Songs that are essentally unpaid adverts for a product

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Paul Simon -- "Kodachrome"

Nelly - "Air Force Ones"

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 15:12 (twenty years ago)

It's funny how so many people missed that "Kodachrome" is actually an anti-Kodak song. Paul Simon much preferred certain esoteric European brands of film.

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 15:14 (twenty years ago)

"Normally I purchase the handmade Croatian film Djrnjz."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 15:15 (twenty years ago)

Run DMC "My Adidas"

― Dominique (dleone), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 15:19 (twenty years ago)

tho I bet they got a lot of free shoes out of that

― Dominique (dleone), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 15:19 (twenty years ago)

Sheryl Crow: All I Wanna Do - Budweiser surely

― Black Arkestra (Black Arkestra), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 15:22 (twenty years ago)

it HELPS ME MAKES ME workrestandplay
it HELPS ME MAKES ME workrestandplay

― geoff (gcannon), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 15:22 (twenty years ago)

"Pass the Courvasier" (sp???)...anyway Busta + Puff Puff

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 15:24 (twenty years ago)

I think that rappers a pretty sharp these days and get something in return for their endorsements, unless of course they're advertising their own products

Also: Undertones - 'Mars Bar' (not sure if the that is what Geoff is quoting from, as a I can't remember the lyrics off the top of my head)

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 15:28 (twenty years ago)

In the hallowed tradition of "Pass the Courvoisier,"

Ying Yang Twins, "Gray Goose"

― Sean Braudis (Sean Braudis), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 15:47 (twenty years ago)

Fun Fun Fun

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 15:53 (twenty years ago)

I'm pretty sure "Pass the Courvoisier" and "Grey Goose" were actually PAID advertisements.

― mcd (mcd), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 15:57 (twenty years ago)

Really? Do you know any details, because that's fricking awesome all around.

― Sean Braudis (Sean Braudis), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 17:01 (twenty years ago)

Personally, I think it's kinda gross, but hey. Well with a little googling found this http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0237,parker,38205,1.html
though it says "Courvoisier" was not paid for ahead of time, I have my doubts there wasn't some deal. They're at least getting paid afterwards. When is a paid ad not a paid ad?

― mcd (mcd), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 17:04 (twenty years ago)

"get me big mac fries to go, big mac fries to go!"

def con one - pop will eat itself.

then again PWEI were advert/logo overload.

― mark e (mark e), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 17:05 (twenty years ago)

http://fusionanomaly.net/negativlanddispepsi.jpg

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 17:06 (twenty years ago)

Jeepster. In fact, I'm fairly certain Marc Bolan was a stealth marketer for the automobile industry.

― O-Keigh, Wednesday, 15 March 2006 17:08 (twenty years ago)

Yeah I think so. Certainly paid for product placement. Apparently there is a bling-o-brand-o-meter on some website clocking the number of mentions in rap/hip hop/urban tracks. gucci and mercedes being two of the most frequent.

― rchinn (rchinn), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 17:10 (twenty years ago)

"i like the whoppa fuck the big mac"

― piscesboy, Wednesday, 15 March 2006 17:57 (twenty years ago)

janis joplin - mercedes benz (although it was eventually used in a mercedes ad)

― pssst - badass revolutionary art! (plsmith), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 18:00 (twenty years ago)

Lou Reed has been known to assert that we all want Egg Cream.

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 18:03 (twenty years ago)

five years pass...

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" (albeit completely unintentionally)

― Lee626, Friday, 18 March 2011 01:09 (fifteen years ago)

Bruce Springsteen - Cadillac Ranch

― kornrulez6969, Friday, 18 March 2011 01:10 (fifteen years ago)

aimee mann - red vines

― three megabytes of hot RAM (abanana), Friday, 18 March 2011 01:20 (fifteen years ago)

"I like girls that wear Abercrombie and Fitch"

― Mr. Snrub, Friday, 18 March 2011 01:31 (fifteen years ago)

Dizzee Rascal - Bubbles

― Number None, Friday, 18 March 2011 01:31 (fifteen years ago)

Schoolly D's "Gucci Time" (the product gets mentioned generically upthread). I don't know why he wasn't hired as a spokesperson for the company.

― clemenza, Friday, 18 March 2011 08:32 (fifteen years ago)

"Little Honda" (actually became a commercial)

― Myonga Vön Bontee, Friday, 18 March 2011 15:22 (fifteen years ago)

Jerry Butler-"Hey, Western Union Man" (Butler jokes in the liners of The Iceman Cometh reissue that the song was written in hopes that it would get licensed for an ad, but Western Union didn't bite and 30+ years later, "e-mail (finally) screwed us out of that deal.")

― Your cousin, Marvin Cobain (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 18 March 2011 15:28 (fifteen years ago)

Moby Grape, "Hey Grandma"

"Robitussin make me feel so fine
Robitussin and elderberry wine"

... tho not the usage the manufacturers had in mind

― Tom D (Tom D.), Friday, 18 March 2011 15:31 (fifteen years ago)

manc st prchrs "ocean spray"

― ledge, Friday, 18 March 2011 15:32 (fifteen years ago)

Man I totally thought Nelly got paid by Nike for "Air FOrce Ones." Did I totally make that shit up?

― if I hate the headline, I'll make up a headline (Abbbottt), Friday, 18 March 2011 17:21 (fifteen years ago)

idk where the St Lunatics stood on the payment front tho

― if I hate the headline, I'll make up a headline (Abbbottt), Friday, 18 March 2011 17:22 (fifteen years ago)

I think the Five Americans beat Jerry Butler by about a year with "Western Union." (I'm also guessing it's a better song, although I can't even remember Jerry Butler's...the Five Americans song is great.)

― clemenza, Friday, 18 March 2011 20:17 (fifteen years ago)

Carbona Not Glue

― Thraft of Cleveland (Bill Magill), Friday, 18 March 2011 20:42 (fifteen years ago)

Wienerschnitzel by the Descendents

― Adobie Gillistrator (latebloomer), Friday, 18 March 2011 20:51 (fifteen years ago)

I think the Five Americans beat Jerry Butler by about a year with "Western Union." (I'm also guessing it's a better song, although I can't even remember Jerry Butler's...the Five Americans song is great.)

IIRC, in another set of reissue liner notes, one of the guys in the Five Americans said they got the idea for their song from a billboard and after the track was released, it was pitched to Western Union for an ad and they turned it down! Dudes just couldn't deal with musicians doing them a solid.

― Your cousin, Marvin Cobain (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 19 March 2011 04:29 (fifteen years ago)

For comparisons sake:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P6exyA2Qq0&feature=fvst

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lN_KC_XnW4

Jerry's sounds more like an ad, what with the constant vocal hook "Send a telegram/send a telegram!" and the lyric talking up all the things he can send w/them (flowers, candy).

On the other hand, it's understandable why Western Union didn't want anything to do with the Five Americans: The Western Union man brings only bad news, fit to be thrown on the floor even! However, the message is backed up with that teriffic multi-part harmony hook, evoking telegraphs of yore.

― Your cousin, Marvin Cobain (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 19 March 2011 04:43 (fifteen years ago)

Guns N' Roses- Nightrain

― Matt Armstrong, Saturday, 19 March 2011 04:58 (fifteen years ago)

The Who - "Jaguar," "Heinz Baked Beans," "Rotosound Strings," "Premier Drums," "Charles Atlas."

― Tarfumes The Escape Goat, Saturday, 19 March 2011 05:12 (fifteen years ago)

More on The Who tip: "Little Billy" was written on spec for the American Cancer Society, who chose not to use it as a PSA.

― Your cousin, Marvin Cobain (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 19 March 2011 05:14 (fifteen years ago)

The Nightcaps (& later ZZ Top)- "Thunderbird" (wine, not the car)

― Your cousin, Marvin Cobain (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 19 March 2011 05:15 (fifteen years ago)

Beyonce - every song (Dereon clothing)

― Sheneneh et Caro (Stevie D(eux)), Saturday, 19 March 2011 05:21 (fifteen years ago)

Unusual case: the commercial came first ("I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke"), followed by the hit song, which got rid of any references to Coke. But the commercial was so well known at that point, I have to believe that the hit continued to function as an unpaid advert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jr9hPbYmBo

― clemenza, Saturday, 19 March 2011 05:22 (fifteen years ago)

Public Enemy - "You're Gonna Get Yours" (Oldsmobile 98)

― Tarfumes The Escape Goat, Saturday, 19 March 2011 05:28 (fifteen years ago)

Mogwai - Kappa

― there should be more "asses" threads imo (Pillbox), Saturday, 19 March 2011 07:21 (fifteen years ago)

Korn - A.D.I.D.A.S.

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Saturday, 19 March 2011 07:36 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrt7uAQPXL4

― there should be more "asses" threads imo (Pillbox), Saturday, 19 March 2011 07:48 (fifteen years ago)

Oh, and you can have a whole thread for Beastie Boys product placement in songs, including but not limited to Moet, Chivas, Carvel ice cream, Thunderbird wine, Miller beer, White Castle, Rice-a-Roni, Chef Boy-ar-dee, Budweiser, Shasta, Yoo Hoo, Betty Crocker, Club Med, Sabrett hot dogs, Fatburger, Lincoln Continental cars and Gucci.

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Saturday, 19 March 2011 08:01 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRwpWdybc8I

― there should be more "asses" threads imo (Pillbox), Saturday, 19 March 2011 08:07 (fifteen years ago)

is Teen Spirit still on sale? was it in '91? is/was it a big brand?

― piscesx, Saturday, 19 March 2011 16:31 (fifteen years ago)

Unusual case: the commercial came first ("I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke"), followed by the hit song, which got rid of any references to Coke. But the commercial was so well known at that point, I have to believe that the hit continued to function as an unpaid advert.

See also "First Time" by Robin Beck (same brand).

― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Saturday, 19 March 2011 16:35 (fifteen years ago)

The Beatles' "Savoy Truffle" lyrics were lifted nearly wholesale by George Harrison from the lid of a Mackintosh "Good News" chocolate assortment he saw at Eric Clapton's house.

― Ian Curtis danced like a tortured chicken DO U SEE (Phil D.), Saturday, 19 March 2011 16:49 (fifteen years ago)

Paradiso Girls - "Patron Tequila"

― daavid, Saturday, 19 March 2011 16:54 (fifteen years ago)

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