Gigantic Gigantic A Big Big Love

Cafe Society
1

Currently, everyone in the CalMeacham/Pepper Mill household is actively hating the Apple commercial featuring this song, to the point where people rush to grab the TV remote and hit the “Mute” button.
I admit to being so tragically unhip that I had never, to my knowledge, heard the Pixies 1988 song before, and had to look it up so that I knew what it was I was hating. In fact, it wasn’t until the commercial showed up while closed-captioning was on that I even knew what the lyrics were. Looking up the full set of lyrics wasn’t very helpful, but Wikipedia’s entry was invaluable.

Just two statements about this song:

1.) to quote from Wikipedia:

I wonder how many people watching the commercial know about this interesting backstory.

2.) It’s probably the cultural mix I was raised in, with Mad magazine rewriting pop tune lyrics, and pre-anime-era Jap[anise cartoons on the TV, but in my mind, the lyrics transmogrify into:

2

I think the backstory was pretty common knowledge among Pixies fans at the time - they must have mentioned it in interviews or something (Or else I found out about it later than I remember at this late date). I love the Pixies’ version; the TV commercial version is lame.

3

It’s an Apple commercial? Seriously, the song is so annoying I don’t notice anything else. Part of me thought it might be a Godzilla commercial…

4

“Gigantic” is one of my favorite Pixies songs.
Exchange I used to have with a friend of mine when this song would come on…
Me: “Hey Bo, what’s this song about?”
Bo: “It’s about a big black cock!”

5

It’s not that it’s a particularly dreadful commercial; it’s the near constant repetition. Both the whole commercial and especially that lady just saying “gigantic” over and over. And over. And over. Dear Zeus, make it stop!

6

Carnival Cruises (I think) used Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life”, a song about heroin addiction. Not sure how many folks got the connection there.

Heck, a wireless phone company uses a parody of “Fuck You” by Cee Lo Green.

7

Well.

I only found out recently also that this is a real song, and it was shortly thereafter that it occurred to me that it sounded oddly like the singer was remarking on her lover’s equipment. I mentioned that theory to my wife last night and she suggested that if I left my mind in the gutter over night, I’d probably be really poorly-rested come morning.

I shall have to share this thread with her.
ETA: We are actually one step beyond “grab the remote and hit mute.” Because we normally keep the captions turned on, my wife also blocks her view of the screen, such is her ire at this commercial.

8

I’m not a big Pixies fan, but I think it’s their best song. Strange choice for a commercial, though.

And my personal version is “Titanic… Titanic… a big big boat!”

9

You guys are nuts. I think it’s a great spot and I love the song.
I like the Pixies, though.

10

My wife loves the Pixies so she loves this commercial. I do like the gal singing in it and I guess they show how all these musicians can use this product to make their music but yeah, it’s a sexually charged song and I’m not sure why it was chosen to be used.

11

That is one of the best Pixies songs, and I can’t fault its use in this ad. Especially because the woman singing (the blonde one in the band) looks like she’s really into it. Cool!

12

Yours and Matt Mahaffey’s.

13

She says the chorus a whole three times.

Wow, you must really hate Ain’t know Sunshine When She’s Gone.!

14

If that’s their best song then the Pixies must suck a big bag of rocks.

15

They’re not for everyone, but they are great.

16

Big Pixies fan here.

I get the OP. A 20 second interval of any Pixies song makes no sense. Imagine just 20 seconds of Bone Machine or Velouria.

17

OK. I’m NEVER gonna like that particular song but can you recommend one you really like so I can give them a second chance?

18

Their version plays in the background during the commercial, and it’s better. It kind of plays in the background during the commercial. It’s one of their fun songs and not one of their angsty ones, and I think that’s why I like it: to me their music doesn’t have nearly as much substance as, say, Nirvana, so I like the fact that this one is just fun. If you want to hear something else, here’s Where Is My Mind? and here’s Gouge Away.

19

I know I knowI know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know that I’ve mentioned my dislike of that song on this Board more than once.

20

You kinda need to be in high school and have a hip friend give you a cassette tape with Doolittle to really get it.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to like everything.