# Great songs in bad commercials **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 30, 2001, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341 "2001-01-30T02:09:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![avacado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47774/32.png) [@avacado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/avacado)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/1 "2001-01-30T02:09:45Z")
Hey, I’m compiling a list of great songs found in TV commercials. Stuff like the Smiths’ “How Soon is Now” in the Nissan ad or Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon” in the Volkswagon ad. I’ve heard the the Gap uses all sorts of good songs, but, well, no cable TV effectively means no TV. Any helps? ---
**Author:** ![Jeannie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@Jeannie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeannie)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/2 "2001-01-30T02:34:21Z")
“Bohemian Rhapsody” in the Moutain Dew commercial: “I see a little silouetto of a can…” Shoot me. “We Will Rock You” in the Taco Bell commercial. Right through the head. Shoot me right in the head. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/3 "2001-01-30T02:48:56Z")
But We Will Rock You and…\ Bohemian Rhapsody sucked **before** they were in those commercials. Alright. :d&r: I heard that Start Me Up was used in a Microsoft commercial. MICROSOFT. (Or some computer…I don’t care.) I never saw it but its a good song and most commercials suck…ergo… The Gap one, with the Mellow Yellow song by…Donovan? That’s a good song but irritating as hell commercial. Oh! The Who’s Baba O Riley in that car commercial. Horrible horrible. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/4 "2001-01-30T03:32:50Z")
They used the **Buzzcocks** ’ “What Do I get?” in some kind of car commercial, too. I nearly puked. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/5 "2001-01-30T03:44:41Z")
Toyota is currently butchering Jorgen Ingman’s “Apache” in some of their commercials. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/6 "2001-01-30T04:04:30Z")
Paul Simon said that he turned down an offer from Midas Muffler for “The Sounds Of Silence” ---
**Author:** ![dustMagnate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@dustMagnate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dustMagnate)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/7 "2001-01-30T13:27:17Z")
**Lust for Life** Iggy Pop, is used in a car commercial. They edit out the booze, drugs, and sex references. What pan-african world beat band does that “Zoomzoomzoom” song? Hate the commercials, love the song. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/8 "2001-01-30T14:25:38Z")
I have to think that the most egregious misuse of a song in a commericial is Janis Joplin’s “Oh Lord won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz” in a Mercedes commercial. If the irony weren’t so damn funny, Janis would be spinning in her grave. Each time I saw the commercial, I didn’t know whether to laugh or puke. I can just imagine the one poor non-clueless person in the ad agency screaming, clawing, and pleading to try to make the ad executives understand what the song is about. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/9 "2001-01-30T15:16:15Z")
The two I can think of right now are: Judas Priest’s You’ve got another thing Comming for Burger King. ugh and Ozzy’s Crazy Train was done for some car ad. I think it was some sort of minivan ad but don’t know for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/10 "2001-01-30T15:52:19Z")
Check [http://www.adcritic.com](http://www.adcritic.com) for ads with music, they usually give a music credit. ---
**Author:** ![Oblong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c0e974/32.png) [@Oblong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblong)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/11 "2001-01-30T16:07:27Z")
“Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes” by David Bowie in the Novell commercial. I hate it because it’s a good song and now I think of Novell when I hear it. I guess that’s why they did it, but I still don’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![idiotboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@idiotboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/idiotboy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/12 "2001-01-30T16:14:51Z")
I was amazed and disgusted to hear the VooDoo Glow Skulls “Left For Dead” on a Taco Bell commercial…I thought they’d be the last group to sell out! ---
**Author:** ![Gregor\_Samsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@Gregor\_Samsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gregor_Samsa)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/13 "2001-01-30T16:21:34Z")
Didn’t I hear a **Breeders’** song in a car commercial the other day (_Cannonball_, maybe)? ---
**Author:** ![Inanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inanna)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/14 "2001-01-30T16:35:54Z")
The Gap used Low’s version of “Little Drummer Boy” in one of their Christmas commercials. Gap also used Dwight Yoakam’s “Little Thing Called Love”. Stupid line dancing fools. When Dwight played it at his concert all I could see was “Everybody in Denim” flash across his forehead. ---
**Author:** ![ThisYearsGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThisYearsGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisYearsGirl)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/15 "2001-01-30T17:05:18Z")
That “Woo-hoo!” song by Blur in the car commercial. Also, “I Free Free” by Cream, in another car commercial. I’m really waiting for “Magic Carpet Ride” by Steppenwolf to appear in a car commercial. Doesn’t it seem kinda appropriate? ---
**Author:** ![monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monster)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/16 "2001-01-30T17:28:31Z")
Eric Clapton’s “After Midnight” for Michelob. I think he even appeared in the commercial. For some reason I think the Beatles’ “Revolution” was used for a scooter of some type. Does anyone else remember this one? ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/17 "2001-01-30T18:14:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pipeliner \* > \*\*Didn’t I hear a **Breeders’** song in a car commercial the other day (_Cannonball_, maybe)? \*\* Yea. Nissan, I think. But it’s definately Cannonball. feh. What’s with cover of Beatles’ songs in commercials? The candiate for lt. gov. here in Vermont used “Hey, Bulldog!” in his commercials. I voted for him, but I still think it was tacky. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/18 "2001-01-31T00:27:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ThisYearsGirl \* > \*\*I’m really waiting for “Magic Carpet Ride” by Steppenwolf to appear in a car commercial. Doesn’t it seem kinda appropriate? \*\* There was a crappy technopop cover of it in a Dodge Viper commercial. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/19 "2001-01-31T00:54:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by monster \* > \*\* > > For some reason I think the Beatles’ “Revolution” was used for a scooter of some type. Does anyone else remember this one? \*\* “Revolution” was used in a Nike ad. Lou Reed was a pitchman for scooters (Honda, I think) in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2001, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341/20 "2001-01-31T01:18:15Z")
In another egregious travesty; Iggy Pop’s _Passenger_ is used in a car commercial. Iggy Pop kicks ass. Hearing that song and **Lust for Life** beat into the ground does not kick ass. There’s a commercial (I think iMac or something) that had Dylan’s _Forever Young_ that was actually nicely done. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-in-bad-commercials/52341.md?page=2)