# Songs that have been warped by use in commercials. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629 "2005-03-28T17:33:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/41 "2005-03-29T15:31:28Z")
> [@NattoGuy](#): > > Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” fell into use as a patriotic anthem, although its lyrics definitely do not support this. “Born to Run” was at one point was being at least proposed as the state song of New Jersey. “It’s a death trap/ it’s a suicide rap” – what an endorsement! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/42 "2005-03-29T17:06:28Z")
> [@zagloba](#): > > “Born to Run” was at one point was being at least proposed as the state song of New Jersey. “It’s a death trap/ it’s a suicide rap” – what an endorsement! I’m pretty sure they made it the state song. And hey, if the shoe fits… Didn’t the Reagan campaign use Born in the USA one year? ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/43 "2005-03-29T18:23:01Z")
> [@Kizarvexius](#): > > Don’t forget that Microsoft used the Stones’ _Start Me Up_ to launch their Windows 95 campaign. Of course they looped the song before it got to the line about making a grown man cry. … or the “dead man come” part… funny, that. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/44 "2005-03-29T18:28:00Z")
Another car commercial used Joe Cocker’s “Feelin’ Alright” clipping it before it reached “I’m not feeling too good myself.” The song is basically about how much it sucks to be broken up from your loved one. I’ve never understood what the “Feelin’ Alright” refrain is referencing in that song. ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/45 "2005-03-29T18:42:18Z")
Is it sarcasm aimed at the one who did the dumping? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/46 "2005-03-29T19:10:50Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Didn’t the Reagan campaign use Born in the USA one year? Reagan’s campaign contacted Springsteen to use it and Springsteen turned the campaign down flat. Refused to authorize it. Along the lines of warped political usage, Pap Bush used during his re-nomination convention “The Best of Times is Now” from _La Cage aux Folles_. Hearing that song coming from the same sound system that had so recently transmitted Pat Buchanan’s “culture war” speech was pretty much the definition of surreal. ---
**Author:** ![Sample\_the\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Sample\_the\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sample_the_Dog)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/47 "2005-03-29T23:41:33Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Pap Bush used during his re-nomination convention “The Best of Times is Now” from _La Cage aux Folles_. Hearing that song coming from the same sound system that had so recently transmitted Pat Buchanan’s “culture war” speech was pretty much the definition of surreal. I remember that one, and I recall thinking, “who the f\*\*k hired these guys?” (ie, the PR firm). I heard an interview with John Mellencamp who said the RNC had contacted him earlier, asking to use “Pink Houses” for a convention. (I assume they contacted his agency, who relayed the message, but this is how he told it.) He said it was fine with him, but they might want to listen to the verses. They did, and got back in touch to say they’d changed their minds. ---
**Author:** ![Sample\_the\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Sample\_the\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sample_the_Dog)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/48 "2005-03-29T23:43:17Z")
And let us not forget the DNC playing “Mambo #5” at a post-Lewinski convention! I know, they dropped the Lou Bega lyrics, but who could hear that song without thinking “A little bit of Monica in my life”? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/49 "2005-03-30T00:13:16Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Reagan’s campaign contacted Springsteen to use it and Springsteen turned the campaign down flat. Refused to authorize it. Actually, this is not correct. Reagan used Springsteen’s song on the '84 campaign trail, where he didn’t need to license its usage (unlike, say, TV ads, where the song didn’t play). Bruce was vocal in his protests, but the Reagan campaign didn’t care and continued to use it where ever Reagan went. ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/50 "2005-03-30T00:30:57Z")
> [@Agrippina](#): > > Wasn’t Green Day’s “Time Of Your Life” about a guy saying goodbye to his girlfriend? Either way, I remember the song was used to death when the class of 2000 graduated from high school. This was my senior prom theme. The song is actually titled _Good Riddance (Time of your life)_ but they conveniently left out the first part of the title and just used the parenthetical. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/51 "2005-03-30T02:25:18Z")
Another 2000 grad here. I don’t recall any Green Day being played, but they did play Vitamin C’s _Graduation Song_; which may well be the longest string of lies I’ve ever heard set to music. I mentioned this in a similar thread, but Target managed to twist Devo’s _Beautiful World_ 180 degrees. For those of you who aren’t die-hard Devo fans (and I’m sure there’s a few here on the board), the bit Target used goes like this: _It’s a beautiful world we live in A sweet romantic place Beautiful people everywhere The way they show they care Makes me want to say It’s a beautiful world It’s a beautiful world It’s a beautiful world_ End commercial. The song goes on: _For you! For you! For you! It’s not for me!_ ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/52 "2005-03-30T03:07:58Z")
> [@Sample\_the\_Dog](#): > > I remember that one, and I recall thinking, “who the f\*\*k hired these guys?” (ie, the PR firm). > > I heard an interview with John Mellencamp who said the RNC had contacted him earlier, asking to use “Pink Houses” for a convention. (I assume they contacted his agency, who relayed the message, but this is how he told it.) He said it was fine with him, but they might want to listen to the verses. They did, and got back in touch to say they’d changed their minds. Maybe they didn’t play it at the convention but they definity used it in campaign commericaials. Was a big snafu for them, back in the day! 😃 God I’m getting old . . . :wally ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/53 "2005-03-30T17:32:35Z")
> [@Sample\_the\_Dog](#): > > And let us not forget the DNC playing “Mambo #5” at a post-Lewinski convention! I know, they dropped the Lou Bega lyrics, but who could hear that song without thinking “A little bit of Monica in my life”? :smack: Mambo #5 is much much older than the Lou Bega version and the original has no lyrics. It’s just a nice up-tempo mambo number. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/54 "2005-03-31T13:37:33Z")
NYC’s Channel7eyewitnessnews’s weatherman is Sam Champion. Yesterday I actually saw a commercial for him: He is the Champion, He is the Champion. So much for my lunch. ---
**Author:** ![Sample\_the\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Sample\_the\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sample_the_Dog)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/55 "2005-03-31T16:56:46Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#): > > Mambo #5 is much much older than the Lou Bega version and the original has no lyrics. It’s just a nice up-tempo mambo number. I know. Every time I mention this, someone has to mention that the Lou Bega lyrics aren’t original to the tune. Why is that? The fact that the old version (perhaps originally by Perez Prado in the 1950s) did not contain the Monica lyric is irrelevant. At the time of the convention, the Lou Bega version was enormously popular. Many (probably most) people hearing the tune in that context would be reminded of the lyrics that they’d heard with that version. Which is why it was definitely a :smack: moment. ---
**Author:** ![Severian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@Severian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Severian)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/56 "2005-03-31T17:14:21Z")
> [@HeadNinja](#): > > The lyrics they play are: > > Some folks are born, > made to wave the flag. > Yeah, They’re Red White and Blue. > > They leave out the zinger: > When the band plays > ‘Hail to the Chief’ > They’ll point the cannon at you. > > So it goes from protest to patriotism. > > So what I’m looking for are other songs which have had their meanings twisted in the service of moving product. I love to see beautiful spin. It may not be the kind of patriotism the advertiser is going for, but I’ve always found _Fortunate Son_ to be a very patriotic song. What’s more American than protected speech? ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/57 "2005-03-31T17:35:12Z")
> [@Sample\_the\_Dog](#): > > I know. Every time I mention this, someone has to mention that the Lou Bega lyrics aren’t original to the tune. Why is that? > > The fact that the old version (perhaps originally by Perez Prado in the 1950s) did not contain the Monica lyric is irrelevant. At the time of the convention, the Lou Bega version was enormously popular. Many (probably most) people hearing the tune in that context would be reminded of the lyrics that they’d heard with that version. Which is why it was definitely a :smack: moment. Actually there are many of us who haven’t heard the Lou Bega version enough to know what the lyrics are because we avoided that abomination like the plague. Hence it is entirely possible the person who selected the song to be used may not have heard the lyrics either. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/58 "2005-03-31T21:02:37Z")
The **Hummer** commercial featuring **“Happy Jack”** by **The Who** is especially annoying. (Now Roger, remind me again what distinguishes “your g-g-generation” from the one that went before…?) ---
**Author:** ![Sample\_the\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Sample\_the\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sample_the_Dog)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/59 "2005-04-01T03:07:16Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#): > > Hence it is entirely possible the person who selected the song to be used may not have heard the lyrics either. The person who chose the song knew there was a pop version of it on the airwaves, or else s/he wouldn’t have chosen it. If s/he didn’t take the time to even listen to that version, s/he is incompetent in his/her position and should have been fired. No, there’s absolutely no excuse for using that song in that convention, even without lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![HeadNinja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b4bc9f/32.png) [@HeadNinja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeadNinja)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629/60 "2005-04-01T15:43:12Z")
> [@Severian](#): > > It may not be the kind of patriotism the advertiser is going for, but I’ve always found _Fortunate Son_ to be a very patriotic song. What’s more American than protected speech? By the same argument _Pop that Cootchie_, by Two Live Crew, is patriotic. That idea makes me happy. But I agree, so allow me to restate. By using a subset of lyrics they change it from a protest song to a vacuous bit of rah rah glurge. I’d forgotten all about the appropriation of _Beautiful World_. But since it was Devo I game them the benefit of the doubt. perhaps they believed that everyone who knew the song would append the “Not me”. Making it some sort of subversive anti-advertisement. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-been-warped-by-use-in-commercials/296629.md?page=4)