# Best songs written for commercials **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 11, 2025, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833 "2025-01-11T03:14:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/21 "2025-01-11T17:33:06Z")
I loved Karen O’s song for Spike Jonze’s Adidas commercial. I was disappointed when I learned it wasn’t a real song. I wasn’t alone and they eventually released it on iTunes in response to the demand. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ef86BET9pho/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHeA4AC6AKKAgwIABABGH8gUSgTMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBfjmfD7CrlLfCvXly4MzaMpg7NZQ "Spike Jonze Adidas Commercial - Hello Tomorrow (feat. Karen O)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef86BET9pho) ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/22 "2025-01-11T17:36:56Z")
Very much of its time — the 70s — but I’ve always been fond of [United’s “Friendly Skies” commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDHBbUhh9OM) (opening narration by Burgess Meredith). (Has it ever been determined why some can embed YouTube and some can’t? The video worked in preview, but Discourse threw an error when I tried to post.) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/23 "2025-01-11T17:40:25Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > (Has it ever been determined why some can embed YouTube and some can’t? The video worked in preview, but Discourse threw an error when I tried to post.) Yes, it’s a known Discourse glitch. The work-around which works for me is to collapse the “preview” pane on the right side of the post composition window: click the button with “\<\<” at the lower right corner of the composition window. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/24 "2025-01-11T17:45:33Z")
Yes that’s what I do too. However, if you forget to do it and attempt to post with the preview pane open, you can’t just close the preview pane and repost. You need to change the URL, for example by adding a meaningless parameter such as `&xxx=1` to the end. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/25 "2025-01-11T17:50:38Z")
Faygo Boat Song TV commercial from the 1970s. Loved that song! ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/26 "2025-01-11T17:53:46Z")
I always thought this Toys R Us jingle was fantastic. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cXq5_45ZlHA/hqdefault.jpg "Toys "R" Us (Christmas Commercial #4, 1981)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXq5_45ZlHA) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/27 "2025-01-11T17:55:16Z")
Jingle from Baltimore dairy featuring early Jim Henson work. Note the phone number is NOrth9-2222. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/soCHae6p198/hqdefault.jpg "Cloverland Cow - Jim's Red Book - The Jim Henson Company") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soCHae6p198) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/28 "2025-01-11T18:01:07Z")
Baltimore had a bunch of decent advertising songs/jingles. **Don White’s Car Center** took up residence in my noggin at an early age and never left. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/29 "2025-01-11T20:00:41Z")
“Look Sharp” March (Gillette) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaSTSdksGlU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaSTSdksGlU) J G Wentworth [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdPM6j1Q4sg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdPM6j1Q4sg) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/30 "2025-01-11T20:10:49Z")
This Alka-Seltzer ad became the instrumental “No Matter What Shape Your Stomach’s In” by the T-Bones, and a giant hit. One of the catchiest sounds ever. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5NIU7k4C3Y0/hqdefault.jpg "Alka Seltzer: No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In) - 1967") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NIU7k4C3Y0) ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/31 "2025-01-11T21:08:23Z")
David Dundas wrote a jingle for a jeans commercial, which as “Jeans On” became a top 20 hit for him in the U.K. and the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/32 "2025-01-11T21:52:11Z")
I always liked Ford’s “Taurus for Us” from 1986, although it is very '80s. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/n12lyKTAa50/hqdefault.jpg "First Ford Taurus car commercial 1986") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n12lyKTAa50) ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/33 "2025-01-11T23:09:06Z")
A fuel company in NZ ( **Europa** , now defunct) commissioned a local blues musician called _Midge Marsden_ to write and perform a song to be used in an ad. **Travelling On** became a bit of a local hit. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0CQNXQP4cAg/maxresdefault.jpg "Travellin' On - TV Ads") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CQNXQP4cAg) Midge then invited Stevie Ray Vaughan to record a second song/video, which is absolutely fantastic: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tsJtep3inyo/hqdefault.jpg "Stevie Ray Vaughan Travelling On - Europa (NZ TV Advert)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsJtep3inyo) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2025, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/34 "2025-01-12T01:29:47Z")
Not a song but an instrumental: Hagood Hardy’s _The Homecoming_: > The title track, “The Homecoming”, started out as music to a 1972 TV commercial for [Salada tea](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salada_tea).[[4]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Homecoming_(album)#cite_note-Inc.1976-4) After being included in this album, it was released as a single in 1975 on the Isis label through the Toronto company, Hagood Hardy Productions.[[5]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Homecoming_(album)#cite_note-Inc.Feb_1977-5) It rose to #14 on the Canadian charts, and to #41 on the pop and #6 on the easy listening US charts. It was certified Gold in Canada.[[6]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Homecoming_(album)#cite_note-6)[[4]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Homecoming_(album)#cite_note-Inc.1976-4) > **[The Homecoming (album)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Homecoming_(album))** > > The Homecoming is a 1975 album by Canadian composer, pianist, and vibraphonist Hagood Hardy. Six of the tracks were composed by Hardy. The album also contained fellow Canadian musician Gordon Lightfoot's song "Cold on the Shoulder" and five songs by other songwriters. It reached #21 on the RPM Magazine Top Albums chart in October, 1975. > In 1976, based on the music in this collection, Hardy was named Composer of the Year at the annual Juno Awards. > The title track, "The Homecoming", started out ... ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2025, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/35 "2025-01-12T02:35:25Z")
The correct answer, of course: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_hDmglcD_lA/maxresdefault.jpg "McDonalds Filet-O-Fish Commercial (8K) (60FPS)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hDmglcD_lA) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2025, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/36 "2025-01-12T03:42:56Z")
Award goes to @Stephe96 . It would take a lot of viewings for me to get sick of that. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2025, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/37 "2025-01-12T03:54:11Z")
[A bunch of sick kids fantasize about being killed, ground up, and made into hot dogs.](https://youtu.be/sUasW1-x9eg) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2025, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/38 "2025-01-12T05:21:52Z")
“Hot dogs, Springfield hot dogs The dogs Haitians love to bite” ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2025, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/39 "2025-01-12T13:41:15Z")
I’m surprised the original Chili’s Baby Back Ribs song didn’t become a single. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2025, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833/40 "2025-01-12T13:44:08Z")
That was the first one I thought of when I saw this thread title. So cool that you know the person who wrote it! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-written-for-commercials/1012833.md?page=3)