# Whatever happened to jingles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 15, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796 "2010-09-15T01:59:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/21 "2010-09-15T15:05:00Z")
If that last one didn’t kill you, here’s [possibly the worst commercial ever](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRc1FgKGJFE), replete with annoying jingle at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/22 "2010-09-15T15:06:01Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > In an episode of Two and a Half Men Charlie Sheen’s character (who is a jingle writer) mentions that the market’s dried up because it’s cheaper for companies to use classic rock songs. Dunno if that’s really what’s behind it, but after that I started to pay attention, and it certainly seems to describe the reality of current advertising. I don’t think that’s the real reason, I’ve always been under the impression that it’s cheaper to write and record your own song than to license a popular tune. I think part of the reason is so that whenever that song happens to be played, it’ll now be associated with your product: “Hey, I know this song! It’s the one from the iPod commercial!” ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/23 "2010-09-15T15:08:03Z")
I think **RealityChuck** ’s original point, that commercials are now a whole lot shorter, makes a lot of sense. Hard to be catchy in 10 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/24 "2010-09-15T15:14:40Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > 1-877-Kars-4-Kids, K-A-R-S-Kars-4-Kids. > > Does that count? Does anyone know what I’m talking about? If so, do they want to kill me now? I know what you’re talking about, and I do want to kill you, but you left out the “…Today!” at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/25 "2010-09-15T15:42:45Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > 1-877-Kars-4-Kids, K-A-R-S-Kars-4-Kids. > > Does that count? Does anyone know what I’m talking about? If so, do they want to kill me now? It might count, I know what you’re talking about, and you’re dead. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/26 "2010-09-15T15:44:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Whatever happened to jingles? They grew up and turned into Lady Gaga songs… 😃 Seriously, it’s much easier to reference the best known moment from an established classic that it is to build a new 10 second moment that everyone will remember. Some jingles are still around - Sleep Country, Cana-DUH! Why buy a matress A-Anywhere else? Our people know whatchur lookin’ for at Don Valley North, Do-o-on Valley North f’Lexus. Flight Network dot com… Pass the Mozart, now I’ve got some serious earworms to drive out. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/27 "2010-09-15T15:53:45Z")
Geico so simple a caveman can do it. Is the first one I thought of. It is very short but memorable. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/28 "2010-09-15T15:57:17Z")
Still going strong (since 1977): _“800-588-2300…Empire!”_ ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/29 "2010-09-15T16:01:54Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Geico so simple a caveman can do it. > > Is the first one I thought of. > > It is very short but memorable. That’s a slogan, not a jingle (no music). ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/30 "2010-09-15T16:11:35Z")
Incidentally, am I the only one who keeps reading the thread title and going Rocky Horror in my head? “Whatever happened to…Fay Wray?” ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/31 "2010-09-15T16:25:29Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Incidentally, am I the only one who keeps reading the thread title and going Rocky Horror in my head? “Whatever happened to…Fay Wray?” Yes. 😛 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/32 "2010-09-15T17:28:09Z")
Five. Five dollar. Five dollar foot-long. Thanks for taking my earwig. It was a pleasure giving it to you. ---
**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:** [September 15, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/33 "2010-09-15T17:42:54Z")
I raise you a “Five dollar foot-long” and see you one ["Five four three. Quiznos five four three! Value menu!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5KhP11BRj4) OK, it’s just Three Blind Mice. (Butchered because there aren’t really the right number of syllables.) It does get into your head, though. ---
**Author:** ![HenryGale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b782af/32.png) [@HenryGale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HenryGale)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/34 "2010-09-15T18:20:32Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > There ARE jingles, still…they’re just really, really short. > > KFC: “G-double-O-D Good!” > McDonalds: “Ba da ba BA ba! I’m lovin’ it!” This. “Expedia, dot-cooooooom.” “Hotwiiiiiire dot. com.” “Reeeeed Robin. Yummmm” “Bob Evans, down on the farm.” \ ---
**Author:** ![HenryGale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b782af/32.png) [@HenryGale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HenryGale)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/35 "2010-09-15T18:28:31Z")
Also just thought of “PRICELINE NEGOTIATOR!!” What is it with travel websites and jingles? Gotta be a higher ratio of jingle-to-commercial in that industry than anywhere else. Missed edit window, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/36 "2010-09-15T20:40:15Z")
Shoulda gone to freeeeee credit report dot com. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/37 "2010-09-15T21:24:22Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > There ARE jingles, still…they’re just really, really short. I’m not sure if they qualify as jingles, so much as the brands’ taglines, set to music so as to make them more memorable. A traditional jingle was a complete (if short) song, not just a bar or two of music. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/38 "2010-09-15T23:54:59Z")
“Expedia, dot-cooooooom.” “Hotwiiiiiire dot. com.” “Reeeeed Robin. Yummmm” “Bob Evans, down on the farm.” \ [QUOTE=kenobi 65] A traditional jingle was a complete (if short) song, not just a bar or two of music. [/QUOTE] My thoughts as well. To me, those little things are stings, not jingles. BTW… who else thought this thread was about the long-lost, no longer made cookies that used to be sold at Christmastime? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/39 "2010-09-16T00:12:29Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > BTW… who else thought this thread was about the long-lost, no longer made cookies that used to be sold at Christmastime? Nope. Looking for Andy Divine was more my thought. Hell, we’re looking for **chowder** , so why not Andy? And…just to complete the segue trifecta, Andy Divine played Jingles on Wild Bill Hickock, but he also succeeded Smilin’ Ed on Saturday morning Buster Brown Show(Froggy the Gremlin, Midnight the Cat, etc.), which leads back to the lovely **twix** and Buster Brown. Thank you, I’ll be here all week. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796/40 "2010-09-16T02:12:49Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > About half of all local commercials on local radio stations around here have jingles, but they all sound the same, and none are catchy; it’s just studio singers singing a long jingle in a soft Adult Contemporary style. Most of the businesses that have jingles really shouldn’t have them, either. You hear stuff along the lines of: > > ♫ Niaaaagara Colostomy Supplyyyyy! > We caaaare a-bout youuuuu!" ♫ > > or … > > ♫ We’re theeeere when you need uuuuus! > Frontieeeeer Cane and Walkeeeeeer! ♫ > > or … > > ♫ You can count on ussssss! For your walker neeeeeds! > Seneca … Seneca Cane and Crutch! ♫ > > Okay, none of those jingles actually exist. The real ones are so forgettable, defeating the purpose of a jingle to egin with. There’s a real one that I hear around here quite a bit, and it cracks me up every time I hear it. _♫ Midwest Hemmorhoid Treatment Center… Don’t suffer in silence. ♫_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-jingles/553796.md?page=3)