It was my understanding, and I could easily be wrong, that it was BBC rules against commercial promotion that would have prevented the song from getting radio airplay in Britain if they didn’t change the words.
Incidentally, this is referenced on one of the radio stations in the newly released Grand Theft Auto: Vice City…
“Here at VROCK, we love giving away stuff for free. Especially if it’s stuff the record companies gave us in exchange for playing songs like this one… <cue song>”
Please, everyone in the entire world, buy CDs from Fat Possum Records.
(Those of you who are interested enough to follow the link, check out the New Yorker article from February 2002 about Fat Possum, titled “White Man at the Door.” The page is somewhat poorly laid out, with gray text on white, but it really is a good read. Example: "His dentist once held up a toothbrush and asked him if he’d ever seen one, to which Johnson answered, ‘I use one of those to clean my pistol.’ ")
Sorry for the delay. Lost track of this thread for a while.
Sure thing. You’re jumping to one extreme - that record companies are horrible, evil, terrible, “the worst thing since sliced Hitler” - (I know, not your words… it’s just hyperbole). So I decided to throw in the opposite extreme - whiney little fucktards who think they’re owed everything - just to give an example of dichotomy.
My real point is this: Why, exactly, do the record companies need a soul? I mean, fuckin’ A… it’s not like they decided to install explosives into every CD that detonate if someone tries to rip ‘em into Mp3’s. They’re just tryin’ to make a bit of an extra buck.
Personally, I think people who justify their piracy - and let’s face it, that’s what it is, if you give away music without the right to do so - by complaining about the record companies are just as bad as the record companies who try to squeeze every red cent from their customers.
What timing. And no this isn’t in reference to the TV car commercial with the guy listening to American Pie. If you get TV Guide, check the ad next to the listing of the 50 Greatest Theme songs (I am sure there is going to be a thread about this if there isn’t already).
There it is in print. A GD Chevy ad with the line “Drove my Chevy to the levee…”.
I’m not sure if you meant to post that in this thread, but I find it appropriate to this discussion.
That show is paying my rent right now. Mr. Rilch is an electrician on the crew (when he’s not jumping into icy water on a bet). As such, I find it redeeming.
Re: Janis Joplin. She constantly mentioned Southern Comfort in interviews; when their publicity department picked up on this, they recompensed her with a fur coat and a tour of the factory (and, presumably, some of their product).