Everyone’s for sale, I understand this. Despite that, there’s still a little piece of me that shrivels up and dies every time I hear a song on a commercial that makes me realize another pop culture icon has discovered what their sell price is.I know, selling out is an outdated concept - the evidence is all around us. Prince played last season’s finale of American Idol and the Super Bowl halftime show on the weekend and the most controversy he managed to stir up was when he made a penis shadow puppet with his guitar. This from a guy who used to writhe about stage in orgasmic pleasure. So I moved on when Supergrass sold out to MasterCard and I accepted that The White Stripes were shills for Coke. I even, grudgingly, understood when Sloan sold a guitar lick to Futureshop.
What I never expected was to see was some schlub happily strutting back to his dreary cubicle with a bag of greasy Wendy’s, to the tune of Blister in the Sun.
When I'm a walkin' I strut my stuff, and I'm so strung out
I'm high as a kite, I just might stop to check you out
Let me go on, like I blister in the sun
Sigh. Why Violent Femmes, why? I hate the advertising exec who figured out how much money to put in the dump truck they backed up to their homes. I sure hope it was a lot, because it wasn’t just the fact that they sold the song but the juxtaposition of a teen angst anthem with the crushed reality of office life, where your only pleasure is shoveling down some fast food before the next meeting. You guys might have been paid, but I’m the one who feels ripped off.
oh lord ... you put that SO well ... that is the most depressing commercial ever. i'm really really really glad that i haven't seen it!
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't that commercial that wrecked that song for me. It was Grosse Pointe Blank and that stupid new video they made for the song.
ReplyDeleteIn short, they sort of sold out to me about a decade ago.
I usually mute the tv or change the channel whenever any of those commercials come on. I especially hate the one of the dudes singing The Clash but completely ruining the lyrics. I know that's the point of the commercial but I still hate it. There's also another one where some lame chick is singing Modern English "Melt With You", I forget what it's for, but it sucks.
ReplyDeleteDamn, that last comment was me btw.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ender - can you tell my day in the cube hadn't gone so well?
ReplyDeleteWell I can't account for the video, MC, I don't have an issue with the soundtrack. Feed me my high school and university days in great dollops of nostalgia, just don't try and convince me to buy something by trading in my memories.
Marilyn, I saw Should I Stay or Should I Go in a cold commercial recently and it pained me. Same when The Cure's Pictures of You was used for a photo printer. I suppose it's just money , but I wish it wasn't.
Say it ain't so!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen it yet but I'm sad to hear about it.
Add it to the ever growing list.
Grosse Pointe Blank - that was one of the worst movies that I couldn't even sit through.
ReplyDeleteAs for the VF selling out - I don't consider it that when it's 20+ years later. How else would these kids get a chance to hear any of the good music from back then? It might even inspire some to seek out the artist/title.