Maybe it's just today being 9/11 and all, but has anyone else noticed that songs are frequently mis-labeled as "patriotic" or "romantic" or whatever when they really aren't? I remember Ronald Regan's campaign wanting to use John Cougar Mellencamp's "Pink Houses" in a campaign ad in 1984 and Mellencamp said, "No" and told them to "read they lyrics" and they'd understand. Of course, Pink Houses isn't a positive song about America. It's one about poverty and class-ism. His campaign advisors heard the chorus: "Ain't that America, you and me. Ain't that America, somethin' to see. Ain't that America, home of the free. Little pink houses for you and me..." and figured, "ah, patriotism." They forgot to look at the rest of the song and think with irony. Often, Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen is used as a patriotic song, but it is really a war protest song and not particularly pro-America at least in terms of it's treatment of veterans. Recently, there has been an ad running (I think for Tommy Hillfiger) using Fortunate Son by Credence Clearwater Revival. They play the first verse: "Some folks are born made to wave the flag, Ooh, they're red, white and blue. And when the band plays "Hail to the chief", Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord," But, they omit the chorus: "It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senator's son, son. It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no," This song was a 60's war protest song and shot at the government and, in some ways, America in general. Today, I heard Bullet the Blue Sky by U2 as a sort of "give 'em hell" war song on the radio. Of course, that song is about a man who preaches peace and the dichotomy between him and the American tele-evangelists. If not anti-American, it is certainly not positive. But, setting aside patriotism, think about songs like "Every Breath You Take" by the Police and "Possession" by Sarah McLaughlin. They are often played at weddings and sent out as dedications. They are also songs about STALKERS! Not exactly romantic, but people play them anyway. Sting once said with a smirk when told that Every Breath You Take was played at weddings, "That's sick." Then there are things like Randy Newman's "Short People" and "I Love LA." Short people was a song about racism. He used the lines in the verses, "Short people got no reason, Short people got no reason to live. They got little hands Little eyes They walk around Tellin' great big lies They got little noses And tiny little teeth They wear platform shoes On their nasty little feet" Then in the chorus: "Short people are just the same as you and I. All men are brothers until the day they die, It's a wonderful world." The idea being for him to point out how silly it is to judge others on their outward appearance thinking no one could possibly see this as a jab at short people, right? Wrong. I Love LA is a shot at how shallow and empty Hollywood can be but LA actually used it for tourist ads! Any other songs anyone can think of that fit this "used for the wrong purposes" model?
Jeff, this is something that has bugged the hell out of me for years. The question I have is, which is worse: --Politicians co-opting songs for their own benefit (as Reagan did with "Born in the USA" in 1984) or --"artists" who are willing to sell their songs any corporation for use in their advertising, no matter what that product is, as long as the corporation pays the hefty asking price. I can't decide. Both make me ill.
One of the first songs that the Cure ever did was called "Killing an Arab". This song appears on the "Boys Don't Cry" CD and their first greatest hits CD, "Staring at the Sea". It has nothing to do with wanting to kill an Arab. It is based on a literary subject, specifically by Albert Camus. Here is the description from Amazon.com: "...and literate (the single "Killing an Arab," a nihilistic sketch based on a scene from Albert Camus's The Stranger). " However, I have read that this song has been pulled from radio stations, and the Cure has to put a label on any CD that has this song that explains it is not about killing an Arab. I'm sure there are others, but this one jumped out at me.
"God Bless America" was written for a freaking musical, and some congressmen were actually trying it to make it our new national anthem. Ugh. Worst patriotic song ever. On topic, I like the car commercial that plays "Thick as a Brick" by Jethro Tull.....I believe that song is about an erection, right?
I always thought it was "Short People Have More Reason to Live." I think I was subject to a lot of short people propaganda as a child.
I can't stand that. The worst part is that the commercials are played over and over again. I've gotten sick of hearing a lot of my favorite songs that have been used in this way. Now, does anyone want to kill the executive who made that annoying Mitsubishi ad with the people singing along with that stupid "Chinese Chicken" song?
I wanted to kill the band who wrote and recorded it the first time I heard it. It hasn't gotten any better in the ensuing five years.
Jeff, I thought the same thing about the CCR song being used. I couldn't remember what commercial it was in or anything, but that's what went through my mind when I started reading this thread. If people want to use songs "out of context" (and it's okay with the artist), that's fine. But they need to keep in mind that there will be people who know the song and its real message. When I saw the commercial with the CCR song, my thought was, "What idiot decided to use that song?" In fact, that's all that stuck in my head. As I said, I couldn't remember what the commercial was about.
Here's one for ya Last Sunday, The Pastor of our church uses the Chorus from Joan Osbourne's What if God was one of us, Pretty weird considering what the song is really about.
Of course it was, but the point is that it shouldn't have been picked in the first place. If they had bothered to read the lyrics, they'd have figured that out. Tex: I don't mind commercial renderings of popular songs if the band or artist really needs it to survive. I saw a Smirnoff Ice ad with the band Semisonic's song on it and I thought they probably needed the money. I also don't have a problem when it's music that works for something like that. Artists like Moby became popular because their songs worked for ads and I can understand that with techno or industrial music. I HATE seeing like Panasonic ads with Beatles' songs and things like that. That sucks.
whats up with all the Smash Mouth stuff too? I keep hearing all the different Smash Mouth songs on commercials.
This reminds me of the one hit wonder band of the '80s named the Vapors and their hit, "I Think I'm Turning Japanese". I had no idea what that song was really about until one day on VH-1 they talked about it on a special about one-hit wonders. If you listen to the beginning of that song, it makes sense that it is actually about...well, I'll let you guess, but it is along the lines of what mateo said about "Thick as a Brick".
Really don't mind if you sit this one out. My words but a whisper -- your deafness a shout! I may make you feel but I can't make you think. Your sperm's in the gutter -- your love's in the sink. So you ride yourselves over the fields and you make all your animal deals and your wise men don't know how it feels to be thick as a brick. And the sand-castle virtues are all swept away in the tidal destruction the moral melee. The elastic retreat rings the close of play as the last wave uncovers the newfangled way. But your new shoes are worn at the heels and your suntan does rapidly peel and your wise men don't know how it feels to be thick as a brick. And the love that I feel is so far away: I'm a bad dream that I just had today -- and you shake your head and say it's a shame. Spin me back down the years and the days of my youth. Draw the lace and black curtains and shut out the whole truth. Spin me down the long ages: let them sing the song. See there! A son is born -- and we pronounce him fit to fight. There are black-heads on his shoulders, and he pees himself in the night. We'll make a man of him put him to trade teach him to play Monopoly and to sing in the rain. Lot of imagery in there...for the life of me I can't see how any of it is masterbatory. Now, "Whip It!" on the other hand...
Maybe they should use these lyrics: Religion and sex are powerplays Manipulate the people for the money they pay Selling skin, selling God The numbers look the same on their credit cards Politicians say no to drugs While we pay for wars in South America Fighting fire with empty words While the banks get fat And the poor stay poor And the rich get rich And the cops get paid To look away As the one percent rules America "Spreading the Disease" by Queensryche - Operation:Mindcrime
Not much irony in that one, is there? That same song has the line: "Twenty-five bucks a **** and John's a happy man. She wipes the filth away and it's back on the streets again." I remember thinking it was pretty wild (even for a concept album) when it came out. I also remember seeing them live and Tate replacing the words, "South America" with "Saudi Arabia" because it was during the Gulf War. Pretty controversial even for heavy metal.
A couple of songs I would like to dedicate to Osama Bin Laden. 1. Smack my b**** up 2. Snap my fingers snap your neck
Whoa....Buck...I dont know if you should have posted those lyrics to Thick As A Brick Whoo hoo....pretty hot stuff there!!!! "sperm, love in the sink, ride yourselves, shake your head, lace and black curtains...." not to mention "play Monopoly"
