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Explain to me again how hearing music you like on television is a bad thing?!

The world has gone musically mad

Using classic 'alternative' tracks in adverts - Classic or Dud

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 29 January 2004 01:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 47 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Did anyone catch the car commercial with The Sonics' "Have Love Will Travel" in it? That was kinda weird.

― Keith C (kcraw916), Friday, 25 March 2005 03:07 (twenty-one years ago)

MTV shows invariably use interesting obscure music that MTV would never play

SOOOOO OTM!

-- Alex in NYC

Judging by my friend who works at MTV, I'd guess that this is because the people who work there are generally cooler than the people the channel is aimed at.

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 25 March 2005 03:14 (twenty-one years ago)

What channel has that Ian Svenonius jingle?

― Silky Sensor (sexyDancer), Friday, 25 March 2005 03:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Does anyone know the song that's in the new Spike Jonze Adidas commercial? Joanna Newsom?

― Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Friday, 25 March 2005 03:28 (twenty-one years ago)

normally i don't give a shit about music in ads but they used ian curtis's epitaph as the punchline for a beer ad

― fcussen (Burger), Friday, 25 March 2005 03:39 (twenty-one years ago)

the song that's in the new Spike Jonze Adidas commercial

there was an (ile) thread about this commercial - it's sung by karen o, but composed by spike's brother (presumably for the commercial)

― jermaine (jnoble), Friday, 25 March 2005 10:19 (twenty-one years ago)

IF a car advert I saw at the cinema prior to 21 Grams had Explosions in the Sky - "Greet Death" as the soundtrack, then it would be that. But I'm not sure, I bought the album a couple of days later and thought it sounded similar. Never saw the ad again to confirm. Think it was VW though.

― bg, Friday, 25 March 2005 10:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Jessie -

That Adidas mersh song is called "Hello Morning", is by Squeak E. Clean and Karen O., and can be gmailed to you by me if you want.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Friday, 25 March 2005 16:03 (twenty-one years ago)

It doesn't so much upset as amuse me that advertisers insist on using songs that anyone who's heard them in full knows are completely inappropriate lyrically: "What Do I Get" (the punchline: "nothing at all at all at all at all at all..."), "Fortunate Son", "Lust For Life", and my personal favorite, Badfinger's "Come And Get It" (used for lord knows how many car dealer campaigns that wanted a catchy way to express that the deal was limited-time-only: "but you better hurry 'cause it may not last"). The Badfinger song contains the line "did I hear you say that there must be a catch/would you walk away from a fool and his money?" and, in its original context as part of the score to The Magic Christian, accompanied a scene where people dive headfirst into a pile of shit to try and excavate the money embedded inside.

― Stupornaut (natepatrin), Friday, 25 March 2005 17:14 (twenty-one years ago)

(i'll take that actually, roxy! if yr willing)

― jermaine (jnoble), Friday, 25 March 2005 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)

ESG's 'Dance' is being used to hawk a car at the moment. I don't mind, because ESG deserve the money, what makes me sad is that I must be in their targeted demographic.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Friday, 25 March 2005 18:05 (twenty-one years ago)

NP, Jermaine. I'll get it to you when I get home.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Friday, 25 March 2005 20:08 (twenty-one years ago)

roxymuzak, can I have a copy too pretty please? thanks bunches

― Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Friday, 25 March 2005 20:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Judging by my friend who works at MTV, I'd guess that this is because the people who work there are generally cooler than the people the channel is aimed at.

Also cuz they don't pay for music in shows like Real World. Which is within their rights and all.

"Take Me Out" in the Playstation ads isn't as upsetting as one more nail in the coffin of 2004's most "played out" song (pun intended).

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 25 March 2005 20:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I was just flicking through the cable music channels to find something I wanted to hear. I thought they were playing the Pixies, but no, it was "Velouria" being used on an advert for Wanadoo. I don't mind that in itself, I'm just miffed that I thought Vh1 was playing the Pixies, and it was just an ad.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 29 March 2005 20:58 (twenty-one years ago)

three weeks pass...

Judging by my friend who works at MTV, I'd guess that this is because the people who work there are generally cooler than the people the channel is aimed at.

― Cunga (Cunga), Saturday, 23 April 2005 08:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Is that what you meant by target audience? (forgot to italicize your original comments)

― Cunga (Cunga), Saturday, 23 April 2005 08:44 (twenty-one years ago)

two years pass...

http://www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/footer/downloads.jsp?year=2007

Hum is selling Caddies now.

― dan m, Saturday, 22 September 2007 16:39 (eighteen years ago)

Buzzcocks' "Everybody's Happy Nowadays" being useds to promote AARP (American Association of Retired Persons). Ugh.

― Alex in NYC, Saturday, 22 September 2007 17:32 (eighteen years ago)

kfc. 2002. i'm not saying more it's too painful.

― pisces, Saturday, 22 September 2007 18:04 (eighteen years ago)

The whole Led Zep/Cadillac thing but once I remembered that Zep fans pretty much define Caddy's demographic I was okay.

The one that has always baffled me is why Pretenders allowed Rush Friggin' Limbaugh to use "My City Was Gone" as his bumper music. Inexplicable.

― ellaguru, Saturday, 22 September 2007 18:22 (eighteen years ago)

"Age of Consent" for those AT&T or Nextel or whatever commercials. What the fuck does that song have to do with the level of fucking bars you get?

Also, I know Wilco actively sought this out, and it's not their best album, but I get sick to my stomach whenever I see those Wilco/VW ads. I change the channel whenever they come on, so I guess it's not a big deal, but I hate the thought that some Diet Coke chugging marketing douche bag is attaching these inane stories to not just one, but a number of songs from Sky Blue Sky.

As for that Lust for Life cruiseline ad... the Onion writers serve as prophets yet again. http://www.theonion.com/content/node/38780

But the best is when a company can't get the rights to a song so they hire someone to rip off the melody. I heard one for Peter Bjorn and John a couple days ago. I even remember one for 311 of all bands, like someone was so disappointed they couldn't get this 311 song, they just had to find someone to copy it.

― jposnan, Saturday, 22 September 2007 18:50 (eighteen years ago)

I 2nd the ugh on using perhaps my favorite buzzcocks song to promote AARP. Good music shouldn't be introduced by commercials. However, I did find the Royksopp - Remind Me song because of the caveman commercial (it was a good commercial too).

― CaptainLorax, Saturday, 22 September 2007 19:07 (eighteen years ago)

More about the Buzzcocks ad

― Alex in NYC, Saturday, 22 September 2007 20:03 (eighteen years ago)

i swear i am not making this one up: the use of eric dolphy's "hat and beard" in an ad for the american plastics council.

― Lawrence the Looter, Sunday, 23 September 2007 07:01 (eighteen years ago)

There She Goes in a bra commercial was pretty horrid, although I haven't seen it for a while. They even edited out "racing through my brain" to get rid of the drug reference. At least it's paying for Lee Mavers' kids' education.

― Aaron W, Sunday, 23 September 2007 07:05 (eighteen years ago)

Peaches is now selling cars but I can't say it upsets me - in retrospect, she was always a sellout.

― moley, Sunday, 23 September 2007 07:35 (eighteen years ago)

Buzzcocks' "Everybody's Happy Nowadays" being useds to promote AARP (American Association of Retired Persons). Ugh

Have you seen the Buzzcocks recently? They'll be needing the AARP's help and advice soon enough.

― Billy Dods, Sunday, 23 September 2007 14:00 (eighteen years ago)

if Hum's purity has been compromised then I don't want to live in this world any more

― J0hn D., Sunday, 23 September 2007 14:08 (eighteen years ago)

I thought I had become accustomed to the music I like being in adverts, but hearing Arthur Russell in a T-Mobile advert made me feel very odd.

― Merdeyeux, Sunday, 23 September 2007 15:02 (eighteen years ago)

I still find Dylan's "Love Sick"/Victoria's Secret thing deeply irritating.

― Ben Boyerrr, Sunday, 23 September 2007 16:42 (eighteen years ago)

if Hum's purity has been compromised then I don't want to live in this world any more

-- J0hn D., Sunday, 23 September 2007 14:08 (2 hours ago) Link

true -- but well, personally, I'd rather hear "Stars" played on a Cadillac commercial than sandwiched btw Linkin Park and Puddle of Mudd on a faceless alt-rock station

― stephen, Sunday, 23 September 2007 16:52 (eighteen years ago)

is it stephin merritt singing on that one car commercial or am i deluded

― thomp, Sunday, 23 September 2007 22:00 (eighteen years ago)

I still find Dylan's "Love Sick"/Victoria's Secret thing deeply irritating.

I still find Dylan himself deeply irritating.

― Alex in NYC, Sunday, 23 September 2007 22:59 (eighteen years ago)

> is it stephin merritt singing on that one car commercial or am i deluded

i too was wondering this only yesterday. 'the wheels on the car go round and round' one. sounds like him, yes.

(but Blue Monday ftw here, it just jars whenever i see it)

― koogs, Monday, 24 September 2007 08:44 (eighteen years ago)

Yes, it's Stephin Merritt.

― joygoat, Monday, 24 September 2007 17:22 (eighteen years ago)

I definitely don't love the song, but I swear I'll never buy a GM product again after hearing "This Is Our Country" at least twenty times a day while watching football. GM and Mellencamp are both guilty of crimes against humanity as far as I'm concerned.

― turkey, Monday, 24 September 2007 18:07 (eighteen years ago)

Mellencamp makes me miss Bob Seger.

― C. Grisso/McCain, Monday, 24 September 2007 18:10 (eighteen years ago)

When Biggie performed the St. Ides jingle for St. Ides, that really ruined it for me.

― Confounded, Monday, 24 September 2007 18:11 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-vVn3gBXZM

― Confounded, Monday, 24 September 2007 18:11 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, `cos Biggie was not at all about makin' money, was he.

― Alex in NYC, Monday, 24 September 2007 20:12 (eighteen years ago)

The "This Is Our Country" thing has to stop. Now they've incorporated it into Sunday Night Football (or Football Night in America or whatever they're calling the Costas/Olbermann snarkfest). First the Vick thing, then Belichik Tapegate, now the incessant use of this horrible song. I don't know if the NFL can survive.

― Bill Magill, Monday, 24 September 2007 20:43 (eighteen years ago)

six years pass...

re: Dylan's Chrysler commercial....

Why don't we have Detroit brew your beer, make your watch, assemble your phone and build your car?

― bodacious ignoramus, Monday, 3 February 2014 20:25 (twelve years ago)

that playstation ad that uses lou reed's 'perfect day' depresses the hell out of me every time it's on.

― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Monday, 3 February 2014 20:34 (twelve years ago)

Last week i overheard my 8-yr-old son singing "Perfect Day" to himself because of that ad; yikes.

― bodacious ignoramus, Monday, 3 February 2014 20:42 (twelve years ago)

^seriously, it reminds me of that creepy North Korea video, the one depicting NYC getting destroyed while "we are the world" plays in the background.

― brimstead, Monday, 3 February 2014 20:43 (twelve years ago)

i actually saw it for the first time a few days after reed died and it was kind of a sock in the gut.

― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Monday, 3 February 2014 20:45 (twelve years ago)

We're still getting over "A O let's go"

― Mark G, Monday, 3 February 2014 22:33 (twelve years ago)

tinkly piano version of Where is My Mind for some holiday company
Boredom in a Sainsbury's ad
"and my youth it was sold..."

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Tuesday, 4 February 2014 00:12 (twelve years ago)

fuck, just saw that horrible perfect day ad

― wk, Tuesday, 4 February 2014 06:21 (twelve years ago)

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