# Most misused song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 14, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887 "2012-05-14T15:02:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/1 "2012-05-14T15:02:44Z")
Today I heard the song [“For The Love Of Money” by the O’Jays](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1ZuSx6zevQ&feature=related) being used in an ad for a lottery. It always amuses me how people keep using this song to promote financial stuff when the song is about how money degrades people. What other songs keep getting used for purposes contrary to the message of the song? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/2 "2012-05-14T15:04:06Z")
Born in the USA ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/3 "2012-05-14T15:07:33Z")
Every Breath You Take ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/4 "2012-05-14T15:39:33Z")
“Revolution” by the Beatles ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/5 "2012-05-14T15:55:28Z")
“The Star Spangled Banner.” I don’t think pre-game entertainment is what Francis Scott Key had in mind. I don’t know that he expected it to be as enduring as it has been, but I think he would have been surprised to find that the story of a valiant victory of sorts following a bloody battle is primarily sung before sporting events. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/6 "2012-05-14T16:06:11Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Born in the USA Well, that pretty much wraps up this thread, doesn’t it? But I’ll throw “You Are My Sunshine” out there for Honorable Mention. It’s a horribly sad, creepy song if you actually listen to the words. Only the chorus is suitable as a lullaby or to sell greeting cards and diapers. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/7 "2012-05-14T16:20:40Z")
I once heard a Radio Shack ad using “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye for a Father’s Day promotion. Who was it that killed Marvin Gaye, again? That’s right - his father. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/8 "2012-05-14T16:40:41Z")
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. I’ve seen it sung with a choir backing the sollist. just no. not really a religious song. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/9 "2012-05-14T16:50:55Z")
“Semi-charmed Life” used in the previews of a Winnie the Pooh movie. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/10 "2012-05-14T16:53:26Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. I’ve seen it sung with a choir backing the sollist. just no. not really a religious song. Continuing with songs with the word “Hallelujah” in the title, the Hallelujah Chorus by George Fridric Handel is often misused as a Christmas song. It’s an Easter song. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/11 "2012-05-14T17:05:15Z")
I’m surprised no one’s mentioned this yet. Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life” used to sell cruise vacations. The instrumental opening to The Velvet Underground’s “Heroin” was used to sell SUVs. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/12 "2012-05-14T17:06:39Z")
A company I worked for in the past used to have Employee Assemblies where the bigwigs would get up on stage and give inspirational speeches. The last year I worked there, I swear to God, they used the Who’s **Won’t Get Fooled Again** as the theme song. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/13 "2012-05-14T17:08:30Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > A company I worked for in the past used to have Employee Assemblies where the bigwigs would get up on stage and give inspirational speeches. > > The last year I worked there, I swear to God, they used the Who’s **Won’t Get Fooled Again** as the theme song. Was it at least used to announce a corporate reorganization? ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/14 "2012-05-14T17:14:30Z")
“Space Oddity” was used to advertise Lincoln cars. “Your circuits are dead and something’s wrong…” Huh? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/15 "2012-05-14T17:41:25Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > “Space Oddity” was used to advertise Lincoln cars. “Your circuits are dead and something’s wrong…” Huh? See also: “here am I sitting in a tin can…” ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/16 "2012-05-14T17:43:32Z")
“Start Me Up” was used to advertise Windows 95 when it first launched. Of course, they only played the “Start me up and I’ll never stop” part, and left out the line “you make a grown man cry”. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/17 "2012-05-14T18:02:21Z")
_White Rabbit_ seems to be the cliche of choice for late 60’s. In film. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/18 "2012-05-14T18:03:36Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > “Start Me Up” was used to advertise Windows 95 when it first launched. Of course, they only played the “Start me up and I’ll never stop” part, and left out the line “you make a grown man cry”. Or the even better line “you make a dead man come”. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/19 "2012-05-14T18:07:32Z")
It’s her song so more power to her to repurpose it how she wants, but I’m amused every time I hear “In the Arms of the Angel” played over Sarah McLachlan asking me to donate to abused dogs and cats. The song itself is (originally) about heroin addiction. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/20 "2012-05-14T18:10:07Z")
Every year around the Fourth of July I hear commercials, mostly for car dealerships having big Independence Day car sales. They want to put some nice patriotic-sounding music in the background to remind us all of our Yankee Doodle heritage. What do they use? “[The British Grenadiers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGrxHO-B2TY).” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887.md?page=2)